, 1877-07-22

F! PHYSICAL ENDURANCE IN LEGISLATION
Government theorists may we'll despair OF
ever attaining perfect methods when the great
British Parliament-the original of all Par-
liaments and enjoying the experience of cen
turies-fntls that its business can be def
nitely obstructed by half dozen obstinate
fellows whom it can neither discipline nor
repress. We have aready given some init
nation Of the purpose of q few of the e1-
treme Home-Ru1ers in Parliament to clog
| the affairs Of State unless the Government
should accede to the sectional clanor for a
| separate Parliament for Ireland. A couple
| of weeks ago these gentlemen put their
| threat into execution, and demonstrated
| their ability, inferior as they were numcr-
ically and in brains, to bring legislation to a
complete stand-still. The question before
the House WINS the voting Of supplies
for the Volunteer Reserves. The Home
no volunteer corps in Ireland but there was
clear majority Of about 100 in favor of the
measure after full and fair discussion.
III the face of this overwhelming majo rity
five members undertook to defeat a voto on
the bill, and succeeded, after keeping the
House in q continuous session till y o'clock
tho following morning. -Four of the OBJ
structioniBts were Irish Home Rulers, and
tho fifth was Mr. WHA11Er, IN English
member, who helped them out because he
believed the session ought not to be prolong-
ed beyond liz o'clock at night. This gen.
tleman might also pass for IN Irishman, as
it was certainly q bull to prolong a session
till y in the morning in order to maintain
the notion that it should not last beyond III
in the evening.
+. To understand how this handful Of men
could defy an overwhelming majority, and
actually prevent the voting of a measure
fully agreed to, it must be remembered that
the British Parliament, like the American
Senate, has no rules except those OF courtesy,
and that each and every member has all the
personal privileges he might exercise in his
own counting-room or study. Thus, when
the House sits as Committee of the Whole,
nothing can prevent any member from pro-
posing alternately and without limit that the
Chairman shall vacate the char, OF that
progress be reported Tho system of
voting in Parliament is not BY calling the
roll, but by separating the House, the MEM
bers gravely fling out into the Hobbies on
different sides, according to their votes.
Seventeen mortal times did the five OBJ
structionists compel the members to make
this tedious parliamentary walking-match
and they might have done SO seventeen hun
dred times if the Government had held out
long enough and there had been any mem
bers left to walk over the course. There
was cursing and swenring, fuming and foam
ing, wailing and gnashing of teeth, but all to
no nvail. The obstructionists knew their
rights, and, knowing, dared maintain them
until the Government threw up the sponge
and acknowledged that the Home Rulers
had won the match. And no wonder. The
refreshments in the 1u6a were exhausted;
anxious wives and children were sending
messengers to the House to know whether
their husbands and fathers were dead or
a1ive; the Government Ministers we're car
ried out in comatose state; and Irish phys
ica1 endurance was triumphant. :.>.
= I. has now become a question Of ,conad-