Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-03-02

dressed the House, speaking IN Iull,
resonant voice, which was marred by
slight huskiness, but 10 spite Of this
slight huskiness Mr.. Gladstone spoke
throughout with marvellous energy and
vigor. During the course of his speech
the premier said that the government
felt that this operation Of sending and
resembling a bill from one House to an.
other had continued long enough.
ICheering and much laughter.
When Mr.. Gladstone was again able
TO resume speaking, he said: ITO con-
tinue the process would be loss OF
dignity TO both Houses, and the gov
ernmsnt has decided TO stop the opera
tion and take a decided course" Mr.
Gladstone then reviewed the action Of
the House Of Lords, aud said: 1--WE
! have now reached an acute stage. IL
appears tbas the House of Lord desires
to annihilate the whole work Of the
House of Commons. This state Of
things 1 am compelled 10 say cannot
continue. Loud Ind prolonged cheers.
The issue raised between the assembly
elected by the voices OF the people, and
the assembly occupied by many men OF
virtue and talents, are OF considerable
variety. Laughter. When once raised
they must 60 on 10 the issue. Cheers.
No doubt there is a higher authority
than the House OF Commons, namely,
the authority OF the nation, Loud
cheers which must In the last resort
decide. Renewed cheers and loud op-
position cries of AT once ~
The fact is that these amendments
and the treatment OF other bills OF
great Importance which this House sent
the House OF Lords after uneXampled
labor, raises a question OF the gravest
character. The employers liability and
the Irish government bills occupied the
House for hundred days in
hard labor, and we meet here
at the end Of a session, which has
almost doubled any session on record IN
the amount and intensity OF It's labors,
for the purpose Of what we think bene-
fetal legislation. A small work was
published I'm 1850 called Fifty Years in
the House Of Lords This book left IN
the mind of every Liberal reader a pain
ful but firm conviction that the Lords
exercise of its legislative functions 10
those fifty years was, upon the whole,
unsatisfactory.
Now we come TO more acute stage.
The question is whether the judgment
OF the House of Lords is not merely 10
modify, but TO annihlate the whole
work OF the session, cheers work
which has been performed at an amount
Of sacrifice OF time, labor, convenience
and health which is totally unknown 10
the Lords. We have not been anxious
70 precipitate or unduly 70 ac-
centuate any crisis. We have been de-
slrous to save something OF the ses-
sions work. However, we are com
PEELED to accompany the acceptance Of
the amendment with the sorrowful
are not merely temporary and
casual opinion, but differences OF
conviction and prepossession. The
mental habit and fundamental ten
dency between the Lords and the Com
mons appear 10 have reached develop
ment In the present year such as TO
create a state OF things which, IN our
Judgment, cannot continue" Loud
aud prolonged Liberal cheers.
After comparing the two assemblies,
Mr.. Gladstone continued:
81 do not like 10 say that the situation
Is intolerable, because IL may seem
hard and dictatorial word. but think,
some way or other, a solution must
be found for this tremendous
contrariety aud lncessant conflict
on matters OF high principle and pro-
found importance. IL is not for the
commons 70 pronounce Judgment on
tbs subject, as the commons Is party
to this case. The Ministry, however,
would have no difficulty In pronounclng
frankly, fully and finally on the side OF
the commons"
Al the conclusion OF Mr.. Glsdstone's
remarks he asked the House 70 accept
the House Of Lords amendments 70 the
bill.
BALFOUR REPLIES.
The Rt. Hon. A. J. Balfour, leader Of
the Conservatives, replied 70 Mr.. Glad
stone, and said, among other things,
that the premier's speech was a declara-
ton OF war against the anclentConsti-
tuition OF the realm.
Mr.. Balfour said that those who be-
lieved in the ancient Constitution
looked forward without dismay 70 the
fight which the Government announced.
, They would not be perturbed By OBJ
scure threats, as they firmly believed
that the nation was convinced that the
Lords, far from abusing their trust,
vindlcated their claim 70 the confdence
OF the country. The opposition, ac-
cording to the speaker, wished 70 see
nothing better than the Government
attempting 70 stir up the country upon
an issue which would really be the
home rule question.
Lord Randolph Churchill said that the
declaration OF war was made upon the
spur OF the moment, and was founded
mon a slender basis. The Lords Wefe
unanimous 10 regard 20 the Par
Councils bill amendments. Mr. GiA
sto.e's denunciatlon Of the whole
House and the proclamation Of
long and protractsd agitation
throughout the country for the aboli-
ton Of the Lords was absurd. There
Vas no Justification FOR holding up the
Lords to the execration Of the people