The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-17
CROMWELL DISSOLVING THE ssLONG
PARLIAMENT"

~ Early in 1853 Cromwell had determined to d
ne solve the Long Parliament. It had been pl
posed by the parliamentary leaders, as va1
~ Martyr and st. John, to establish system ide
If teal with that previously proposed in 1919 by
70 general council of officers Of the army to t
y Parl lament, viz an assembly Of four hundr
~ members to be elected in the counties, by f2
~ property owners and in the boroughs by such
= paid q certain annual rental. The members
y Parliament then sitting to the number Of OF
= hundred and fifty were to remain members
= IJuTe OF the new Parliament for the cOunti
y or boroughs which they then represented, al
= they were to be invested with the right Of Or
u nouncing upon the validity of the new election
. and the qualifications OF those elected, Thu
: establishing the right of the old members to 9
= as members of the new Parliament as perms
nent and predominant nucleus.
This was not the dissolution which Cromwell
!; and his friends of the army desired, and he de
= termined not to suffer such an act to become
law. He was conscious of the fact that in tn
minds Of the people there was a strong feeln
? in favor OF accepting law once passed. TIL
public mind had been disturbed by the revolu
ton. and it was DESTROYS of conservative peace
Writers tell us that Cromwell knew we'll that
when the crisis approached, the large majorit,
would be willing to rest satisfied with little
although that little fell short of their anticipa
tions. Those who were devoted to him went
about repeating that the Parliamentrwas deter
mined not to dissolve, and even from the pulpit
it was asserted that in one way or another il
would be found necessary to force it to do so.
II am pushed Oh" he said, 'by two parties to
do that, the consideration of the issue whereof
makes my hair stand on end. One of these is
headed by Ma. Gen. Lambert who, in revenge
OF the injury the Parliament did HIM in not per-
hitting him to go into Ireland with character
and conditions suitable to his merit, will be con-
tented with nothing less than their dissolution.
OF the other Maj Gen. Harrison is the chief Who
from the impatience Of bis spirit, will not wait
the Lords leisure, but hurries me on to that
which he and all honest men will have cause to
| repent"
On April 10, 1858, meeting was held at White
hall. Vane and other parliamentary leaders
pressed the adoption OF the proposed bill. Crom-
| well urged them to put an end to the existing
Parliament and to provide for the government Of
| the commonwealth until new Parliament should
be called. The discussion was animated and
long. The bill was attacked as delusive and
destined to perpetuate the Parliament against its
own will. The conference broke up at midnight
without any result, but it was agreed that they
| should meet again on the next day.
As proposed, the conference met, but was less
numerously attended. Irritated or alarmed,
to the house of Parliament to watch the pro-
ceilings and report to Cromwell. Vane, Sidney
and others pressed the immediate adoption of
what they called the Dissolution bilf," and
Cromwell was from time to time advised of the
proceedings. The members who were with
Cromwell went to Westminster and presently, as
We are informed, Col. Ingoldsby arrived, exciaim-
ing, If you mean to do anything decisive, you
have no time to lose"
The house was coming to a vote vane had
son had coDjured his colleague ''sweetly and
humbly" to pause before taking 80 important a
step. Cromwell left Whitehall in haste fol-
lowed by Lambert and come officers, while he
commanded . detachment of soldiers to march
around to the House of Commons. On reach
ing Westminster, he placed guards at the doors
and in the lobby, ana stationed another body of
troops outside the rooms in which the members
were seated.
Cromwell entered alone, without noise. clad in
plain black clothes and gray worsted stockings
his usual dress when not ia uniform. Vane had
the floor. and was earnestly discussing the ur- |
gency of the bill. Cromwell walked quietly to |
his usual seat, and gave his earnest attention to
the speaker. st. john joined him, to whom he |
said that he was ''cOme to do that which grieyed |
him to the very SOUL and that he had with tears |
prayed to God against. Nay, that he had rather
be torn in pieces than do it but there was ne
cessity laid upon him therein, in order to the
glory OF God and the good of the nation"
st. John replied that he "knew not what he
meant, but did pray that what it was, might have
! happy issue for the general good" And so
saying, he returned to his seat. vane passed in
lis argument to the last stage of the bill, askng
he House to dispense with the usual formalities
its adoption. Cromwell beckoned Har-
ison to his side. ''Now is the time" he said;
Il must do it,
sr." said i'd Harrison anxiously' the work is
"You say well" answered Cromwell, and he
at still for another quarter Of an hour.
Vane finished, and Lenthal, the Speaker, rose j
, put the question. At this supreme moment
romwel stood up, took off his hat, and addressed
he House. Every eye was bent on him. Those {
i his confidence knew what was coming, and {
alf dreaded, half feared the result Vane and t
1e parliamentary leaders hne~ that the crisis
ad arrived. They saw that the iron man before
lem had on the battle face.
At first he commended the Parliament and its
embers, praising their zeal and care for the
lblic good. His tones at first were measured
I'd disnifed; gradually his accents and gestures
,came violent. He reproac hed them with de-
Us, covetousness, self-interest The nature of y y
e man seemed changed. 1t was as if he was =
,ain charging at the head Of his Ironsides on =
70 bloody field of Naseby. ),
You have no heart to do anything for the y
lblic good, he shouted. "Your intention was r
perpetuate yourselves in power, but your time q
come. The Lord has done with ven. He has N
osen other instruments for the carrying on of =
is work that are more worthy. 1t is the Lord = :,
IS taken me by the hand and set me on to do Il
is thing
vane, Wentworth and Martyr rose to reply, but y
would not suffer them to speak. ~ ~
. You think, perhaps" Cromwell continued, "
hat this is not parliamentary language; "
ow it, but expect no other language from me-" y;
Wentworth at last made himself heard. He - =.
cared that sit was indeed the first time that =;
had ever heard such unbecoming language =, -,
zen to the Parliament; that it was the more =
rid, in that it came from their servant whom
~ had so highly trusted and obliged, and II
om by their unprecedented bounty they had
lde what he was
Cromwell thrust his hat firmly on his head, to
:ang from his seat into the center of the floor w
the house and shouted, "Come, come wo &c
We had enough Of this I'll put an end to your OF
sting. Cali them in an
This last direction was given to Harrison and ce
ectly after the door opened and Lieut. Col. st.
'rsely entered at the head of some thirty mus Ia
GERS. Cromwell paced up and down the floor
the house, stamping mis- foot and giving his
lers. Lie
You are no Parliament" he cried. 81 saw on
, are no Parliament. Begone Give wav to M
,ester men. Fetch him down." he cried to tai
rrison; and pointing to the Speaker, who re- err
ined in his chair. Lenthal refused ''Take IN
down, roared Cromwell furiously. Harrison IN
his hand on the Speakers gown and Lenthal err
cended and left the House. Others followed alb
example All was confusion. Men looked on Lo
last. not knowing what was to follow. Alger- the
Sidney was sitting near the SDea kers chair 10