The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-08-02
TIE PARNEIL INQUIRY.
The Debate In tho House of Commons
Takes n Lively Turn.

The Debate In tho House of Common
Takes n Lively Turn.
LONDON, August LIN the House o
Commons to-day Mr.. Balfour said tina
Mr.. Gladstone OH the eve OF the Parnel
inquiry had pronounced the opinion
that the Times letters were forgeries.
Mr.. Gladstone-"I said that | was jus
titled in concluding that there must be
motive for the extraordinary way in
which theletters were now being thrown
in the shade"
Mr.. Balfour said Mr.. Gladstone's re.
marks were most improper. He denied
that the Government had altered the
bill or changed their position.
Mr. Reid Qiberal) offered an amend
ment providing that the Commission
shall inquire into charges and allega-
tions only in SO far us the same may bear
upon the charges and allegations against
members.
Mr.. Sexton said he had gathered from
the speeches Of the ministers and their
supporters that they Only desired an in
quiry into the alleged completely OF
members with crime. To include the
conduct OF outside persons was
irrevclant, except in so far rs it
might throw light on the
assumed guilt Of members. Mr..
Smiths friend Walter ut first did
not wish that other persons should be
included, but when he visited Mr.. Smith
he knew that the letters lie had pub
lished in the Times would be proved to
be forgcries, that his charge against
members would break down, and that
the only chance he had Of escaping dis
gr,lce aud the ruin of tue Times wus to
get rowing inquiry into the conduct OF
persons over whom members had no
control and thus mislead the public
mind.
Mr.. Matthews said: "The primary
object OF the bill is to secure an investi-
CATION into charges OF what have been
properly describGdas II catalogue OF mel
ancholy and disgraceful crimes, regard
ing which the Government thought it
OF public Importance that the whole
truth should be known. The inquiry is
not into the conduct OF members, rs
members, but i'll the capacity as mem
bers of IN outside organization. lshould
have thought that, in order to complete
ly establish their innocence, they would
have desired the inquiry to be full and
complete"
Sir William Vernon Harcourt said il
the protection OF the debate on the bill
required any justification it would be
found in Mr.. Matthews speech.
1t was only by persistent pressure that
the opposition were at last beginning to
detect the realming OF the bill. Cheers
Mr.. Healy said he believed the charge
in the bill was a result OF Mr.. Walters
visit TO Mr.. Smith.
Mr.. Balfour admitted that the Com
mittee OF the Cabinet on July II decided
to include "and Others" in the refer
ence to the commission, and next day
the whole Cabinet assented. II Mr..
Smith, in announcing the reference in
the House, did not read the words "and
other persons" it was doubtless q slip.
Mr., Gladstone said he thought the
conduct OF the ministers in sitting silent
when Mr.. Smith announced the Com
mission, leaving out these all-important
words, deserved severe censure.
Mr.. Goschen said he did not think
that Mr.. Gladstone in the whole course
OF his life had acted us now in declining
to recognize tue truth OF n minister's
words, no rhetoric or ingenuity ofspccch
could alter the fact that the intentions OF
the government from the first were TO
include "other persons"
Mr.. Gladstone said he had not the
smallest intention to deal with the mat
ter as question involving the truth
fulness OF the government, but the
statement OF the government was not
rational or Ineligible. [Cheers.l
The chairman here advised a cessa-
tion Of recriminations.
A division on Dir. Reid's amendment
was then taken and the amendment was
rejected by 24l to 1914.