The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-29

z riAMEST-A SCENE WHICH - BESouau
FAMILIAR To Us. s5s5E. $50, 1.as i
Early in 1868 Cromwell had determined
20 dissolve the long Parliament. 1t had been
proposed by the parliamentary leaders, as
Vane, Martyr, and st. John, TO establish
system identical with that previously pro-
posedin 1649 by the general councfs OF OIL
GERS OF the army to the Parllanlent--flz., an
assembly Of 400 members to be elected" IN
the counties by :.e200 property -owners, and
in the boroughS by such as paid certain
.ann,tal rental, The members Of Parliament, 4
then sitting TO the number OF $50, were. to
. remain, members do jstre OF the new Parla-
mcnt Tor the counties or boroughs which
they then represented, and they were TO- be
invested with the right OF pronouncing
5 upon the validity Of the new elections, and
the qualifications OF those elected, thus es-
tablishing the right OF the old members to
sit as members Of the new Parliament rs
permanent and predominant nucleus.
& This was not the dissolution which Crom-
well and his friends OF the army, desired,
and he determined not to suffer. such an
act TO become a law. He was conscious
of the fact that in the minds Of the people
there was strong feeling in favor OF &C
ceptinp a law once passed. The public mind
had been disturbed by the revolution, and 1t
was DESTROYS OF q conservative peace.
Writers tell us that Cromwell knew well that
when the crisis approached the large ma
iority would be willing to rest satisfied with
a little, although that little fell short OF
their anticipations.
Those who were devoted to him went
about repeating that the Parliament was
determined not to dissolve, and even from
the punit It was asserted that IN one way
- ho
force it to do 80. al am pushed on" he
said, "by two parties to do that, the con-
{ sideration of the issue whereof makes my
hair stand on end. One of these is headed
;.'by Maior-General Lambert, who, in revenge
Of the injury the Parliament did him IN
not permitting him to 20 into Ireland with
+ A character and conditions suitable to his
merit, will be contentcd with nothing less
! than their dissolution. OF the other Major
General Harrison is the chief, who, from
the impatience Of his spirit, will not wait
the Lords leisure, but hurries me on 10
that which he and all honest men will have
; cause to repent"
- On April 10, 1858, meeting was held ct
whitehall. yane and other parliamentary
:, readers pressed the adoption OF the pro-
posed bill. Cromwell urged them to put an
end TO the existing Parliament, and to pro-
: vide for the government Of the common
wealth until u new Parliament should be
called. The discussion was animated and
long. The bill was. attacked as deluslve
and destined to perpetuatc 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, some OF them did not return, While
others went to the House of Parliament to
watch the proceedings and report to Crom-
well. Vane. Sidney, and others pressed
the immediate adoption OF what they
called the "diSsolution BILL" and Crom-
we'll was from time to time advised
of the proceedings. The members who
were with Cromwell went to Westminster,
and presently, as we are informed,
Colonel Ingoldsby arrived, eXclaiming, " II
you mean to do anything decisive you have
no time to lose" The House was coming
to avote. Vane had insisted on the passage
OF the bill, while Harrison had conjured his
colleague "swtetly and humbly'' to pause
before taking so important step. Crom-
well left Whitehall in haste, followed by
Lambert and some officers, while he COM
- manded detachment OF soldiers to march
around to the House Of Commons. %On
the doors and in the lobby, and 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 in uni
> .,orm. Vane had the floor, and was earll--
estly discussing the urgency OF the bill.
Cromwell walked quietly to his usual seat
and gave bis earnest attention to the speaker.
st. John Joined him, to whom he said that
he was ..come to do that which @rieved
him to the very soul, and that he had with
tears prayed to God against. Nay, thatzhc
had rather be torn in pieces than do it; but
there was necessity laid upon him therein,
in ordel. to the glory of God and the good
Of the nation" St. John replied that he
"kncw not what he meant, but did pray
that what it was might have a happy issue
for the general good" And so saying, he'll
returned to his seat. Vane passed, in his
argument, to the last stage Of the bill, ask
ing the House to dispense with the usual
iormalities preceding its adoption. Crom-
well 5cckoned Harrison to his side. CHOW
is the tIme," he said; "I must do it,
"Sir," said Harrison, anXiously, "the
work is very great and dangerous"
"You say WE'LL" answered Cromwell, 4
and he sat still for another quarter OF an
hour. t.-..-
Vane finished, and Lentbal, the speaker,
rose to put the question. At this supreme
moment Cromwell stood up, took off his hat,
and addressed the house. Every eye was
bent on him. Those in his confidence 4
knew what was coming, and half-dreaded,
balf-feared the result. Vane and the par
hamentary leaders knew that the crisis had
arrived. They saw that the iron man before
them had on the battle-face.
At first be commended the Parliament
and its members, praising their zeal and
care for the public good. His tones at first
were measured and dignifed; gradually his
accents and gestures became violent. He
them with delays, covetousness,
seR-interest.' The nature Of the man SEEM
ed changed. 1t was as il he was again
charging at the head Of his ironsides on the
bloody field Of Naseby. 3 -s, ~. rt.c
"You have no heart to- do anything for |
the public good" he shouted. g Your in
tention was to perpetuate yourselves in |
power, but your time is come. The Lord |
has done with you. He has chosen other |
instruments for the carrying on OF His |
work that are more worthy. 1t is the Lord
has taken me by the hand and set me on to
do this thing" .t..
Vane,- Wentworth, and Martyr rose to
reply, but he would not suffer them to |
speak. ~ -
'sYou think, perhaps" Cromwell con-
stinued, "tbat this is not parliamentary lam
guase; know it, but expect no other Ian
guage from me-" @ +
20 Wentworth at last made himself heard. |
He declared that sit was indeed the first |
time that he had ever heard such unbecom-