The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-06-13
Defeat Of the Gladstone Gov
efIl nm e nj.

IN. O. States. June 9th.l
Mr.. Gladstone's government was
defeated last night in the House oil
Commons by a vote of 264 to 252,
majority IL against the government.
All the Conservatives, and nearly all
the Parnellites, formed the victori
Gus majority. The House consists Of
$40 members, aud only 5l6 took part
in the vote. The average voting
number on occasions of great party
divisions being about $50, or seven
eighths of the whole House, the
votes of nearly forty members have
to be accounted for. As the Con-
servatives and Parnellites voted with
in three or four of their full average
strength, those two scores of men,
bers who absented themselves from
the division are evidently representa-
tives who sit on the Government side
of the House, and usually act with
the Liberal party. They are either
Radicals who thus express their dis
satisfaction with the intentions of the
Government in renewing the Irish
Crimes Act even in a modified form,
or Wings who have been confessedly
out of sympathy with the present
Liberal ministry since. q few months
ago, they lowered the franchise to
include agricultural laborers in the
electorate. 1t is very unlikely that
action on the part Of the Radical
wing brought about the defeat. Their
section has been much petted by the
present government with cabinet po-
siti0ns and other honors of Office.
They know full we'll also that the
downfall OF the Liberals means their
own annihilation, for the time being,
as an influential factor in the House.
We may take it for granted, there
fore, that, if for no higher reason,
they would not seek temporary self
placement by falling away from their
friends at such crisis. 1t is safe to
assume that the abstention which
brough about the untoward result
was with the Wing or more conserva-
tive portion of the Liberal support
ers. They have made no secret OF
their jealousy at the open handed
recognition bestowed upon the ad- |
vanced Radical party by the govern
ment. Their indignation with their
nominal leader (Gladstone) boiled |
over when he carried over their heads
The Act already referred to. intended
TO equalize the borough aud county |
franchise. They threatened then that
they would have Vengeance for that
degradation Of the vote, AUD their
hour of triumph has come.
Several courses are now open to |
the government They might at once
dissolve Parliament. and appeal to
he people. The external relations
Of the country, however, are too
critical to admit Of such course be-
ng taken at present with due regard
o safety. They might resign, mud
levolse upon the opposition an op
of disentangling the pend
ng imbroglio. Or they might will
ully continue in Office, and scramble
through the remaining work of a
noribund Parliament with discredit-
ID prestige. They certainly will
'ffer to resign. But the opposition
eaders may privately advise them to
70 on, on the ground that it will not
'e convenient or palatable for them
o enter upon Office for few months
t the tag end of y Parliament. Or1
he Queen may assure them that a
hange OF government is at present
Or finally. they may