The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-11 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, APRIL 11, 1870.

ERIDAY night's sitting of the House of Commons
was like many an English summer day. The early
hours were dull and close, and there was a thorough
stagnation of the atmosphere. But as evening wore
on clouds began to lour in the horizon ; a little
later they had covered the heavens, and soon after
midnight there was a tremendous storm, with
angry flashes and deafening peals. Nothing
could have been more depressing than the
proceedings from 9 o'clock on Friday night until a
quarter to one on Saturday morning. Cattle mar-
kets and military education had occupied the whole
of those weary four hours, and one of them had been
engrossed by the not very eloquent Mr. Samuda, who
discussed the rival claims of Deptford, Milwall, and
the Isle of Dogs. Even Sir John Lubbock's maiden
speech, able as it was, did not arouse mem-
bers. Heaviness reigned supreme. The Attor-
ney-General was the first to break the drowsy spell.
It was a very simple proposal that he had
to make ; merely in fact that leave should be given
to bring in a bill for disfranchising Beverley and
Bridgwater. But it aroused Colonel Stuart Knox,
who, as a Tory of the Tories, was bound to believe
that that which was sin unpardonable in the latter
borough was a harmless custom in the former. There
must be two separate tills for these boroughs, he
said. Vain was the explanation that the
two boroughs would be dealt with in dif-
ferent. clauses. Vain was the reminder that
the late Lord Derby had disfranchised four
boroughs en Me. Vain was the advice given by
members sitting on his own side of the House not to
oppose Sir Robert Collier's motion. The honour of
Beverley and Mr. Wreghitt and Sir Henry Edwards
(Colonel Knox's fellow Orangeman) must be main-
tained at all costs. So the House went to a division
on the question, and the obstinate militaire found
himself soundly beaten.

All this was but the first faint rumble of the storm
that was about to burst. At half-past one
Mr. Newdegate moved for the appointment of his
committee to enquire into conventual and monastic
institutions amid angry exclamations and interjec-
tions. There was cause for that anger. The mem-
ber for North Warwickshire had promised the other
side that he would not bring his motion on at an
unreasonable hour, and when asked to define the time
more closely had said first half-past eleven, and then
moved it on to half-past twelve. Yet here it was
an hour past that time, and members who had been
sitting (with only one interval of two hours) since
two in the afternoon were called upon to enter upon
a most vexed question at that untimely hour.
Worse still, a large number of M.P.'s,
relying upon Mr. Newdogate's assurance, had
gone home. Not so Mr. Cogan. He seems
to have distrusted the member who is for
ever accusing a large body of Christians as habitual
liars. Mr. Newdegate declares that a "Papist"
holds ho may resort to any stratagem for the advan-
tage of his Church, and it was, therefore, not surpris-
ing that "Papists," acting on the motto of Honi soit
qui mal y pease, were suspicious of the hon. member.
So Mr. Cogan was ready wtth his speech, which was,
however, courteous, and free from irritating
matter to a degree that was wonderful under
the circumstances. Our London correspondent has des-
cribed the scene which followe'. When Mr. Matthews,
sitting just before Mr. Newdegate, turned round
upon him, and in vehement words taunted him with
false accusations, which he would never venture to
make good, it seemed as though the force of excite-
ment could no farther go. Yet that was but a zephyr
compared with the tempest that arose when Mr. Ay t oun
arose close upon three o'clock. Only those who have
had the misfortune to be an unpopular candidate
at an election, can form any idea of the howls and
yells with which he was greeted. A division was
taken, and Mr. Newdegate was again triumphant.
That triumph exasperated the Irish phalanx
past all restraint, and Mr. Synan's shout,
as he accused Mr. Newdegate of treachery must
have astonished the cabmen who were waiting
wearily in Palace-yard to take hon. members home
to bed. More than one member attempted to act
the part of moderator, and to allay the storm. At
length something like n compromise was
come to. The House was not to ad-
journ, for then Mr. Newdegate's motion
would have become a lapsed motion, which
he could not bring on again during the session ; but
the debate was adjourned, and the whole question
will be fought over again, this time without any
surprises. The result will be that the House will be
deprived of the pleasure so eagerly anticipated by
some members of seeing nuns dragged from their
cloisters in order that they may bo examined by
number of curious 31.P:e.