Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-23
CT aDsroNE AsD HIS OPPONENTS

In his quarrel with the House of Lords
Gladstone no doubt has the sy mpsthy and
approval of the Commons, and of the gen.
eral public. The Lords certainly did in.
tend to interfere with the working OF the
Land Act as much as possible when they
resolved to appoint Commission to in
quire into its operation. The only effect of
such an inquiry can be to shake the faith
of the Irish tenants in the finality of the
DEGREES of the Land Court, and so to
strengthen the hands of the Parnellites
and other irreconcilables, who wish to per.
suade the Irish people that the Act is
failure. Mr.. Gladstone, with character
istic fervidness, at once replied to the un-
fair action of the Tory Lords by resolution
condemning their action, and this brought
the relations between the two houses into
very anomalous state. The difficulties of
the Government, however, do not rest
here. The Conservatives are making the
most energetic resistance to the new par
liamentary rules, particularly to what is
called the cLoture, but would be better
called the previous question rule. And
although there has been the most ample
evidence of the need of such arule for bring
ing debates to conclusion, during the past
three or four years, yet such is the strength
of custom in England that palpably alb
surd and extravagant practice has great
advantage, If it is old, over the most in
tslligent of brand.new reforms. The
previous question has long been needed
in the English Parliament. The lack of
such a rule has enabled the Irish members
to waste whole sessions in the most I'M
reasonable and pointless manner. A small
minority of thoroughly INSCRIPTIONS mem
bers can under the old rules paralyze legis.
lation for weeks together. Experience has
shown that a remedy must be applied, and
the one proposed has the merit of compass
ing the end sought. But the Conserva-
tives, who are nothing if not fsctious, are
determined to beat the Government on
this proposition if they can, notwithstand-
ing the obvious fact that they themselves
would bs compelled to introduce some SINH:
lar rule as soon as they were in power, or
submit to be coerced by the insubordinate
Irish faction. Should the Government be
beaten on the cloture it will no doubt dis.
solve Parliament, and in the ensuing cleo
ton it is anticipated that the Liberals will
lose many votes, because the present gen.
orally depressed condition of things is as
usual debited to the Government,
which is held responsible for every
thing, from the crops to the measles.
The Conservatives, however, cannot hope
for working majority at present. The
best they can do is to cut down the Liberal
vote SO much that the balance of power
will be thrown into the hands of the Irish
brigade. The result of such state of
things can be imagined, but party feeling
is running 80 high now that neither side
appears to care much for the consequences
of its actions, being bent upon doing the
most possible harm to its adversary. The
Marquis of Salisbury is trying to make
capital against Gladstone out of the Brad.
laugh case. by accusing the Premier of sup
porting Bradlaugh. That, however. will
soon be seen to be the only tenable posi-
lion. for Bradlaugh has the right of the
case, and his exclusion from the House is
utterly unjustifable. He will have to be
admitted sooner or later, moreover, and
the Conservatives should be cautious how
they commit themselves in case in which
they may have to eat humble pie before
long.