The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-30 00:00:00

SKETCHES IN PARLIAMENT.

SATURDAY.

The thirst for information which Mr. Osborne mocked
hi his speech on the eve of the adjournment for
the Easter holiday has waned now that we are on the
Ove of the Whitsun holidays. This kind of thirst is
always most intense in the cold weather, usually during the
Erst or second week in February,; and as the days lengthen
and the thermometer rises, it subsides. The result is that
very few members now betake themselves to the fountain
IA information, compared with the numbers who were to
be seen panting and impatient three months ago. Every
body knows almost everything, and so very few M.P.'s
think it worth while to be present in the early part of the
sitting. Yesterday the House presented a very forlorn
appearance. The benches were but a third full, and
the Peer's gallery for some time had not
a single occupant, and afterwards only one.
Sir George Grey, who is now seldom heard, did, indeed,
ask Mr. Forster some questions respecting the Govern-
ment amendments to the Education Bill, and the answers
ire listened to with much eagerness. Sir Massey Lopes
pot the approval of the Premier so far as regarded the
sit of his question respecting the extension of the
bishops' Resignation Act to the beneficed clergy,
although it appears that that measure cannot be
extended, but a fresh one must be brought
in. Mr. Whalley, who differs from the author
of " Lothair," and believes that Fenianism is prompted
by the Roman Catholics, instead of being utterly opposed
to and abhorred by them, got some information out of
Mr. Monsell respecting the ridiculous raid into Canada ;
and Dr. Playfair extracted the satisfactory information
that we are to have a halfpenny card-postage, such as has
been already adopted in Germany. Then began the
formal business of the evening.

The first topic of discussion led to a really good debate.
It was introduced by Lord Eustace Cecil, who made a
speech of not much less than an hour's duration on adul-
terations of food and short weights. Lord Eustace is not
like his brother, the Marquis of Salisbury, eloquent, but
he has improved of late, and is now a tolerably fluent
speaker. He described the way in which our tradesmen
poison us—our dairymen, our bakers, our brewers, and
above all, our grocers ; and he reminded the House
that in former times rascals of this kind were put in
the pillory. He spoke of those days with a wistful longing
for_their revival. He called upon the Ministry, "the most
powerful Government since the days of Sir Robert Peel,"
—not to shirk a question which they were strong enough
to deal with. He was followed by " Tom Brown," now
alas, bald-headed, and quite the middle-aged gentleman.
He lost his seat for Lambeth because of his endeavours
to put down a vice in which his constituents surpassed all
other persons. He had brought this matter before three
successive Ministries, but without effect. And yet so far
as the suppression of short-weight is concerned, it
was easy enough to cope with the evil. Publish the
names of convicted offenders in the Gazette, and that will
soon bring them to their senses, said Mr. Hughes. It was
the best practicable substitute for Lord Eustace's pillory.
Mr. Hughes was humorous about the various jurisdic-
tions in London, " annoyance juries," and the like, who
are entrusted with the task of protecting us from
cheating ,tradesmen.. Mr. Bruce made a
joke—two jokes—an incident worthy of note.
The basis of his argument was that though
it was quite true the present Ministry was powerful, and
that the Liberal party had cordially supported the Go-
vernment with regard to its Irish policy, yet such a
measure as Mr. Hughes recommended would test the
fidelity of Ministerialists too severely, for it would bring
them into disagreeable relations with their constituents.
He promised, however, that something should be done,
that the " annoyance juries" and other absurd bodies should
cease to annoy. Mr. Cave, the last Conservative Presi-
dent of the Board of Trade, followed. The right hon.
gentleman, who looks far more like a militaire than a
West Indian planter, read his speech from neatly-written
notes—or were they printed proofs ? Under these
circumstances, there was no hesitation, no awkward
pauses. It might have been different, perhaps, had Mr.
Cave trusted to his memory. As it was, it sounded
as though he were reading a leading article. Mr. Muntz
was a very different kind of speaker. Grey and grizzled,
with a long thick beard and moustache that make his
utterance indistinct, he spoke with much impromptu
raciness. His descriptions of the adulterations practised
were sometimes ludicrous, sometimes disgusting. Perhaps
the most harmless of all adulterations, one that M. P.'s
should be least inclined to check, is that of blue.
pill. This, it appears, is made of slate filings and blue
clay. Considering how many persons half ruin their
constitutions by amateur dosinewith mercury, this revela-
tion should not excite much regret ; but when you come
to coffee, and hear the noxious messes it is composed of,
and the testimony of the Paris physicians, that gastric
fever is its common sequent, the case is
altered, and indignation takes the place of com-
placency. Sir Charles Adderley said a few words and
then it was the turn for a Liberal, who appeared in the
person of portly jovial Mr. Locke, a gentleman who can
extract laughter out of a death's head and cross
bones. He amused the house by his denunciation of
permissive bills, and his declaration that a bill to
put down adulteration was of more importance
than the Education Bill. Mr. Sinnaird, who is also
" funny," made the House laugh. Not that there was
anything particularly humorous in his remarks, but be-
cause he is one of the official jesters, the House takes
for granted that it ought to cachinnate directly he rises.
Mr. Peek, the biscuit man, stood up in behalf of orna-
mental cakes (which had been attacked for being coated
with chromate of lead), and Mr. Bass, amid much merri-
ment, defended beer as the purest and wholesomest article
sold, and denounced the stories of nux vomica and
cocculus indicus as all moonshine.
It was now seven o'clock, the sacred hour of dinner,
and such members as had any appetite left
after the disclosures which had been made in
the debate, being anxious to dine, Lord Eustace
Cecil withdrew his amendment. Members rushed
out, and left a nearly empty House to listen to
Mr. Goldney's discourse about that disgraceful old topic,
the Kirwee prize money, which, after thirteen years, is
still unsettled. It was a long and wearisome debate,
lasting for several hours, and I frankly confess that I
had not the patience to sit it out, There
was one member who must have thought that
ft would never end Professor Fawcett, who
having been twice counted out, had his motion about
the employment of women and children down for yester-
day. Early in the evening he came in led by his fellow-
professor, Dr. Playfkir. But after a while he got weary, and
some kindly Tory led the Radical M.P. for Brighton out.
'One thing was certain, if he had only the fortitude to sta
up all night he was safe ; for Government wanted supply,
and therefore the house was sure rots to be counted 04
till that had been granted, and notices of motion
precede supply. "Everything comes at last to him who
knows bow to wait," say the ' French, and so
it was in Mr. Fawcett's case. He made his speech, and
yet after all it was but an imperfect victory. The
Professor has rather a liking for forlorn hopes,
for leading a little select body of Radicals into
the lobby in opposition to Mr. Gladstone,
and though the result is only to skew how strong
the Premier is, and how hopelessly small is the new
party of Adullamites, the Professor seems to enjoy it,
and as it does not hurt the Premier no harm is done.
Last night we should have had another of these little
farces, but the Speaker forbad. The motion white];
Mr. Fawcett wasgoing to put had been moved
in substance before, and so he was compelled to
be content with a speech from Mr. Bruce, a performance
which is not usually very satisfying.

Strange to say ministers did not take supply after
all I suppose they found_ they could get on without tho
money ; but I am rather inclined to think that Mr. Glyn
was dodging. M.P.'s had felt so confident that the rest
of the night would be occupied about the navy estimates,
that 13, large number of them had gone home. Not so
Mr. k.Towdegate. " Set a thief to catch a thief."
His little manceuvre about the monastic institutions
was still fresh in his memory, and warned him that other
ersons might try the same trick ; and so it came to pass.
Instead of the Navy Estimates the Burial Bill
came on, and there was wrath and indignation among the
Conservative M.P.'s, Colonel Barttelot, Mr. Cawley, Mr.
Goldney, Mr. Newdegate, Mr. Henley, Mr. Beresford,
Hope and others made a gallant fight. Again and again
they moved that the debate should be adjourned, and at
last, about one o'clock this morning, 11/finisters gave way.
Meanwhile poor Mr. Speaker had got cpliteinopked up.
He had been compelled to go home during the stormy
Committee on the Burials Bill, and when the adjourned
debate on the second reading of the Public Schools Bill
came on at past one o'clock, Mi. Podson was obliged to
take the chair. That is also a bill which excites angry
religious feeling, so after a little discussion
the debate was adjourned. Surely new it was time for
members to go home. Not at all, there was the Vaccina-
tion Bin. Yes, and a division on it at two o'clock in the
morning. The division did not take long. There were
but thirty members, including tellers, and so the House
vas ipso facto counted out, and wearied senators retired to
heir doWUY beds.