New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-30
sCASDMoUs sCENEs-PARTY CONFLICTS.


SCANDALOUS SCENES-PARTY CONFLICTS.
THE IRISH HOME RULE MEMBERS AT WAR WITH TIIE
HOUSE AND VITA TIE sPEAKER-A FEUD
AMONG The LIBERALS n REGARD To FLoGGING
IN The ARMY-DIssENsIoNs N THE coNsERvA-
TIVE RANKs-PARLIAMEST FAILING INFO DIS
EEPUTF.
FROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oP TIE TRIBUNE.l
LoXDoN July ia batch Of Parliamentary
dirty linen has been washed IN public during the
last fortnight with results discouraging to patriots
who still believe parliamentary government to be
the most convenient and sure method of putting
the will Of the people in force. The history OF the
fortnight Is a history Of dissensIOn obstruction ana
general confusion. Not only has the parliamentary
system been discredited. but party discipline has
been weakened and if this be lesser evil than the
other it is not less fraught with mischief for the
moment. The subject is one winch deserves a more
elaborate treatment than is possible within the
limits Of a letter; but l may attempt to give an
outline-it can be nothing mOre-Of its salient
features.
There have been during this melancholy fortnight
four distinct conflict, within the limits of the
House not one of which ought ever TO have arisen,
OF to have been allowed to become public. They
are.
l. A conflict between minority Of obstructiyes
and the House itself
2 conflict between these obstTuctives and the
Speaker.
g. A conflict between the leader of the Liberals
and the Independent Liberals below the gangway.
4. conflict Of an intestine kind in the Tory
party, similar to that in the Liberal party.
The struggle between the band of Irish members
Familiarity known rs Obsrructives and the House Is,
Of course older in date than the last fortnight. but
1t is during this period rnat it has reached
its most acute stage Moreover ii is during this re-
cent period that the irish have been reinforced by
number OF English members who sympathized with
the Irish IN their hostility 10 the Army Discipline
bill The result of this is TO sacrifice the principle
Of hostility 70 Obstructives, a method Of Par
hamentarv warfare to hostility gIinst particular
measure, or rather agIInst particular clauses OF
particular measure. The IRISH. some of whom
have a keen scent for public feeling, entered
upon a guerrilla Struggle against tlogg.ng IN the
Army. English members who sincerely dislike
Jogging Joined them, and the Army Discipline bill
has been fought for weeks with pertInacjtv little
short of factious The English, who had been fore
most in denouncing obstruction, were found taking
part in obstruction. Scenes in the House became
frequent Violent passions were Jet loose. Mid
night sittincs and sittings which lasted till past
daylight were 10 novelty. Meantime the tempo
rarv act under which alone the Army was kept IN
control was on the point Of expiring. The general
sense Of the House went for nothing The authority
of the Speaker and of the leaders on both sides
went for nothing There was every prospect of
catastrophe.
Matters were in this condition when the Speaker
bethought himself of a novel cxpedient. The usual
devices for reducing recalritrant members 10 order
having failed-and failed largely through the weak
ness ana incompetence of the nominal leader of
the House. Sir stafford Northcote-Nr. Brand
thought il would be a good thing 10 have some
official or seIni-oficial evidence which he might
base what we must suppose TO have been an in
tended assertion Of MIS- own authority. He sent two
clerks into the galleries 10 take notes-tO make,
he said fuller report than would otherwise be had
Of the proceedings. II was only more bunder 20
add 10 the long list already committed. Ii was at
tempt 70 check aTUes by another irregularity
Mr. Parnell and his associates instantly saw their
advantage. They protested. They denounced the
action of the Speaker as an attempt to " terorize
the minority The word was an unfortunate one
but the complaint was IN substance just. But since
il appears to be the doom OF everybody who NEEDLES
with questions Of order TO blunder Mr.. Parnel
fell into the mistake Of defying the legitimate
authority Of the Speaker in attempting 10 resist
what was clearly an illegtimate stretch Of It. He
bulhed the Chair, stOrmed at the Speaker, dis
obeyed his mandates. and led the most furious of
tenants havemadedurin the session. Thenhemoved
a vote of ceusure on the Speaker; which the House
uecatived by a majority Of something like twenty
to one. The House was clearly OF opinion that It's
Speaker had committed technical error, but they
were in no mood to condemn him at the bidding of
men whose sins were of infinitely blacker COM
pexion The majority meant TO cOndOne a yenial
error OF the Speaker, and To condemn his assaants
bv the same vote. But ii unseemly
spectacle. II left the Speaker If not with dimIn-
lshed authority with damaged prestige.
Next comes the dispute between Lord Harrington,
the official chief of the Liberals, and Mr. Chamber
lain one Of the two o. three unacknOwiedged but
powerful leaders of the Liberals below the gang
way. Mr. Chamberlain, who is au adrOIt tactician.
but wants perhaps, that large view OF the whole
field which goes to the making Of great general.
had taken part with the Irish in opposing fogging.
Lord Harrington, imbued with Wing traditions and
never forgetting the maxim that the Government Of
the Queen must be carried on, rebuked what he
called Mr. Chamberlain's factious opposition and
announced that he should support Ministers in their
efforts to pass the bill Mr. Chamberlain retorted by
referring 10 Lord Harrington the late leader OF the
Liberal party. II looked like a complete breach. For
months past might say for two or three years
there has been feud. more or less openly ayowed
between the Wings and the Liberals This feud
has been on he point of breaking out more than
once. Sharp sentences have been exchanged from
above and below the gangway before now. This
seemed. for few days, like the final explosion Of
long-pent-up hatrcds jealouses and irTeconcilabio
divergence OF political yIews-not TO speak OF per-
s0nal anmOsities. Amid the taunts and iTouical
cheers Of the Torres, the wrange went on Tor an
honr Discussing 10 next day with OF Lord
Hartington's friends, said that whoever might be
~, tba rterts af botb were
quarrel in the presence Of the enemy and of the