New-York tribune., 1886-05-30
HISTORICAL GOSSIP.
sKrrCUEs IN PARLIAMENT.
A DIARY OF TWO PARIIAMENTS by ,ass nssR' ovo ".
IrcY The Gladstone Parliament 1851 $780, o'o'

Few readers Will lay down tnS sccon" oi"'"
Mr.. Lucy's informing and entertaining work WIN
ont regret that he Is not likely to continue III 'nc
new political era just opening In Great l'rita,n' 'ho
brilliant service which he performed for the era
that has ills. closed He has lately assumed the
Duties of chief editor OF TAA Daily Ness OF London
10 which he was long n contributor; ans the isoots
of that responsible position VIII h'ru''
leave him the leisure for Parliamentary
cbropcle. The "Diarv," therefore, will remain a |
historical fragment but fragment which coScis
eleven momentous years. The Disraeh Parliament
of 1874 TO $780, which he described IN MS lrs'
volume and the Gladstone Parliament or ooo ~
1885. which forms the subject OF the second 10TH
n transition epoch whose incidents and actors VIII
be far more interesting few yenr' hehc, 'hai
they are now. and in whose records historians OF
the new Great Britain will delve with
eager industry. What would not the
Froudes and Macaulays have given If
earlier transition epochs had been treated
for them bv some well-informed, audacious, bright
eyed gossip like Mr.. Lucy! brief mattcr-of-fact
catalogue of the business of each session has been
added to the present volume, but the main part OF
the text consists of free descriptions comments
personal sketches, and happy characterzations OF
prominent men, interspersed with anecdotes ana
"reminiscences. The author is not afraid to speak
his mind about anybody bat he is always decorous
and good-naturcd. ready TO admire and to praise.
and so droll in his ridicue of Parliamentary bores
and other Objectionable persons that even his VIC
tins might afford to be amused by him.
The topics upon which Mr.. Lncv throws his per-
sona side lights include certain affairs which were
highly sensational at The time of their occurrence
and some whose historical Importance is, perhaps.
not vet fully appreciated. In the record OF the
Gladstone Parliament he has had to describe the
Bradllush incident. the elimination OF the lrish
obstruction policy in the suspension OF lrlsh menu
bers the debate the Irish Land ard Crimes biiis'
the "Kilmanhain Treaty." the eject nf the Phnnlx
Park assassnatons. and the AFGHAN dispute with
Russia 1t is easy to see that all through the
! five years the IRISH problem was becoming moro
| and more significant; and even Mr Lucvs IN
! imtaby comic treatment of some of the prominent
representatives from across the Channcl Dlinds no
one 10 the fact that these earnest but occasionally
ridiculous politicians getting to he very ser'-
ous political forces Probably Mr. Lucy himself
never had any doubt about that. But it is inter
esting t. watch the appearance aad manners OF
the combatants in the preliminary movements OF
the Home Rule conflict; and if their aspect was
not always heroic their speech often as me as
| they ina gincd, perhaps the leaders OF other
p,pular causes woud have made better figure
IN history if they had been faithfully painted.
The description OF Mr.. Blggar, under the influence
| of that SOttenlng emotion 10 which NC ultHhi'oH
owed the Injury of breach of promise suit is ex-
trcmely humorous. There are several good anec-
dotes of the famous Major OGorman, who, toward
the close of his long Parliamentary did not
hear rs well as when he was young, but could not
bear TO have anyb ,dy notice it, a fellow member
,nentloncd to him in the lobby one night the
capture of LEROY the Brighton murderer. Inc
old warrior. catching only half the news
pleced out the remainder from n mind greatly
troubled at that time by frequent arrests OF Land
League patriots. and went about for the remainder
of the evening with n sob in his voice as he stopped
his ocoualntances with the news, Another of our
Door fellows arrested Where will it end, where
wIIlitend2'" In he course of the debate on the
Protection Act a member wno is described as " a
family man" moved t. substitute the words " male
adultv for person." his object beng to protect
our wives and daa IA crs from the operation of
tha hill. IJoon th- presently Mr.. Dawson. member
for Carlow blazcd forth
"A MIR Dawson stool with folded arms and
angeled countcnanre. speaking Iofth ~ dreP oneS;
notes ths most beautiful things about woman u
va 80 irreslstibly Ike sim Iappertt. that mem.
hers lnv0iuntary looked about ior MES ana ana
i>ollv Warden. and the Blacksmith. ana All ihe
Other associates of the daily life OF that great souled
pc. Th.rs ire said Mr.. Dawson holding ont his
arm and display ng his shlrt-cuis Ike Il Tag OF
trioe IN draw the mind OF the uprOaIiou5 crowd
ouposIte TO consideration of gentier things. there
are .tr,ngs in the human heart mat had better not
- ~ this the House roarcd and Nr. Dawson, indg-
nantlg withdrawing the h1g Of trncr iode,i ,hlf
!, arms and hending his brow upon gentlemen oci9W
the gaugrav opposite. said, III voice that thrllle
/ throuch ttie assembly.
sneak as a hu>band.'
Uerrnpon the shonts of laughter drowned even
the decp-chrsied notes OF the orator. In the midst OF
al this ill-tmcd mcrrlmcnt MI lawTon STOOD ~
> | iup his gliterug eye upon Door Mt. DillWVn wh'
j. had not laughed nearly so much as any one & ere
- | Int hnrpened he in the direct line Of sight
Q When silence WAS partially restored, he pro
: If any one dare 70 lay hand my wife il
g shDnl only be by stepping over my dead body.
f This was more tn N the most lugubrlo member
couId stand Tie House shook with stormy laugh
Ter. amid which Mr.. Dillwyn sat silent fixed by
the meaning glance wnich the imDassione Orato
strrnlv fixed upon him the while this word OF warn
ing was uttered for whom II might concern.
~ Mr. Lucy's huinor however. is not exercised ex
clusiveiy OF even principally upon lrislinen. VII
II Christopher sykes. who twenty years IN Par
II Lament wthu opening his lips and thcn sud
81 denly astOundcd mankind by Offering a bill ahou
s. oysters: Sir. Newdegate. Sir Nar'on. with hi
Il, nrodi ,ions snnf.box and aggrava'ing party
ID colored handkerchief; Briggs, Of Blackburn, VII
~ exclaimed during the d scusSIon over the me
4 mortal 20 tie French Prince Imperial Why,
"A there is 10 BE- a statuc in Westminster Abbey, VIII
srouId II not be erected IN commemorate
'e Of some great and glorious Engishman >
r. and was answered III one generi
ly shout. briggs. Briggs r-these gentlemen
f. and a score Oh others are the cause OF ninlt
- amusement some ines flashing phrase says MOI
10 tlan an ordinary wrter would put into an elal
r. orate page Mr. Knatchbu- tiugessen wa
Id male peer fOT the same reason tAa an odd pe'
tc OF cloth eft over from making coat serves 10 COZ
"a struct a pen wiper; there was not enough OF al
ne to max anything more useful"
~ A folble Of Mr Gads tones is described very TO
ne clbly. ole would be a great man. it has bee
" VI SAID " if he could only occasionally sit STILL F'
d the progress OF business IN the House OF Common
9, O. it is important ABOVE all other things
of avoid friction Yet Mr.. Gladstone IS certain
at rr;,,,on to any dchatc at which