Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-27
THE OLD WORLD.
Great Rritain..

The New speaker-Arthur Feel Elected
 to Succeed MT Brand-An Imposing
 Event I'm the House of Commons.
 LONDON, Feb. 26.-Rarely in the early days
 of session of the House of Commons has
 there been so large gathering of members
 as was witnessed to-day. stranger would
 have supposed some great debate was in prog ress, but. as matter of fact the members
 were attracted to St. Stephens to-day by the infzequent and unusual ceremony of electing g new Speaker to succeed Sir Henry Brand, who after Q service of some twelve years in the chair of the lower house is about to take a dignifed rest in the gilded chamber of the lords. Under any circumstances there is always s crowded house upon such an im- portant occasion as the election of Speaker, but additional interest attached to to-day's proceedings by the fact that reports had been industriously circulated for months past te the effect shat the Conser- vativss intended to oppose Arthur Peel, the government nominee, on the ground among others that the premier, MT. Glad stone, had for some reason or other neglected the time-honored custom of consulting the leader of the opposition upon the choice of Speaker. There was, therefore, a full muster today on both sides of the House and the benches below the gangway on the ministe- rial side occupied by MT. ''Joe" Cowsn, Sir Wilfred Lawson, MT. Labouchere and other strictly independent liberals, as well as the seats below the Rangway on the opposition side, whence MT. Parnell and his faithful henchmen have for many sessions wor- ried the government and exasperated tories end whigs alike, were also filled either by members in person or by hats placed on the seats as an outward and visible sign of the owners intention to put in an appearance later on. Only the familiar face of Sir Hen- ry Brand was wanting to complete the tout ensemble. But the Speakers chair was empty and another important adjunct, the mace, wa3 ignominiously slowed away be. meath the table at which Sir Thomas Frs kine May, the chief clerk, presided. The chaplain gabbled through the regular prayers in the usual way and then the House rein forced by score or SO of members-unre- generate ones for whom the religious feature of the programme had no charms-proceed- ed to business.
 Ar. Samuel Whitbread (Libera) rising in his place addressed Sir Erskine May by name and moved that Mir. Arthur Wellesley Peel CAkS us CQa1E OI tue hOQ66 hS OP0dAOEs A1E William Rathbone OiberaD seconded the mo- ton. For 2 few minutes breathless silence prevailed and every eye was turned toward the front opposition bench. But neither Sir Stafford Northcote nor any of his colleagues showed the slightest intention of carrying out their threats of proposing Mir. Matthew White Ridley for Speaker. The motion for MT. Pssrs appointment was then agreed to unanimously. All this time the Speaker-des- ignate, arrayed in becoming court dress, oc cupied his usual seat on the second ministe rial bench, but when it wts announced that he had been elected to the dignity of first commonsr in the land he rose in his place and formally submitted himself to the pleas ure of the House. He was then conducted by Messrs. Wbitbread and Rathbone to the chair, from which he eloquently and with some show of emotion expressed his grateful thanks for the high honor conferred upon him, promising to subordinate his personality to his great office.
 The new Speaker having taken his seat and the mace being replaced upon the table MT. Gladstone oncs more rose and in most fs licitous speech congratulated Mir. Peel on his of the office. In the course of his remarks he feelingly alluded to the eminent father of the Speaker, Sir Robert Peel, whose memory he said everyone re veres. Sir Stafford Northcote cordially en- dorsed Mir Gladstone's remarks MT Frank Hugh O'Donnell, member for DuDgarven, hoped the new Speaker would respect the rights of minorities. MT. Gladstone again rose and acquainted the House that it was her mejesty's pleasure that the Speaker should be presented tomorrow in the House of Lords to receive the royal appreciation. The House then, on motion of MT. Gladstone, adjourned until to morrow.
 The nsx Speaker has held various minor posts under Liberal administrations. He was born in 1929 and is the youngsst son of the second Sir Robert Peel, the famous statesman and brother of the present baro- net. He has rarely taken an active part in political debates of the House of Commons but was for some time one of the Liberal whips and while acting in that capacity he gained and has since maintained the respect of politicians of all grades of opinions.