New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-14
SCENES IN PARLIAMENT.

HOW TIE HOUSE OF COMMONS LOOKED AFTER THE
ArI-NIGHT SESSION ON THE COERCION BILL
MR. PARSRLL's APPEARANCE AND DEMEANoR-
A CRITICAL POINT IN THE CoNTEsT-MR. BRAD
LAUGH DECLARES AGAINST oDsTRUCTToN-LoRD
DEACoNsFIELD A SPECTATOR OF THE CONFLICT.
IPRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUNE.
LONDON, Feb lit was about 1 O'Clock this
morning when Mr.. Gladstone, replying upon q mo-
tion of one Mr.. Gabbett. announced amid cheers
from both sides of the House, that the Government
would resist any attempt adjourn before the vote
had been taken upon Mr.. Forsters motion for leave
to bring in his bill for Protection to Persons and
Property in Ireland. The sitting had begun. as
usual at on Monday afternoon-just week from
the time when Mr.. Forster's motion was made; o
notion IL should be understood, which is in oIdi
nary cases. o purely formal motion Very seldom
indeed is an issue made upon q bill at
this preliminary stage. The custom OF the
House prescribes that the principle of proposed
bill shall be challenged upon the second reading;
which answers for practical purposes to the third
reading with US. The Irish avaled themselves Of
O purely technical right in beginning their resist
ance when they did. As their habit is, they used
the written law for the purpose Of annulling the
unwritten law. They keep the letter and break the
spirit. In other times this would have been re-
proach which loyal men would have shrunk from.
So, shall venture to say. would loyal men now
shrink from it. But the Irish glory in what the
great majority of the House and the country
think their shame. Be it shameful or
otherwise, they seized upon this technical
onportunity for delay and obstruction, as others
would say; for securing, as they would say, full
md free discussion. Having used it after their
fashion for weeb-a week which includes one sit
ting of twenty-five hours-they propose now to
prolong it indefinitely. So far have they pushed
matters that Mr. Baxter, a very advanced Liberal
asked Mr. Gladstone yesterday afternoon whether
he was aware of the strong and angry feeling ex-
cited in the large constituencies by this peItina-
cious obstruction, and by the imposSibilty of en-
tering upon any English or Scotch BUSINESS; and
what he proposed to do about it. Mr.. Gladstone
answered that he knew of the existence Of this
faeling, and feared 1t was likely to increase. and
while declining TO say what he would do
intimated that tie matter was one to which the
Government was giving their attention. The result
of their attention was the reply above noted BE-
fore Mr. Bakers question was put, however ana
before the House met Ministers bad resolved to ac-
cept the fresh challenge of the lrsh and once more
to do what they could to settle under the present
forms of the House the still pending question
whether the majority or minority OF the House snail
prevail. It was well understood on Monday after
noon that there was to be an all-night sitting. Ar
rangements were made on both sides with % view to
that and Mr.. Gladstone's statement was only the
official affirmation of fact which for some hours
had been present to everybOdy's mind.
TIE SCENE OF COMBAT.
The approaches to the House showed that some
thing unusual was going on. Gong down at noon,
passed number of pale-faced men whose disor-
derly dress and dissipated air pointed them out as
individuals who. for reason, had chosen not to
20 home till morning. The men were. in fact. MEM
bers of the House their dissipation bad been OF
legislative kind and the reason for their late hours
was purely an Irish reason. There was no crowd
in Palace Yard but Westminster Hall had hun
dred or two loungers, and the outer lobby was
pretty full. The inner lobby was thronged with
the usual company of members hurrying back
and forth. and of constituents waylaying them
for orders of admission. Almost the hrst