Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-09
The Grand old Man.


LONDON, April S.--Mr. Gladstone slept
well last night. He arose early In excel.
lent health and fine spirits. His voice Is
fresh, strong and evidently enduring.
immediately after breakfast Mr.. Glad
stone repaired TO his official room, where
he found prepared for his perusal the
morning papers, scores OF kilograms
bearing on the task OF the day, and more
than one letter from close personal friends
and advisers, all bearing words OF cheer
aud congratulations Before the night
watchman in the house was relieved or
the lights were outencd number OF
members OF parliament, gentlemen pos.
sessed of assured admittance, began TO
arrive 20 make themselves doubly certain
Of their privileges by getting TO their
seats two hours before Mr.. Gladstone
would reach the house, and retaining
them during the long interval
Mcconnell Sullivan, Nationalist men,
Der for Southwest Meath, was the first to
arrive, and under the rule OF first come
first served he secured the best seat In
the house, that Immediately opposite TO
the place where Gladstone stood during
the delivery of his speech. The South
west Meath member was not long the sole
occupant of the echoing chamber He
was almost Immediately followed by a
score of Parnellite colleagues 1t was
not long before Gil the Parnellites were
in the house,e and they pre-empted the
best places In the locality invaded by Mr..
Sullivan, and all got places to the front
Of Gladstone. rush OF British mem
bers followed close upon the advent OF
the Parnellites, 1t was yet eorly In the
morning when all the seats on the floor
We're taken.
Up. mater cXhausting every expe.
dent TO kill time the outside members
began to assemble In the house, after
10 O'Clock. In an hour the floor was
pretty well covered with groups OF
members intimately discussing the events
OF the day and debating their possible
outcome. The crowds outside the house
by this time had increased greatly, aud
at O'Clock had become enormous. They
covered all the space down TO West.
minister bridge aud extended pretty well
up Parliament street towards White Hall,
At that hour perfect jam Of people
filed Downing street, where Mr.. Glad.
stones official residence is situated.
This crowd was patiently await
ing for A the premier 70 make
his appeaW c on his departure for the
house OF mmons. Mr., Gladstone
finished re && his papers and telegraphic
and mail c, ,pondence at an early hour.
He spent the remainder OF the morning
and part OF the afternoon In contempla-
ton. He refused TO permit himself TO be
disturbed by calls from any of the num-
bers of persons who called to see him.
He made but one exception, that was
John Morley, chief secretary for Ireland,
d.. a H..
a short time. The enormous clock which
bears England's giant bell that rings the
time In Victoria tower ON the southwest
corner OF the parliament building stopped
this afternoon Its stoppage was noticed
by crowds and was regarded by the
thousands as an occurrence Of Ill omen.
Soon after 8o'clock the thoroughfare above
ST. Stephens was 10 crowded with
people that all attempts 10 carry on
traffic In ths neighborhood had to be sus-
pended. Mounted police were placed on
duty patrolling, because II was impos-
sible for officers afoot TO get about. In
the house Of commons the members now
began TO divide themselves into parties
with a view TO their probable support of
or opposition to the coming speech, No
less than $50 Of the ECO members entered
aud secured their seats before IL o'clock.
The wives, daughters ana female rela.
tons and friends OF these members
thronged the waitlng-rooms al morning
provided with bus, cakes, baskets and
novels on which 10 subsist and pass Time
Soon after O'clockthe Parnellite mem
bers began to take possession Of their
Seats They arranged themselves on the
opposition benches IN front of the place
where Mr.. Gladstone was to speak. Mr..
Thomas r. O'Connor, Nationalist member
for the Scotland division Of Liverpool,
explains the haste exhibited by his party
to secure seats by saying that the Tories
had organized plot TO take possession
OF the seats in sucl a way AZ 70 make 1t
impossible for the ParDellltes TO sit to-
gether 10 rob Gladstone oi the chorus Of
cheers which the fnll.throated Irish mem
bers would be sure 20 give linn II
they were Ia a body, and the orators
were 70 thair liking, The Right Hon.
Arthur Wellesley Peel, the speaker Of the
house, took his chair promptly ut 4
O'Clock. The chamber OF the tmc was
packed 70 the limit Of Its capacity, AID
every doorway showed the Railways
crowded with people, all Rtraining 70 see
and hear. The weather at this time sud
denly changed Clou ds lowered ana
thunder was heard. Nevertheless the
mass Of people outside Increased and
became denser. Catholic pflests were
coaspicuously numerous In the crowd,
and no less than thirty-iive branches OF
The London organization Of irish ga.
tional leagues were represented BY full
! deoutatlonsl Political clubs beyond
! numbering were also present 10 take
1880 a.. ~. t,,,Asslat damon ~ fnfi0u No-