New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-09
MORNING SCENES IN THE HOUSE.


MORNING SCENES IN THE HOUSE.
PARNELLITEs ARRIVE WITH THE SUN AND SECURE
THE BEST sEAIs-srREgT DEMONSTRATIONS.
LONDON, April 8.-Oficials of the House OF
Commons whose memories run back half century or
more recall such extraordinary scenes as ere VIII
messed in and of the Parliament Buildings today
night watchmen In the House we're relieved
the lights extlnguished number OF members OF
Parliament gentlemen possessed OF an assured admit
tance began arrive, make themselves douby GER
tain privileges by getting their seats number
OF hours before Mr. Gladstone would reach the House,
and retaining them during the long interval Mr NC
Donnen Sullivan Nationalist member for South west
meath the frat man to gain an entrance 10 the
House. He got In as early as $50 O'CLOCK in tho
morning. a few minutes after sunrise. and at once
proceeded to make of his place. 1t is alleged.
however, that Mr.. Sullivan secured his advantage
by brbng friendly policeman to permit him to have
access by way OF the back stairs The South West
meath member not long the sole occupant OF
the chamber. He almost Immediately followed
by a scors OF Parnelte colleagues. The rule re-
gardng the seats was practically " first como hrst
served" Mr. Sullivan. therefore. had his pick OF the
whole floor He chose very best. the seat next to
and Immediately below the gangway or aisle. on the
Opposition or left side Of tho Speakers desk Az the
Ministerial bench situated just opposite. on the right
OF the Sneaker and the Prime Minister has usually oc
cupied the seat just below the gangway on that side
THE PARNELLITEs SECURE THE BEST PLACES.
II was not long before all the Parnees werc in the
House, and they preemped the best places in tho local
ity invaded by Mr. Sullivan and all got places to 'front.'
Mr.. Gladstone during his speech. Mr.. Thomas Power
OConuor Nationalist member for the Scotland Division
of Liverpool explained the h9ste exhibited by MS party
seats by saying that the Tories had organized
| a plot to take possession Of seats In sucn
way as to impossible for the Parnellites to sit
Afr laIa Of ID
cheers which the uthroated Irish members would be
give him IL they were In abody anu the orator
were to their liking. Mr. O'Connor said that when his
colleagues discovered this conspiracy they at once took
steps crcumyent by reaching the scene In tme 10
get the choice or places Mr. OConnor said he was sat
sfed with the result and added that the Irish chorus
| would be not only ful..thrOated. but unanimous.
The thrush Of the British members followed close
upon advent of the Parnees. 1t was yet early In
the morning when nearly all the seats on the oor were
taken In retain the seat cbosen it was neces-
for member occupy it, or place upon it the hat he
had selected for the day and no dummy nat couo DO
used for this purpose The present generation never
witnessed such a hating occurred In the
| House Of Commons this morning long before London
! was awake. No less than 45O OF tho go members
| had entered and secured their seats, by mat
ting" or personal occupation, before IL O'clock The
wives daughters and female relations ana irlends OF
these members thronged the waiting rooms all the MORN
ing provided with lunch baskets and novels on which to
subsst and pass tho time during which the men were un'
entertaining
WILLING AWAY THE EARLY HOURS OF TIE DAY.
number OF members afraid to trust to the honor
of their colleagues for maintenance OF tue rules on an
occasion like OF to-day and those retained posses
sion Of their seats by remaining in them bodily
| all the day. During the session or Parliament the
chamber Of the House Of Commons Is swept cleaned anu
busted every morning. To-day 1t was also Thoroughly
| scrubbed Disagreeable all this was the gentlemen
who we're afraid trust their colleagues remained IN
their seats while the dusten and scrubbers hlled the
air with dust and then with dampness When they De-
came hungry and food and drink was brought In
to them. Members who had shortened their hours oil
seep or lost them altogether in their efforts to secure
early admission and choice OF seats nxed themselves
as comfortably possible In their seats ana went 10
sleep Most OF the early arrivals. however, retreated
| before the dust-brooms and washtubs ana stroHcd
about the lobbes sought the dningroom The official
caterer began to breakfast at $3.50 a. m ana ne
was we'll patronized In the early hours OF the morning
| When the sun rose and the day grew warmer. the
river terrace sought by the majority OF the early
arrivals and many eIpedients werc resorted TO 70
| while away the time. The Parnetes were In partic'
ularly happy frame OF mind acting H. to use an e1'
| preston OF one OF them "they had sure thing on
| day for Ireland" A number Of them borrowed trf
cycle and had great sport and down the terrace
with IL until 1t finally collapsed, throwing r. j. brieh
Parneite me nber for Tipperary who was riding IL at
| the tme upon his head on the tagging He was p'cSea
ND bleeding profusey and very badly stunned HIS fore
head wa. deeply the and his face ana hand
were much torn and bruised He was. In fact SO scr'
ously Injured that he had to be removed to hospta
but he insisted on going bareheaded and after DIS
wounds were dressed he returned to occupy his seat
After sxhausting expedients for killing time outside
the House the members began to assemble In the cham
ber soon after O'clock Within an hour tue hoor wa'
well covered with groups of members discussing WIFI
| the o
time until o'clock, when the Speaker took the chair
the crowds on the floor and in tho galleries grew args
and larger, until every seat was occupied
| Soon after 8 o'clock the Parneite members
began to take possession OF their seats They
| arranged themselves in scrred ranks on the
| Opposition benches In front OF the place where
| Mr. Gladstone was to speak. Tho Right Hon.
Arthur Wellesley Peel. tho Speaker OF tho House, tooH
| the chair promptly at o'clock The chamber az the
time was packed to the extreme limit OF It's capacity
| and every doorway showed Railways orammsd Win
people, all craning to sec and hear.
| WILD STRUGGLES FOR SEATS IN THE GALLERIES.
Reore the Speaker entered floor Of the House, the
obbes tho starways and galleries we're all In posscsso
OF mob Of people struggling for places to hear ana sec
the orator day. There were nifty times US many
engaged In this struggle As could possibly Do 40
| comuodated, and in the surge bsnope' peers
and plenipotentiares ran foui OF common
| ar. OF every sort. In group were
| ..cn at one time the Greek Ambassador. United
States Minister Phelps, Cardinal Manning the Japan
ese Ambassador, Michael Davitt and Mr Burnand
Editor OF Punch. These six were jammed In a'trugg'e
about the door Of the Speakers gallery. They were
rescued and after being marched and c0untermarched
about the lobby into outer lobby and back again
were finally enabled to get, by way OF another door
TO the places secured for them Several score OF ncbe
men asserted their privileges too boisterousy
| and had to be checked by the policemen on DUTY
| The tall form OF Earl Spencer, ex-irisn
Vceroy towering above the police. and the dimhu''e
figure of the Marquis Of Rpon nesting close to him as
II for protection we're conspicuous In the lobby rshes
Such was the pressure for accommodation that the au
thortes tolerated and wnked at the revolutionary IN
noystion OF placing double rows OF chairs on the
door space in front Of the Speakers desk compie'ey
transforming the familiar aspect OF that htherto sAceeu
tramping ground OF orators Every square 1907
| ~ .nace In tho galleries held human beiny