The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-02-05

FoREIGN-The British House of Commons
has passed an evcnlful week on the IRISH
question, The sudden ending of the siege be.
ing a greater surprise than the siege itself
The effort was to secure the first reading Of
Mr.. Forstcrs coercion bill Tor Ireland
against the opposition OF the obstrucionists
or Irish members, who, though but handful
some 40 IN numher-were able, by COntlnu-
Gus talking against time, TO staye eff vote
Indefinitely as the "prevous question" is not
known IN the British parliament. THIS sob
|slruction" had been endured for over q week
until Monday, wnen the government" deter
mined to force a vote by the method some
times resOrtcd to in our congress, OF a COntin
uous session Of two or three days, if necessary,
and thus breaking down the opposition by
physical exhaustion. The house met on
Monday noon, and soon the ball opened. One
"obslructionisL" after another took the floor
aad the talk-talk talk went on all that day
all that night-all next day, and all the next
night and away into next day. Then the
speaker, like the unhappy prisoner who re-
manned in his cell for years after the lock on
the door had rusted away and at last walked
out without hindrancc, happened to bethlnK
himself that there lcdS an open door out Of
this Imprisonment. Somewhere back IN the
traditions of parliament there had remained
unused for a century arule known as "cloturc"
by which the speaker could at any time
bring an unreasonahly.prolonged debate TO a
close by simply refusing to hear more
speeches: and so on Wednesday morning, by
the inerpostioni of cloturc," the speaker
shut down on further debate and compelled
the house to voel The deadlock of half a
urgency" will give the speaker absolute con-
troll over the whole business hereafter.
British newspapers have been IN the habit
of speaking sarcastcally of the American
congress on account of Its occasional absence
of dignity and good order; but we have no
remembrance of any scene in our congress
which resembled that IN parliament on Thurs
day. vernon Iarcourt," says a shortened
account OF it, refused to inform Parnell what
conditions OF his ticket-ofleave Davitt had
violated to cause his arrest, the Irish mem
bers shouting Shame and the others
cheering. The speaker refused to hear John
Dillon, who continued TO talk, and motion
| tor his suspension was adopted and he was
forcibly removed by the sergeantatarms.
When Gladstone rose to speak, O'DonOhue
moved to adjourn. Parnell proposed that
Gladstone be no longer heard whereupon the
formers suspension was moved and carried,
the vote being 405 to :. On his refusing to
leave, he wos escorted out by six officers, the
home.rulers waving their hats. Flnnigan
was then suspended, and, as twenty-seven
homerulers refused to vote, they were sus-
pended in body and removed singly by the
sergeant-atarms. The house did not adjourn
UNTIL on Mr.. Glaistone's motion, the bill for
the protection of life and property in Ireland
had been declared urgent.
British arms have met reverse IN the
Transvaal in South Africa. The Beers took
up position IN the Drakenburg pass, where
they were attacked by Gen. Colley's advance
guard, consisting of portion OF the JSth reg
lment, and repulsed with heavy loss, the Brit
ish loss being ISL killed, wounded and miss
ing. Among the killed were Gen. Deane
Mai. Poole, and Leuts. Elwell and Baltic
Heavy renforcements are arriving daily from
India and of course the Beers will only b,
the more severely punished IN the end TO
this temporary success.
; All England seems to be pervaded by
genuine Fenian scare Every magazine ant
arsenal is closely guarded, and even Glad
stones residence in London Is surrounded a
night by strong police force.
Thomas Carlyle, the author, is lying at tn
7 point of death He is some so years OF age
e THE ELENENTs.-Monday and Tuesday @
+ thi. week have again been notable for bi