The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-06-19
GLADSTONE'S DOWNFALL.
His De eat in Parliament Followed
by his KesignntiOn.

a London dispatch states that the result of
the defeat of the government when the house
Of commons refused to pass the budget to
second reading on account of the obnoxious
increase in the tax on spirits, has been, as
expected. the rendering of the resgna-
tions of Mr. Gladstone and his ministry to
the queen, and all Great Britain is in state
Of excitement over the crisis A good deal
of surprise is manifested over the
defeat of The government, which was expect
ed by the conservatives least OF all IL was
known that an effort would be made to de-
feat the clause III the budget increasing the
duties upon beer and spirits, but nobody
imagined that the opposition would succeed
in overturning the government, as it has
done. The disaster arose more from over
confidence on the part of the liberals than
from the strength OF the conservatives. Many
of Mr.. GladstOne's party supporters in the
house hal become dissatisfied with his man
agement of the Russo Afghan question, and
they thought that the vote on the budget
would afford good opportunity to express
their displeasure. With this object in view
many liberals refrained from voting, although
the party whips were freely used by the gov
eminent leaders who seem to be the only
ones who realized the danger in which the adj
ministration stood. The result was the dis
astrOus defeat of the government, and this,
in accordance with long established precedent,
could be followed only by the resignation of
the ministry.
Mr.. Gladstone entered the house of COM
mons at a few minutes after o'clock, and
perfect silence regned as he walked toward
the speakers desk. His face was perfectly
calm, his body was erect, and he walked
with the firm step of q man who is wholly
undisturbed. AS he sat down cheers rent
the air from all sides Of the chamber.
The conservatives sat silent and gazed upon
the scene of excitement. The applause
was continued for several minutes, until
finally the premier, in response to the
greeting, arose and faced the house. This
was the signal for renewed shouting and
clapping OF hands, during which Mr.. Glad
stone stood still smiling benignly on his ad-
mirers
When silence was at length secured Mr..
Gladstone said the cabinet had come TO the
conclusion that il was under an obligation to
submit to the queen dutiful communication.
This statement was greeted by loud cheers
from the conservatives. 1t would be prema-
ture on his part, the premier continued, to
enter into particulars concerning the
fore it was in the possession of the
queen. He would say, however, that, as
on former occasions, a few days must elapse
before the result of the commune alton could
be arrived at so as to make it proper to dis
close it to the house During that interval,
Mr. Gladstone concluded, the house would
follow its usual custom by refraining from
the transaction of its ordinary business, and
would therefore move that the house, on ris-
ing, adjourn until Friday. The house agreed
to the motion and promptly adjourned to
Friday, as did the house of lords on motion
of Earl Granville, few minutes
later. Although the statement of Mr.. Glad
stone did not in direct terms announce the
resignation of the ministry, the words which
he employed are tn Sc which have been in
variably used on similar occasions and were
accented rs indicating that the RESERVATIONS
had been decided on and rendered 70 the
queen. 1t would have been regarded as dis
courtesy to her majesty to have made the
announcement in any more direct form be-
fore she had had an opportunity to accept
the resignation.