New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-09
OBSTRUCTION COLLAPSING.

TACTICS IN TIE ABSENCE or THE GREAT Oh
sTRUCToR PROVE FAILURE-flHMNEss OF lnH
GLADSTONE GOvERNMENT-TuE END NEAR AT
HAND - q,
trpou THE REGULAI CoRREsPoSDENr OF THE rhibV NIL
Iospo.. Jan. 27.-rho Irish appear to have re-
rar,led with jealousy the degree OF attention ui
verted from them by the weather. and on lucs""S
they made bold stroke to recover their poS''ion'
For the moment they succeeded; but IL happens
oddly eDough, that they and the weather nave oo'-
lonssa al,pnt the same time and both rather unex-
pectedly. A rapid thaw outdoors get IN not long
after the Irish had thrown IN the sponge In tue
Uo,se To-Sav the streets arc IN a condition oi
moist slush which typiies perhaps the moral cond-
tion of the Home Rulers. They went into the fight
m Tuesday with q fercs slogan which was hue IN
its wsy and would have been finer still II 1t had not
died out IN piteous appeal for mercy. As prefer
to turn to Irish sources for Irish news quote the
account which one of their own members gives OF
Their purpose. alt was agreed" says he, that a
stern. sturdy, fierce hibernian fight should be
fought out to the death"-which sounds like an
echo of Mr.. O'DonnelPs heroic observation the
other night, that he and bis friends Would resist
though the axe should await them IN the l0DOy."
] asked policeman duty to lot me see that axe.
but the puzzled guardian of public order assured
ma that he had no arms but his club.
Perhaps ne n;fu luStIuCtloiiS W N'V"hoAN N"S
edged instrument of death from the general view
BE that as it may, the stern Hibsrnisn fight that
was to be fought out to the death came toa peaceful
end without bloodshed at 2 p. IN. on Wednesday /;
having lasted two-and-twenty hours with no casn-
nlty reported save that Mr.. BIggar was ordered
of the field-perhaps should say out of the ring
for hitting below the belt.
REVIEWING THE FIELD.
Dropping all this meteorological and martial i'm
agery, let us see what has really happened, and
what the meaning and importance of it are. Mr..
Gladstone, in pursuance of his notice and of the
Government theory of urgent need of im-
mediate legislation for the protection OF
persons and property in Ireland moved in
the House on Tuesday about halfpast in the after
noon that Mr. Forster's bills should have precedence
of all other business In support of this motion he
spoke briefly and weightily, pointing out that Par
Lament had been summoned q month carrier than
usual in order to consider these measures that three
weeks of the month had already been wasted in
futile discussion; that the Government, being re-
sponsible for keeping order in Ireland, were asking
for exceptional powers the plea that the ordinary
powers were no longer eficacious; that If their de-
mand was Just it ought 10 lie granted at once; and
that unjust the House ought at the earliest posi-
BILE moment to expressits MON to that eectand so
relieve Ministers from their responsibility. He added
that there was disposition to repress discussion
that the Irish members would have ample Opportu-
nifty to debate the merits of the measures but that
this debate should be confined within the limits of
reason and usage. To the ordinary mind all OF
these propositions seem sound, but the Irish took
issue al once upon all of them and more particularly
upon the last. They began their peculiar tactics as
soon rs Mr. Gladstone sat down. Mr.. OConnor at
tempted to move an amendment which stood in Mr.
Parnelps name, and when the Speaker declined TO
permit fragrant an irreguarity Mr.. OConnOr
said he would move in his own name an amendment
identical in terms; which be well knew to be equally
out Of order. Baled in this he be gan speaking and
when he sat down was followed by two three of his
colleagues in their too-wel-known style; style
which is at once dIscursve, disor1erly. and so fire.
uenty personal that it is difficult TO suppose it not
meant to be offensive. Calls to order became fire.
quent Mr. Finigan went to such lengths that he
barely escaped censure and expulsion by sitting
down as the Speaker rose to name him. Mr. BiIgar,
more audacious more Obtuse. continued dsre-
garding the warnings given him. till the Speaker
finally announced that he had no option but to
apply to him the rule of last session. This rule
provides that Member who persistently Gefes the
authority Of the Speaker shall be named
by him to the House. and that the
House shalf thereupon without debate
vote WUetncT he Dt VI Dt uOJ ouoptuutu
from the service of the House during the
remainder of that sitting. The motion for
suspension was made in Mr. Gladstone's
absence by Mr.. Forster. and passed by a majority
comprising all the House excepting thirty of the
Home Rulers. Mr. Biggar hestated a moment, but
the approach Of the Sergeant at-Arms soon COLI
WINGED him that there was nothing for it but TO
obey. He gathered up the pile of blue books with
which he had proposed to entertain the House and
vanished through the outer door, The kindness of the
doorkeeper provided him with back seat at the
top of the strangers gallery, and from this enn-
hence he surveyed the scene that ensued.
This gave the Irishmen what they to have
wanted-a pretext. 10 do them justice, they do not
often show any squeanishness of this sort they
ready to obstruct for the sake of obsructing. But
they were now deprived of the services of their Par
liamentaIy HeadCentre Mr.. Parnel absent
in Ireland supervising the verdict Of the jury in the
trial in which he is o traverser. There is
nobody to replace him, and the rank and
file had to get into action as best they
could timidly and clumsily. 1t Is part Of Mr.
Parnelps tactics to pay as much Difference as Cir
cumstances will permit not only to the rules of the
House, but to its unwritten law. 1t was now only
half-past 10 /; an hour at which Mr.. Parnell would
have found something less openly obstructive to at
tempt than motion TO adjourn, which was all that
poor Mr. Heay, his private secretary. could thlliK
of. When two such motions had been
defeated by majorties of eight nine
to one. and q third followed, Mr. Glad
stone rose. He told the HOUSE that though the
Government thought their motion for precedence
one that ought to be passed within areasonabe time.
they should not, had the debate proceeded in the
usual manner. have endeavored to force
It to conclusion that evening against
the wish of tho minority. But the minority
had seen fit to spend the latter moiey of the even
ing partly in conflict with the Chair and partly in
lliIatory motions intended to consume time and dis
credit the House. That appeared to him distinct
challenge to the Bouse, the Government would.
therefore, advise the House not to accept the pend