The Portland daily press., 1896-02-18
Balfour Begs Members to Stop the
Debate.
VERNON HARCOURT FINALLY
COMES TO HIS RESCUE.

But In Doing, So Lashes tho Government
nmercifu1ly-Declares the United
States Has Been Patiently and Kindly
Urging a Settlement of the Boundary
Question for Ten Years-The Radicals
Declare the Masses of the People Do
Not Approve of Salisbury's Course
Do Not Want War With the United
States and Want the People of This
Country to Know It-Harcourt Stands
Up for Cleveland-An Exciting Day In
the Commons.
London, February 1.-THE Commons
today took up the debate on the amend
ment to the address in reply to the
Queens speech, moved Friday by Timo-
thy Harrington, Parnellite ia ayoring the
release of the Irish political prisoners.
John E. Redmond, Parnellite, made
an impassioned speech in which he said
the feeling throughout Ireland, was in
favor OF amnesty for the Irish political
prisoners. The use of dynamite, he
said, originated with
IRISH AMERICANS
and is regarded by Irishmen gene rally,
as being mad and reckless. All Irish
men now conourred in the, belief, that the
tine had arrived for the exercise Of
|clemenoy toward the Irish political pris-
oners. The Irish are ..blamed for lack OF
sympathy with England, in her foreign
complications. They would be hypocrites
if they We're to pretend they were in SYM
pathy with England. We're these hatreds
he asked, to exist forever? He hoped
rather, to see the day when England and
Ireland would face the world hand in
hand. He appealed to the government
to hasten the day of the release of the
victims of the old and dead moment of
passion and madness (Irish cheers).
MR.. BALFOUR SAID
the government must follow its regular
practice. The quinquiennial revision of
sentences would occur in a year or two.
when the revision would be applied to
the Irish prisoners with absolute impair
tiality.
Prof. Leckie. the historian, was loudly
cheered as he rose to make his first
speech in the House urging clemenoy for
Mr.. Balfour moved closure, which was
carried $40 to 107
Mr.. Harrington's amendm ont was re-.
jected, 279 to III.
Atherley Jones, Radical, moved an
amendment to the address in reply to the
Queens speech. deploring the absence
from the speech from the throne. of any
assurance that the whole boundary dis
pute with Venezuela, be referred to ar
bitration, in accordance with the sugges-
tion of the United States. In speaking
to his motion, Mr.. Atherley Jones de-
olared, that Great Britain had seven
times changed the boundary between
British Guiana and Venezuela, and
asked how it could be claimed that the
territory in dispute could be outside the
pale of arbitration. He reviewed the
question in all it's aspects since 1914. Be-
fore the motion could be sec onded, Mr..
BalfOur first lord of the treasury and gov
eminent leader In the House, appealed to
the House on his responsibility as minis
ter Of the Crown,
NOT TO CONTINUE
the debate. He declared he was of the
opinion continuation of the debate
would not serve the purpose, Mr. AtherIey
Jones had in view, rs 1t would not make
an honorable solution of the difficulty
easier. He hoped that the House, realiz-
ing how grave were the issues at stake,
would not further discuss, on this oooa-
sion, the policy that has been or wo uld he
pursued.
Mr.. VIM. Allan, advanced Radical,
sec onded the amendment.
The Whole matter, he declared, was
tempest in tea CUP. Gold as usual
was at the bottom of the trouble. The
whole country In dispute was a nest of
yellow fever and would not be worth
fighting for.
HENRY LABOUCHERE,
Radical leader, said after the statement
made by Mr.. Balfour, it was impossible
to continue the debate (cries of ssHear.
hear''). He hoped he might take it. the
dispute would bo speedily settled, to the
satisfaction Of both countries.
John Dillon anti ti-Parnelite, said he
trusted no appeal from the government
would induce the mover OF the amend
ment to Withdraw the mo tion. The
American people ought to have some in
dication Of the intensity of the feeling
existing in the House of Commons
against the
MERE SUGGESTION OF WAR
with the United States. The action of
the American government had been most
pntient and forbearing and it ought to
be made known to Americans that Lord