Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-14

take the task. Lord harrington de-
clined it. The Queen was compelled to
forego any objection to Gladstone,
and he. conserving to resume the reinS
of power, became First Lord Of the
Treasury and Chancellor Of the EXche-
quer. In the new House were 1853
Liberals. 237 Conservatives or Tories,
and G2 Irish Home-Rulers.
The Government at once took up the
subjsct of Irish politics with the intro
duction of bill, framed by Chief-Sec
retary-for-Ireland Forster, to compen-
safe the sufferers by the disturbances
there. which the House of Lords killed
after it had been passed by the Com
mons. Then the Irish land bill was
brought in and discussed during the
summer and fall, and was only passed
after the Government had trimmed it
down to suit the Tories and Home Rulers.
The latter. under Mr.. Parnell's lead,
began the obstructionist movement,
which might have completely blocked
legislation, except for the resort to the
cloture. a parliamentary innovation
somewhat similar TO the calling of the
previous question in our own Congress.
The Ministry was weakened by the Sc
cession Of the Duke of Argyle. who
found himself unable to act with Glad
stone on the land question. but it was
strengthened by the death of Lord Bea-
consfield-a mishap which momentarily
paralyzed the Tory opposition.
The Government was meaSurably
successful in pacifying Ireland with the
land bill and the sO-called "Kilmain-
ham treaty " with Mr.. Parnell, but Mr..
Forster resigned the chief secretaryship
and Earl Cowper the lord lieutenancy
of Ireland in consequence of these
arrangements. Lord Frederick Cav
endish succeeding Forster, and
Earl Spencer, Cowper, in 1882.
Then in the summer OF that year
the rebellion Of Arab Pscha broke out
in Egypt, Alexandria was bombarded
by the British feet, and the campaign,
which ended with the British victory at
Tel el Kebir, was fought. John Bright
left the Cabinet on account Of his oppo-
sition to this war, which had scarcely
been concluded when the assassination
of Lord Frederick Cayendish and I'm
der-Sccretary Burke at Dublin threw
Irish affairs into worse confusion and
led to the passage of stringent CO.
ercion measure and large increase Of
the military force in Ireland.
The year 1888 was the quietest one
of the Administration, although the
Radical element. with Mr.. Joseph
Chamberlain and Sir Charles Dixie at
its head, were already diyerging from
the Wing members Of the Cabinet, and
the Home-Rule aid of Tory movements
gave Gladstone much trouble. Never
theless he carried his most important
plans, and drove France out Of the
dual control of Egypt. Toward the
close of the year the Mahdi arose in
the Soudan. mastered Hicks Pacha's
army at Fl 0beid, and laid the
foundation OF some of the most I'M
fortunate events in the career OF the
Administration. In 1884 the Premier
achieved one of the greatest triumphs
of his life by procuring the adoption Of
the franchise bill, which increased the
number of electors in the United King
dom by about 100000, and unde~
which a new House Of Commons, will
be elected next autumn. Ii was at
first rejected by the Lords, but they re-
yersed their action when il was accom-
panied by bill for the redistribution
of seats in Parliament, or, as it would
be called in this country.
But from the time Of the passage Of
this legislation misfortunes thickened
around Mr.. Gladstone. Lord Wolse-
ley's Soundan campaign failure
Gordon was killed at Khartoum;
the dispute with Russia over the boun-
daries of Afghanistan sprung into
prominence Chamberlain and Dixie
widened the breach with regard to
legislation for Ireland, and the Parnell-
ties threatened alliance with the enemy
rather than submit to extension OF CO.
ercion in Ireland. In February, 1881,
a resolution Of censure against the
Government for its conduct OF the