The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-10
DisraeN Silenced.
AMUSING SCENE IN THE HOUSE OF COW.
MONS.
From the Dublin Nation, April 49,.

| From the Dublin Nation, April 1871
Never was any Prime Minister more Of.
fectualfy cornered than was Mr.. Bepia.
min Disraeli on Tuesday night by cues.
ton addressed to him by the able and
Montagu. 1t will be in the memory Of
everyone that in some of his recent
speeches, previous to the dissolution Of
| Parliament, Mr.. Disraeli allowed himseif
great freedom of language in describing
certain of the acts of the Gladstone adj.
as sacrilege, spoliation and confscation.
| The acts which he thus denounced were
passed, he said, ostensibly for the paci6ca.
ton of Ireland, yet the Government.
finding that no pacifcation resulted, sun
plemented them by series of Coercion
Acts of such stringency as to surpass any.
thing of the kind known in Europe,
Mr.. Disraeli is now in Office, he has a
considerable majority who are supposed to
be willing to follow his leadership and
work out his designs, and the question nat.
urally occurs to many, does he, or does be
not, intend to have reparation made for the
sacrilege he denounced, and restoration
does he consider it right to maintain those
Coercion Acts which he in his speeches
implied were scandal to British legislation
and wonder to the civilized wolldq The
latter was the question put to him BY Lord
Robert Montagu. First the honorable
member inquired if the expressions attrib.
uted to Mr.. Disraeli on this particular
from the Times were accurately reported,
to which Mr.. Disraeli replied, admitting
their substantial accuracy. Next he in
quired whether the Prime Minister now
judged that those laws of such extraordi-
nary stringency were necessary for the
g To- l. ~
Lament, to which Mr.. Disraei replied in
the following terms:
I have to remark that the noble lord will
probably agree with me that those laws are
probably as necessary in the month of April as
they were in the month Of February, and that
their necessity, and am not disposed to give
any opinion OH thesubject now.
This was not language worthy of
statesman, who ought to have been able to
make up his mind on the question whether
an Act of Parliament remarkable beyond
all Others for its oppressive character was
requisite for the government of the coun-
try, and ought, or ought not, to be kept
upon the statute book. After the eyasive
reply above quoted had been delivered, the
honorable nember for Westtn cath returned
to the charge with the following question:
beg now to ask the Prime Minister whether
he GOES not think it a part of the duty of her
islation of this country any severity which is
unnecessary and, therefore, whether he does
not think it the duty eff the Government to
take steps to abolish the laws of coercion and
stringent severity under which ireland is gov
ernedf
Here some friendly member came to the
relief of tho Premier. Mr.. Newdegate, the
famous bigot-who expects the Premier to
render him a service in connection with
his anti Convent Bill very shortly-inter-
Il 81, Of
questions of such 4 character to her
Majesty's Ministers. The Speaker, too,
perceiving that the Premier was absolutely
gravelled, came to the rescue and an
nounced that, although the honorable
member was quite in order in putting the
question, the Premier was under no obli-
CATION to answer it. This suited Mr.. Dis
raeFs idea to nicely.
Then" said Lord Robert Montagu, ~
ask the Prime Minister whether he declines
to answer the question"
There was pause-and no reply. The
Prime Minister was silent. If not abso-
lutely kilt" he was at all events speech
less, and did not recover his voice for The
rest of the evening.
Never was that adroit gentleman more
handsomely caught in q net of his own
weaving than on this occasion. His dis
comhture has somewhat of an amusing
character, but the incident has also sig
uiuSabI ana SERIOUS aspect IOf lriSnueH. IL
is an old trick of English parties to de.
nounce when out of office measures which
when in Office they support and maintain;
and it is usual with them when in the cold
shade of opposition to indicate their desire
for useful ard conciliatory Legislation,
which, when power has como into their
hands, they refuse to forward or even to
take into consideration. Many such tricks
have been played upon the Irish people.
Mr.. Disraeli indeed has not often deceived
them, for the simple reason that they. have.
never trusted him but many a time has ~
happened, as on this recent occasion, thai
against him, and he has found some diff
Guilty in pushing them aside from his path
HE AMERICAN CYCLoP EDIA.-The revised
edition of this invaluable work is ready 1t con-