The record-union., 1894-03-15
BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
The Amended Address In Reply to the
Queen Rejected.


Queen Rejected.
LONDON, March 14.-When the House
of Commons met to-day Chancellor Har-
court announced that the Government
had decided to move the rejection of the
amended address in reply to the Queens
speech looking to the abolition of the
House of Lords, when it is put from the
Chair, and substitute another short ad-
dress in reply. It was a proceeding for
which the Government held themselves
entirely responsible. They could not
present to the sovereign document for
which they were not prepared to accept
the entire responsibility. The avowed
object of the amendment was definite
form of resistance to the Lords. The
Government fully accepted Gladstone's s
declaration on the subject. Loud cheers. |
He had stated yesterday that the Govern
ment proposed to oppose Balfour's doc
trine that the Commons are to be subject
to the control of the Lords. Renewed
cheering.
Balfour and Chamberlain, the Conserv-
ative and Unionst leaders, assured the
Government of their support, but Cham
berlain added that yesterdays proceed
ings showed it was time the Government
asked their constituencies for new man
date.
Labouchere, the Radical leader, said
the amendment passed yesterday was not
intended as vote of want of confidence
in the Government, but to quicken their
action in the execution of what the mi
nority of its supporters in the country
demanded. The Radicals are satisfied
that Yesterdays majority is the best they
are likely to get, therefore they would
not oppose the substitute for 1t in the adj
dress. Labouchere continued by saying
that whatever the Government did the
amendment passed yesterday would still
remain the decision of the Commons.
1--WE are representatives of the people"
he said. land the Government are our
representatives. | do not recognize that
the Government are my masters. l al
ways regarded them as servants OF the
majority of the House, and the majority
demanded prompt, speedy, drastic ac-
tlon.'
Finally the House rejected the address
as amended yesterday. and adopted the
address substituted by Harcourt.
The amendment of j. j. Clancy to CEN
sure the administration of the govern
ment of Ireland as giving encouragement
to evictions, assisting in jury packing,
and suppressing public meeting, was re-
jected-351 to II. Adjourned.
The substitute address offered by Sir
w llildlll IldICOulb III ICpiy w buo NSuccA .
speech, was:
Most Gracious Souereign: We, your
majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects
of the House of Commons of Great Brit
tain and Ireland, in Parliament assem-
bled, humbly assure your majesty that
the measures recommended for our con-
sideration shall receive the most careful
attention, and we beg leave to thank your
majesty for your most gracious speech
which your majesty addressed to both
Houses of Parliament
The close of the proceedings at the
adoption of Harcourts substitute was
farcical, the members treating the matter
as huge joke.
Saunderson conservative of North
Armagh) asked if it was not the imme-
mortal practice of members moving an
address TO wear uniform. He moved
for an adjournment of twenty minutes to
allow Sir William Harcourt to change his
clothes. Harcourt continued, interrupted
by ironical cheers, and said that the op-
position was only taking an opportunity
to treat the speech from the throne with
levity.