The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-06-01

! personally deformed, and speaks in a harsh
querulous tone, and has little respect for what
is termed the courtesies of the House. More
than once during his numerous questionings
of the government the line has been applied
to him that so appropriately described Pope
and the interrogation mark: ga little crooked
thing that asks questions" One night when
he had heapeG scorn and contumely on Glad
stone, Forster and the rest, no one arose to re-
ply. One member said to another "Why don't
some Of the Cabinet answertha speech 90
The other member, by way of reply, quoted
the lines from Tennyson f' -'.5'' "a.
| 'No knight of Arthur noblest dealt in scorn
But II man were halt or hunch'd, in him
By those whom God had made full tmbed and ia II,
| Scorn was allowed as part of his defect, ,u
And he was answered softly by the king
And all his table," ~ 1fi lfN : "
| Shortly after begins the event of the even
ing. Mr.. Forster rises, and in low, but firm
/, voice, commences his speech. 81. In, one hand
! he holds the papers he has been sorting, the
other gently twirls around his eyeglasses.
The cheering by which he is received is loud
and prolonged, and comes from every part OF
| the house except the Irish quarter. He turns
| and faces the Land Leaguers. His face is pale
and his lips compressed, but he bears himself
with great COMPOSING. considering the circum-
stances. No one in England doubts that For
ster is as honest a man as lives, straightfor-
ward and fearless. He is a man of wonderful
talent and untiring energy. But all this is
nullified by one fact. He is a Yorkshireman
You know the old phrase, care you an English
man or Yorkshireman ?" The rest of Eng
land has not much love for Yorkshireman,
and a Londoner positively hates him. If a
harsh thing has to be done, Forster does it in.
the harshest manner, If an unpleasant fact
has to be told, it loses none of its bitterness by
coming from Forster's lips. Therei is no velvet
paw to conceal the talons. He has no diplo-
macy. He canaot exc out the lions skin with
the fox's. He does things with all of a York
shireman's sledge-hamner directness, and he
has smashed things to pieces instead of mend
ing them. He is man with fatal facility
for turning an opponent into a bitter personal
enemy. ''A" 's''j@' -sf'"' s'.l
Mr.. Forster's voice, although low at first, is
very clear and distinct, and in the complete
silence that follows his reception every word
tells. Just as he gets to the cause of the i'm
prisonment of the member for Cork, wild,
but brief shout goes up from the Leaguers,
many of whom rise to their feet and wave
their hats, while everyone's attention is taken
to that quarter, and the late Secretary stops
in his speech. o sf ase E r 'f'
Up the aisle walks Mr.. Parnell, the I'M
crowned King of Ireland. He is faultlessly
dressed, straight as a pole, and is as cool and
collected as when he walked on the stage of
the Detroit Opera House, one Sunday evening
a few years ago, to address q large audience on
the woes of Ireland. Forster looks at him in
sort of bewilderment. His lower jaw hangs
down, and his whole crest fallen attitude seems
to say, well, might have been spared this"
Mr.. Parnell never gives a glance at his jailor.
With exact precision he bows to the Speaker.
and with neither haste nor tartliness takes his
place among his frantic followers. You
couldn't imagine a more unrutied demeanor:
not the slightest shade OF resentment is no.
ieeAhle in his placid expression, neither is
there .sAxs visible. laaG comp -fcency, yet he
knows that he marches into that august as
semblage to the tune of 'See, the Conquering
Hero Comes" There is no need of Disgusting
the fact that one of the most powerful govern
ments England ever had has nad to come to
the terms of Mr. Parnell, and that he is COM
plete master of the situation.
Forster's plight was almost pitiable He
stood there as if he was an embodiment of
Richelieus answer to the question:
Are you not Minister OF France?"
"YesterdaY L was; to-day, IL very weak old
man. Tomorrow (if this sort OF thing keeps
ON know not what"
However, he soon shakes himself together
and says that he is glad to see the member for
Cork before him. From that time forth Fors-
ter's speech is well worth hearing Ii is
ringing Grafton. His voice, clear and defiant,
fills that vast chamber and holds his audience
breathless, except when loud and prolonged
applause greets his efforts Gladstone every
now and then looks up at his flushed face in
wonder and often notes down some of his re-
marks 49,
"Let the House." says Mr.. Forster, "do what
is right in reference to the purchase clauses
and to other proposed amendments to the
Land act, but do not let it try to buy obedience
to the law by concessions: Loud and pro-
longed Opposition cheers.] You may remsm-
Der that Tudor king who said to a great Irish
man, if Ireland cannot govern the Earl of
Kildare, let the Earl of Kildare govern Ire
land for it is better that the Earl of Kildare
should govern Ireland than that there should
be an arrangement between him and the
Kings representatives. In like manner, if all
England cannot govern the member from
Cork, let us acknowledge it Opposition cheers
and that his is the greatest power in Ireland /;
but [ maintain that no concessions, no ar
rangements, are necessary, and that govern
ment in Ireland must not be weakened by con-
cessions." b.
Towards the end of his speech Forster show
ed signs of fatigue. He passed his hand oyer
his brow several times, as if to wipe away i'm
aginary perspiration. When he sat down it
was very evident that the feeling of the House
was strongly in his favor, and the general idea
seemed to be that his address had hit the gov
eminent hard on their policy of vaccination.
Mr.. Gladstone arose to reply. He complete
| ly lost his temper at the interruptions he met
with, and at one time ceased speaking alto
| SCtueI uutil OpPOlCheo Coulu Sool 1AOlI
ardor. This obstruction did not. come from
the Irish members, but from the Conservatives.
Mr.. Parnell spoke in his usual cool headed
way. He was interrupted several times by
Mr. Gladstone, and in most instances he COM
pletely ignored the Premier, whose efforts to
get any attention from the Irish leader were
certainly very humiliating. When Mr.. Par
nell had finished speaking, he was followed by
the fiery Dillon, who, despite physical weak
ness, made telling speech and utterly repu-
dated the accusation that bargain had been
made with the government. Here practically
ended one of the most exciting and dramatic
| nights of the session. g-4isl irH
As to the alleged bargain: There is not the
slightest reason 70 doubt that Mr. Parnell and
Mr.. Gladstone have come to an understands
ing. Mr.. Parnell became tired of gazing at
four whitewashed walls. There are many
other objects that are more attractive to the
eve than four whitewashed wal Is. White
wash as a daily optical diet is not all that an
aesthetic fancy could wish. 1t then became
intimated to the government that perhaps there
might be way of arranging matters so that
the Land Leaguers would range themselves on
the side of the law if some other vista, than
four whitewashed walls was presented to the
IL ,aIc