New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-17
MR.. SPEAKER
HIS RESIGNATION AND HIS OFFICIAL
CAREER.

than ceremonies The formal resolutions the
formal speeches of the Prime Minister and oil the
Leader OF the Opposition, the formal votes OF the
House are penetrated with sentiment of affection
ate sincerity only too rare on such OCCASIONS eli
Henry Brand has been Speaker for twelve years
During all that time lac has had the confidence 'he
respect and for the most part the loyal support Oh
the body over which he has presided.
Members change, but the House of Commons Is
always the House of Commons. In estimating 'ho
coseness of the relations between the House anu ~
chief officer it is always to be remembered 'ha' no
is Speaker of the whole HouSe-not OF scc''on'
Sir Henry Brand was not the choice OF party VI
of a majority but of the entire and unanihou" po"I
of members. The SpeakerShip is not yet Wha'eI'I
II may hcconc marty Office nor are its duties dis
charged in partisan spirit as, suppose IL may o'
said without offence, they are in America. In the
American sense or in a sense corresponding - th'
American practice there are no Committees oil the
Uon>c of Commons, and the Committees are "p-
roiutcd in a totally different way. The Speaker
here IN one word does not organize the machinery
Of LEGISLATION in the interests of party. Designate"
he may be. as Mr. Arthur Peel has now BEEN by the
majority: by the Government. that is, Tor the time
be,ug. Rut when Mr.. Arthur Peel takes the cha"
he ceases to he a Liberal or Whis. He 1orgct' VII"
named him TO the House. lie WILL it Is hardly 100
much 10 say never do an act in the special or selfish
interest of his old political associates. He Is there
o ouide tho deliberations of the House and to carry
It's wishes into effect.
This may help to explain the solemnltN OF the
Ieavc-taking between the House and MI. speak
er as he has for centuries been called. Two o'ler
couses 90 TO the formation Of this peculiar and
touching sentiment The Speaker is, after al, not
so much the chief officer of the House as its chief
servant. His authority is derived from the House
and exercised in its name. He derives nothing from
statute. and little, comparatively from the existing
rules and orders of the House itself. His power has
slowly broadcned down from precedent TO prec'-
dent. The law by which he acts Is largely unWIIt-
fen: it survives in practice and tradition. tie mas
absolutely none Of the arbitrary control possessed
lv q Continental President. If hc tried to do any
thing AGAINST the sense Of the House Itself would
simply fail. 1t is the chief merit Of SIR Henry
Brand and this is the other cause OF the favor ne
has wOn-that he has recognized to the iull the SUD-
ordinate and ministerial character OF his position
His LOYALTY has been absolutely beyond rCproach
At the same time he has had most difficult serYl-
cc, to perform. 1t is during his tenure that the
character Of the House has undergone, by 40 fault
Of his a considerable transformation. The con>tit-
uencics have been gradually scndinc mp class oil
men unlike those formerly returned, and Though
the Old type may still prevail the iuiilrtion Of tine
new element is yearly more extensive, its influence
more insdIous. Obstruction ha, reared IFS holua
form: has been born and reached stature as mem
qcine as il is ucly Nh Gladstone who loves 10 enc
ycIop his meaning i'm cloud Of goncrali'c, de-
clarcd that the functions, always a.duouS, always
crave. which are mtu,tcd ia the hands OF MI
Sneaker. had risen during Sir Henry Brand, occu-
patton of the chain TO point both OF gravity and
difficulty entirely beyond what his predecessor
have had to encounter The Irish Inc meant. yon
have had always with you: and now ycu have had
Randolph Churchill. These functions. moreover
have become much maycr. The new rules have
nut new power into the Speaker, hands, and lld %
heavier responsibility upon Inn. AID Nh Glad
stone well added that bat lor Sir Henry brand q
skill and tact bat for hi, courage and hImncNs Dut
for the admirable understanding which he has ap-
oiled 10 the solution of the multitude of questions
presented to hun. matters would have been much
worse than they age.
All that applies most Justly and fully TO the gen
crll conduct of business by Sir Henry Brand but II
applies most directly and completely to his dealing
with Irish obstruction. Nobody who saw tie
Speaker aud the House in any of the crises they
have lately rasscd through, will soon forget the
.pertarle. NJ? Parncn has revived our memorc,
OF it, were they ever 80 rusty. Ihe lrsh iead'l'
with entire poiteness and full Acknowledgement OF
/
sent from the proposed resolution of thanks to SIT
! Henry Brand. because in Mr.. Panclls view, the
! Sneaker exceeded his authority in supprcssing OBJ
struction He and his followers consider that Ger
tam official actions of the Speaker aided in produc-
/ in, grieyors misfortune and wrong 80 Ireland and
INJECTING much injustice and hardship upon many
individuals in Ireland. IN plain terms Mr. Iainell
believes that the Coercion Act and the new rules
co aid not have been passed had not the Spea<e III
tervened to stop the organized resistance Of small
minority to the will Of the House and the constu-
encies.
To certain extent Mr. Parnen is right. lie had
a scheme, very carefully and deliberately worked
ont for blocking all legislation in the interests OF
orderwhether III Ireland or i'll the House OF Com
mons II proceeded on the theory that the House
would allow knot of Obstructves to use the pow
or Of the House permanently and in a particular
way for preventing all business they did not like
He believed he could protract debate and repeat
dIlatory motions till the patience of the majority
gave way and the Ministry abandoned measure
which had the support of their own followers and
Of the Opposition as well. He was Tudcly unde-
ceived on that memorable morning when, after
three DAVIS continuous sitting Sir Henry Brand rose
10 declare his opinion thai il was the sense OF the
House that the debate had lasted long enough, and
that the question be now put. Mr.. PaInells plans
crumbled at that one firm word and he naturally
laws upon the Speakers shoulders the blame of all
that followed Yet in that, in his other acts, the
Speaker was again only the servant of the House.
His course was not resolved on till after full consul
tation with men capable Of expressing tie sense OF
the House If it had not been done in that way, 1t
would have been done in some other. know OF
nothing which more signally indicates the futllty
of Mr. Parncls politics than his incapacty to meas
IRE the forces he arrays against him. lie was night
enough in thinking he could do a good deal OF mis-
chief by obstruction, and make himself exceedingly
disagreeable and offend the House of Commons by
scenes OF vulgarity and disorder But when 1t com
Is to question of parayzing permanently the leel'-
lation of Great Britain by one mans obstinacy,thc
limit of serious politics has been reached.
None the less does Sir Henry Brand deserve the
honor all rieht-thiuking men then awarded him.