New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-04
FCEDENTS IN THE COMMONS.


the Home Rulers to create disorder in the
Commons. Their Indignation has been right
eous, and the summary manner IN which Il
factious minority has been silcnccd will aiford
them unspeakable relief. But when the cX-
element is over and there comes an interval
for calm reflection, is il not possible that the
Nation will review the arbitrary action OF the
Speaker and the rigorous proceedings of the
Premier and the majority with bewildelmcnt,
if not with uneaslnesSP
This is not the first startling surprise which
Mr.. Gladstone has planned in political emcr-
gency. IL 1871 the bill for the Abolition OF
Purchase in the Army was shclycd by the
House of Lords after it had been forced
through the Commons. The majority in the
lower House had not been very llrgr, and the
Peers had offered a reasonable plea Tor dcclm-
lng to sanction Il single feature Of what WAS
understood to be a large scheme OF amy rc0r-
ganizlton Mr.. Gladstone Int upon an iusc-
mons device for battling the Lords. Army
purchase was abolished by Royal warrant
without the Intervention of Parliament II
WAS a master stroke in u party scn>c. and
was received 10y the Liberal, with out
bursts of triumph. Their first thought was
that the Premier Lad rescued them from an
embarrassing position, and that tie Upper
House had been outwticd and Inundated,
bat it WIS not many days before independent
members like Mr.. FaWcott were coudcHlI,iug
in the strongest terms an cN-Ics' oil To-!
authority which might be justified by Il
strained construction of the law, but for
which there was 10 precedent. The feeling
soon became general that wiht the Crown
technically had the right TO dispose of the
controversy Mr.. Gladstone would have acted
more wisely if he had shown more patience
and kept within the ordinary lines ct IariiI-
mrntary procedure. The proceedings IN the
Commons on "Wednesday may furnish a stink
ing political parallel to the abolition Of
amy purchase, and in ioIccas ting the coiac-
ou,nces of ii reaction OF publIr icrliu.; II must
he borne in m,nd that the Prcmicrs coup dc
man III 1871 was one of the cAl,cs which
led to his downfall III 1871.
In the present instance the necessity for
departure from established usage will Ice
more generally recognized than II was ten
years ago. Obstruction had become stand
ing rcprOlch t. the main body OF the Com
mons. A. Mr. Gladstone himself had said, il
was a public nuisance which should be abdtcd
without delay The Irish members bad abused
their legislative privileges and exhausted the
patience of tho Commons and the English
public Their action has done much to
render cause of land reform dIsrcputabc.
AT the same time the action of the Speaker
in closing the debate was wholly without pre-
ccdeut at least within Il hundred yclrs. and
possibly without any well defined constItu-
tional warrant. The prcroSatiye of the Crown
is vast reserve Of ill-dclincd political force,
and courageous statesman was at liberty to
draw upon that reserve. On the other hand
the Speakers control over Parliamentary de-
bate has always been restricted or late years
it has ceased to be a political Office. Mr..
Brand having been retained under several
administrations but the absence of PARTISAN
ship has not given any opportunity for an IN
crease of authority. AS the presiding officer
of legislative body wherein the privileges
of debate were unrestricted and the rights of
minOrlties jealousy guarded, he must have
assumed the authority which he exercised in
rapping down the Irish members and closipl,
the debate. His action was immediately
sustained by an overwhelming majority, and
he had been Informed in advance that It
would be sanctioned by the leaders of the Gov
eminent and Opposition. Yet the fact re-
mains that the time honored usages of
debate and procedure were temporarily
disregarded. This counts for moro in
England than in any other country, for the
simple reason that the Constitution is Il body
OF unwrltten precedents, and the people have
sense OF bewilderment and insecurity when
ever there is the slightest departure from the
historical methods. Obstruction NAV he
stamped out, but Englishmen can no longer
boast that under their legislative svs.
TEN minOrties are allowed extreme latitude.
and that every member has the inaIien,ble
right OF independent action 81 long "a ne
| represents a constituency of Her Maiestv,s
subjects.
The public safety, however, is in every
| country the highest law. The action of the
Home Rulers was distinctvely revolutionary
The time for compromise had passed. long
suffering majority recognized the imperative
necessity Of crushing revolt within the walls
Of Westminster. Techncalities were waived
The Speaker enforced the will of the two great
parties and not his own caprice. The dignity
and authority of great representative assem-
bly, were indicated. When the English people
have had ample leisure for reflection they
| may not only forgive but thank Mr.. Gladstone
| for the decision with which he has acted and
the courage he has shown. The defeat of mere
| factious obstruction WAS certainly worth the
| sacrifice Of precedent and the introduction