THE CRIMES BILL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1594, 27 June 1887, Page 3

THE CRIMES BILL.

A SCENE IN THE HOUSE OF

COMMONS

I never witnessed, says a London fe'egraphic correspondent of the New York "root" (despatching March 20th), a more disorderly scone m tie EJouee than last night. It would not be ea*y to imagine ono. Irish members were ont In fall foros. Seated with tham were the advanced Eogllah Radicals, who began by sharing their views and ended by Imitating (heir behaviour, Balfour'e remarks, previous to in'rodnciug the Government's Irish Coercion Bill, wera feeble almost boyoud description. ¥'v aly. after quoting unimpotnnt atd unver fi d figures for ten minu'ca, he closed his manuscript, and eald, with an air of triumph, "so muh forßtatistioa." There wsfl an iosttntnneoua roar of laughter, ! which prolonged again the ridioulo poured op n hi j by the Liberals and FarnelHtee alike. The diehearlened behind him raieed a few thiu cheera. It was cot, however, until he reiohrd the coerolvo clauses them elveß that disorder grew overwhelm'.ug. He began by this boldata'e ncnt :— " We propose to abolish trial by ju-y altogether,'' which canspd another rot.r of laughter from the ParneHHtes, who, having oncettirted, htrJly I stopped again. As Balfour proce d?d to detail the G vernraenl'a proposals, he was assailed by a ho-t of coutemptneus queßtions *h wered a* him, and it was suggested to ' Go ahead,' ' Keep it up.' 1 Toc't stop.' When ho hesitated for a moment there waa a porfect ro-.r of catoalla. At fi-st everyone was astounded. The Speaker did not interfere, but the explanation of his condnct weu doubtless 'hat it wan vriatet under the circum^la^C «, a3 he saw m a moment that the Irish mem l.ers were co excited and filed with pau|on as to be absolutely bey 3cd control. He waa not willing to provoke a direct confliot betwcea himßelf and them, which could only have resulted m the euepeuaion of the front Opposition bench. Glf dstone and Morlry ant aide' by side Gladstones faoe fl jahed deep red— a moat nnoßual thing with hlm~ln his exciteroent, as (he btringenoy of the measure became gradually appareut. filorloy phowed Bimllar signs of deep fotling. Both of them, Beveral timos, broke ont into unoonacioua iadignant. gestures During the lattar part of the spaech all order and authority completely vanished. It wa9 impossible to look on without f«elins deeply the ohaoß to which the great assembly bad been reduced. After Balfocr'a remarks there was one more aensatlon when Dillon spoke. laboring undor great excitement, he cried with a hoar.se Voice, " If the people of England should be capable of passing such a law, I tlnuld give up all hope of over seeing the two peophs shake hands and be friends. If 1 thought tbeycouiaßCOeptauohamsaßarol would abaudon publ'c agitation, for I would oc-nsider men Blavea who would submit m such a matter. I should do either ol two (hinge, I would leave for ever tha oountry wherein no Irishman could Hire, except like a slave, or I would be prnud to load tham on to .battle." Still more extraordinary waa the fact that ■ Gladstone turned completely round m hia seat to Bea Dillon. He applauded m a mancer that can only be described aa positively wild, cheering the speaW la the moat Gnthu«ia»iic manner, I have never before Been h'm ao jiyed by the utterance of any Parliamentary speaker, but it is only fair to add that he probably did not catch the oouclud'ng words of the sentence he applauded oa r.ooouut of the tumult.