The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-20
>"FTTeeN YEARS OF
PARLIAMENTARY LlPe,"

the speaker declined to recognize nun, uiiI
while the Irish members were still wonder
ing as to the nature Of the steps which
he was about 10 take. he read his now
famous declaration that he would close the
debate, and so for the the first time In the
history OF the English parliament freedom
OF discussion was destroyed.
Mr.. Parnell was absent, snatching few
hours sleep at the Westminster Palace hO-
tejA close by the house. Mr.. Justin Nc
Carthy rose to protest, but the speaker re-
fused to recognize him. AT that moment
every one OF his colleagues jumped to his
feet and with pale faces and clenched
fists, raised the cry OF privilege. The cry
WINS met with n howl. Ia which the Jury or
an English mob which thinks It's rights
ore being trampcled upon, was made mani
fest Seeing that the speaker was deter
| mined to refuse them the scantiest justice.
the Irish members departed from the house
| in body. declining to take part IN di';-
sion taken OH question OF vital inpor-
| taEce to their country, without their being
! given the opportunity of discussing II with
anything like sufficient detail. And 50,
| after Il hours the English parliament sue
cceded in suspending tho habeas corpus III
| Ireland. no Irish member taking part In the
| vote by which tho act was passed,
| Following this remarkable scenn came
another still more remarkable. When the
| house met again, Michael Davitt had been
arrested and returned to Portland prison.
| lie had already spent ncven years in penal
| scrvitude under a sentence of fifteen years,
passed when he was about q years OF age,
| for the crime OF FenaDism. His arrest was
| a piece OF the policy now determined upon
by the liberal party for the purpose OF at
| tempting to terrorise the Irish people, since
| they had combined 10 secure by practical
and constitutional means the right to i've
on their own soil, The reply OF Sir Will
| liam Harcourt. the then home secretary, IN
answer to a question put by Mr.. Parnell
| with reference to the subject was so curt
aud so brutal that the passions of the
Irish members were again aroused,
Mr. Gladstone rose from his seat TO pro-
pose the rules of urgency. which formed
norton of the government programme. At
the same moment MIR. Dillon rose to
point OF order The speaker refused to
allow him TO state it, and. since MIR. oil
lon declined to retire. he was namcd and
his suspension was moved by MIR. Glad
stone, and needless TO say the motion vas
carried. MIR. Dillon refused 10 cult the
chamber, and the sergeant at arms removed
him by force.
Mir. Gladstone again arose. but Mr.. Par
nell rose AT the same moment. lie moved,
IN tones of suppressed anger. that Mr.
Gladstone be no longer beard. The speaker
doclincd to put the motion and threatened
Mir FaruelI with suspension Mr. parneli
took no heed OF the threat. lie again arose
aud was about to ask by what authority
the speaker had acted in naming MIR, Dillon.
when he himself was named by the chair
and suspended like his colleague. A divi-
sion was taken on the motion for his eus-
pension nnd the Irish members. seeing
that they we're being overrldden at every
point by brute force retained their seats
while II went on. II is II violation of the
rules of the house to refuse to take part in
a division while within the precincts of
the house, Tho result OF the whole pro-
cocding was that every Irish member was
suspended. among them Mr. Redmond. The
rules of urgency proposed for the purpose
OF depriving the Irish members of the
right to debate Irish questons were then
pabsed.
There Ia one other scene which must have
! left n lasting impression upon every one by
whom II WAS Witnessed. 1t occurred I'M
meilately after the release OF MIR. parnell
i from Htlmainlam prison. Sir Forster and
mis- petty tyrans had held undspu.ed sway
> IN Ireland tor over a year. Mr.. Parncll had
been six months in Jail. While there he
had issued his no rent manifclto. Soon
thereafter came complete surrender on the
part of the government, In the acceptance
s by tho government OF what In now known
as the kilmaluham treaty. Under the terms
al ms treaty coercion was to be nban-
donod, Mr.. Forster was to be EAST aside, a
. new land act was to ne passed.
J BY one OF these peculiar accidents which
lend 10 things most ordinary dramatic
3 feature, MIR. Parnell entered the house for
, tho first time after his release on the very
= night on which Mr. Forster was explaining
y mo reason for mis- resignation Mr.. Fors.
u ter was IA heavy. broad sho,l dercd burIy
Enelishman. Parnell was slim, man OF
delicate and refined features No greater
b contrast could be offered than that pre-
9 scented by these two mon. Mr. Forster had
q had mis- day Of triumph. Now his hour OF
: defeat had arrived, and the special object
u OF his attacks and of the brutal use of III,
q powers vested in him was now tho con
quersr. acknowledged to be such by friend
s and foe alike.
Just as Pnrnel walked up the floor Of the
:, house Mr. Forstcrs speech was Interrupted
u by the ringing cheer which the Irish mem,
;, bers raised ns they caught sight of thei,
I. chief. Mr.. Foster then went on, usiaf
;. these words:
u "a surrender is bad. but = compro,nis,
" or arrangement Is worse. / think we re.
~ member what Tudor king said to a gren
IA freshman in former times. n all IRELAND
u can not govern the Earl OF Kildare then le
i, the Earl of Kildare govern all Ireland IL
- Ike manner II all England can not govern
! tho honorable member for Cork then lie
20 us acknowledge that he is the creates
n power In ireland today
=, These are but a couple OF the scenes q
,s these early days, full of passion, full O
~ picturosquen.ss. Blu they are the mos
h striking which the English parliament ha
~ presented In modern days.
-, In pondering over the record of tbos
n fifteen years of English parliamentary life
=, there is pathos In the recollection OF Nh
Is death retirement OF many of those who's
names viii over occupy a most prominen
= place in its history. ParnelI, the Ieade
Al without peer, the matchless tactican, tn
4 man who made the unmade ministries
ne who, trusting in the Righteousness of hi
re cause defed the might of England, lie
ne buried in Glassnevin. Old Joe Biggar, tn
faithful friend the uncompromsng Zoe
A died lew years tefore his more youthful
10 colleague. Tiark Hum ;''T'onnell the poll
tam haa A.
of life. Sir Richard Cross and Sir Staifor
Northcote, as well Lord Carnarvon ar
st to be added to the list OF the dead, Brigh
a has also gone: so have William Henri
l. Smith aud l.crc B'aconsfeld. The friend
OF the late Lord Esr! lph Churchill hav
IN witnessed in his demise the sad and I'm
or timely close of brilliant career. Glad
of stone has retired from active leaderahil