Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-26
QUEEN VICTORIA'S PITTANCE.
The House of Commons Considering
the Last Royal Request.
MANY BRILLIANT SPEECHES.
The Members and Audience Spell
bound By the Matchiess oratory
of Observation-Disclosures
Thrust Mt Cha amber rlain.
The Royal Grant.
lCopwtoht 1879 bp James Gordon

lethargy which has so long hung over the
house Of commons this session is TO be
broken up. That was evident to the eye the
Doihent one entered the chamber this after
noon. There was an unusually large attend
ance at prayers not indicating IN any way a
devotional outbreak among the members,
but merely their desire to secure n seat for
the remainder of the sitting. The liberal
benches were fairly well filed. and among
the chaplain's congregation was NJ Labou.
chere, who is very regular in his attendance
at prayers when there Is anything to be got
by IL. He secured the corner seat below the
gangway, which is u good deal to gain.
Three-quarters OF an hour were muddled
away over questions, ana then the real sport
began. The noble BIRDS mad hocked to the
space reserved for them. The stronger had
been almost fighting for places. The CLEAN
of ribbons and bonnets shone from behind
the grating of the ladies' gallery. Every
place was occupied.
What "A chance for Labouchere to tell the
truth. He seemed rather over-weighted by
II. Such an opportunity can only occur once
or twice IN any private members life, and
there are many chances against his being
able to make the very utmost of it. He may
be too long; he may be half submerged in his
own notes; he may lose the attention Of his
audiease. These fatalities dogged Labou-
chere's steps this afternoon. He had built
up his case as Robinson Crusoe built his
boat-on too great scale. His speech
ought to have been condensed and
rearranged and one-third Of 1t thrown bodily
away. AS It was, after speaking an hour
and u half Labby left his audleucs jaded and
lstless. The effervescence had already sub
u,I I.I ll,,,,,
Tanner, fresh from prison, with a fine new
beard, could scarcely get one laugh out Of
Labbys Jokes cr Smiths speech in opening
the question. 1t was SmitheAn-slow, grave,
sometimes disiointed-but plain and to the
purpose.
Labby made two or three points which
took the house, the most successful being a
hit at Chamberlain.
"Why," quoth Labby ''are there so many
noble and other fiunkies Of all kinds about
court. If they must be there why pay them
$4,000 year eachl There sits Chamberlaiu.
He would be delighted to don a uniform and
go through the ceremonies without any pay
at ALL"
Chamberlain. who, as usual, was imitat-
ing Lord Hartington's passive demeanor,
started as il a serpent had stung him. The
little articles of his assumed sleep were at
once broken down, and then the stentorian
and rapturous cheers of the entire radical
and Giadstonian party welcomed the stroke
which had been dealt at him. A man might
pretend that he did not care what Labou-
chere said but 1t would be almost imposslb BILE
to feign Indifference 10 that wild outburst of
cheers from those who three years ago wore
ones intimate political associates and
friends.
Chamberlain's face flushed, and the com
pact group OF radicals who had planted
themselves Just behind Labonchere--Storey,
Picton, Lord Compton, Wilfred Lawson and
ingworth-rubbed their hands with delight
over the discontinue of their foe
All the same, Labouchero was too long
Dreadful to relate, Mr.. Storey, who seconded
his amendment, tried his very best to beat
the record, and not entirely without success.
Labby had excited laugh without meaning
1t. AS he sat down he had proclaimed the
unity Of the liberal party, though too obvi-
ously he had his tongue in his chee k. AS he
uttered the words the house roared and
spoiled Labby's peroration. Laboy had
brought the question down to a tolerably low
level.
Mr.. Storey kicded 1t little lower He &C.
tually talked Of the queens blacking brushes
and busting cloths. The house of commons
can stand great deal, but IL could not stand
that.
1t murmured and began TO empty, and at
ten minutes TO MIR. Storey tardily came to
the con iusion that the part Of the wise man
was to sit down. Unfortunately he did not
see it soon enough.
Then rose Mr. Gladstone-brisk, ener-
getic, smiling, clad in evening dress, ready to
so out 10 dinner, a red rose In his button
hole. He had not said couple OF dozen
words before everyone was struck with his
immense elevation above the preceding
speakers. Ali his sentences were well timed
aud pronounced with dignity of manner. the
style and matter being all-perfect of their
kind. 1t was a strange aud interesting spe G.
tacle. Gladstone, the bette noir of the con.
servatives, standing on the radical
side Of the house delivering an
out-and-out true blue. thoroughly
loyal conservative speech, amid conservative
cheers, but with scarcely response from his
own political supporters The serried ranks
of the radicals were plugged in gloomy
silence or exchanged dissatisfied whispers
with one another. The conservatives ap-
plauded their most formidable enemy till the
house runS with theirche Harcourt and
Morley evidently thoroughly disagreed with
much that their chief had laid down. He in
sisted that the pledge given on behalf OF the
queen that no further grants should be ap-
piled for during her reign was absolutely
final, as final as II IL were written upon
parchment aud stamped with the royal
seal Morley shook his head. Harcourt
glanced at his leader, but the old man went
on in his own way, rising to still higher and
higher grounds until the house found itself
listening, almost breathless. 10 u most noble
and pathetic conclusion. He had done his
duty 10 the people, the aged statesman de-
clared, hut he would never be ashamed of
the fifty years service he had given to the
nlustrious occupant Of the throne.
He SPOKE leaning half across the table.
His voice trembled little, and he seemed
for once almost afraid TO trust himself.
Think Of his politics as one may. IL must be
admitted that no living man but this one can
soar to far distant heights which are beyond
the reach Of common mortal aud which no
breath OF vulgarity ever disturbs.
Then came nllngworth and dinner and
everybody rushed of the scene 1t isa pity
that tie vision OF Gladstone boldly ayowing
his attachment 10 his monarch, as
well as his love Of people. should he dis.
placed BY any other figure. The right had