Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

14 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS. --0--

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS. --0-- D-URIN C, the past week the many idle rumours current in London concerning Ministerial changes were remarkable. The press insinuated this or that, and the public believed the insinuations to be facts. Which paper would be most likely to have a peep behind the scenes was canvassed. The Morning Post, with its Palmerstonian views, the Times, with Mr. Lowe as its authority, the Morning Star, with Mr. Bright in direct communi- cation, or the Herald, with its Tory views; but the fact was, that in each instance leading articles pointed to that policy which was most in accordance with each paper's views. A dis- solution was certain, said the Star; the Times saw no need of an appeal to the country, the Ministers had only to shelve" the Re- form Bill for another session, and then every- thing would go on comfortably; whilst the Standard and Herald hinted at Lord Derby being sent for, and absolutely suggested the Cabinet he would form. The weekly papers, such as the Observer and Sunday Gazette, tired of resignation and dissolution, fixed upon coalition. Meanwhile, Reform meetings were held in all parts of the metropolis and in the provinces, in favour of the bill before the House, and resolutions were passed to the effect that petitions should be presented to her Majesty to retain the present Ministers in power. Speeches characteristic of the men were given by Mr. Mill and Mr. Hughes in Westminster and Lambeth, and torchlight meetings were held, at which working men spouted to their hearts' content. I attended one on Saturday on Clerk en well-green, and of course the very novelty of the thing brought a number of persons together; J but, consequent on the noise and racket of a London thoroughfare, none but those who got places immediately around the speaker could hear j What was going on, although one man was so hearty in his delivery, and so energetic in his action, that he pulled off his coat and addressed the audience in his shirt sleeves. Anything will call together a London crowd. I j remember sorae years ago a gentleman made a J wager that he would collect some hundreds of persons in any London thoroughfare, and cause a sensation without uttering a word or making himself ridiculous. He chose St. Paul's-church- I yard, and he directed his eyes fixedly on the hall at the dome of the Cathedral. First, a London boy took a glance in the same direction, but seeing nothing, said to a "chum," "I say, Bill, canst see anything ? "Oh," he replied, there's something queer a walking round that 'ere ball." Presently others could distinctly see a dark figure, and then the crowd increased, and a veritable apparition was believed in. The gentleman walked away, having won his wager, but the people remained for hours afterwards, telling strange tales about what they did not see. Well, at this torchlight meeting I heard cheers and groans mingled, and saw hands put up, but did not know to what it referred. I turned to a man bedecked with medals, who stood on my right, and asked what it meant. Don't know, exactly," he replied, "but it's something against Glad- stone; I heard his name mentioned, and they are pretty hard upon him in that quarter." Well, as my readers may suppose, the exact reverse was the ca.se; the cheers were for Gladstone, and the groans for Lowe, Elcho, and Co., the Adul- lamites. Now, do not let it be supposed that ignorance of men and politics is general in Lon- don, from the incident I have Riven. All the London boys seem to know an Adullamite; and even in the daytime if Lord Elcho, Mr. Lowe, Lord Gfrosvenor, or Mr. Doulton pass along the streets, they are liable to be greeted in some such terms as Go to the cave with you," Down with the Aiullamites," &c. Passing over this chit-chat of the past week, let me refer to Monday. This was the day on which Mr. Gladstone was supposed to make a Ministerial statement in the House of Commons. Going down Parliament-street, you saw nothing to indi- cate that any sensational proceeding was about to take place, except about ten or twelve human sandwiches with huge boards, on which were the following four lines of doggrel verse- Upon this Bill we stand or fall, Upon this Bill we risk our all; But the third course we may pursue, The Bill may lie and we may too." Arrived at Palace-yard, I found a crowd of about 2,000 persons, who cheered or hissed according to their notions. Lord Elcho came in for every epithet they could place their tongues to, so also did Mr. Lowe, whilst Mr. Bright received an extraordinary ovation, and some of the Cabinet Ministers came in for their share of applause. Strange to say, Lord Bunkellin, who drove up in a Hansom cab, and absolutely faced the crowd, was entirely unnoticed. He seemed to me rather to court an expression of feeling, but the fact was they did not know him. Mr. Gladstone came quietly through the Lords' private entrance, and therefore got into the House without being noticed. Mr. Lowe coolly faced the crowd, and seemed to enjoy their yells. So much for the crowd—now for the inside of the House. Long before the appointed hour for busi- ness the members' seats were all filled. At four o'clock the private business commenced, and went monotonously on until half-past; the petitions were then presented, but no one cared what they were about, and they were deposited in the huge carpet- bag which hatigs at the table for that purpose. A few minutes before five o'clock Mr. Disraeli walked up the floor of the House and took his usual seat on the Opposition bench. The House was quiie silent, so also was it when Mr. Gladstone took his seat on the Treasury bench immediately opposite. At fi^e o'clock the Speaker called. "Notices of Motion," when Mr. Fawcett rose to give notice that the next day he would call the attention of the President of the Poor-law Board to the management of hospitals ia metropolitan work- houses. At another time this would have elicited a cheer, but so intent were the House upon what was to follow that all was quiet. A few minutes past five Mr. Gladstone rose; not a cheer greeted him, so intent were members in Jistening to what he had to say. But his speech was short, and to this effect; That the aoble lord at the head of the Government and himself had tendered their resignation to her Majesty) conse- quent upon the vote passed upon that day week, and other anterior proceedings, but that the Cjue had intimated that she couldnot accepttheir resigna- tion without due consideration, and that her Ma J esty was on her way to London, and an appoiatinen had been made for the noble lord at the lae&d of the Government and himself to have a personal interview with the sovereign the next day at one o'clock: he, therefore, proposed the House should adjourn until the next evening at six o'clock, when Parliament would be told her Majesti decision. No public busi- ness," he said, "could be well transacted until then >" but he urged upon members to allow the Packet Service Estimates to pass through com- mittee, as the amount was due on the fol- lowing day, and it would not be well for the credit of the Government to be behind hand in their payments. Mr. Childers, however, discovered th&t there was no precedent for passing estimates without due notice, and he therefore postponed it until the following day. The House was then adjourned, but members lingered to talk and dis- cuss in an unusual manner; the Adullawite51 were remarkable for seeking each other out and forming themselves upon one bench; there was Mr. Lowe, Lord Elcho, Mr. Horsmaxt, Earl Grosvenor, and all, in exaition. Jtwas ¡ asserted that this meant mischief; but the discus- sion which was going on amongst them was the peculiarity of the remarks made by Mr. Gladstone that the noble lord at the head of the Government and himself were the only persons mentioned. It was taken to mean that the colleagues of the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer were not entirely of his way of thinking. The crowd I have spoken of as outside remained, | and when Mr. Bright made hia egress at the door, J he was more lustily cheered than ever; the people J positively mobbed him, and it required a guard j of policemen to get Lord, Elcho and Mr. Lowe safely away. I On Tuesday the scene outside the House as well as inside was more exciting than on Monday. A rumour reached us that the Ministers would resign, but so many rumours bad been current that we would not believe it until we heard it from the mouths of Ministers themselves. The persons I outside the hall of St. Stephen's looked out for the Adullamites, and hooted them lustily as they entered the House, whereas the leaders of the Liberal party were cheered heartily. Inside the House of Commons members crowded everywhere, the seats were filled long before prayers, and there was an evident gaiety on the part of the Opposition such as I have not witnessed for some time. When Lord Dunkellin made his appearance he was loudly cheered by them, as much, as to say, Thank you for what you have done." The Ministerial side, on the other hand, cheered Mr. Gladstone heartily, aad. when he rose it was some minutes before he could speak in consequence øf the applause. The right hon. gentleman looked, I thought, haggard and careworn, but announced with becoming courage the policy of the Government that, having declared they would stand or fall by the Reform Bill, they were bound to take the latter course and resign, and the Queen had that day accepted the resignation of the Government. A similar state- ment was made in the House of Lords by Earl Russell. Thus the Ministers who came into power this session by what was thought a triumphant majority of 70, have been outvoted and displaced.

SHOCKING MURDER IN ROSEMARY-j…

CRYSTAL PALACE ROSE SHOW.

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.-------_----OUR " C8TY" ARTICLE,,…

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CUJIKETJT PBICES.—KHGIJSE.

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Fruit and Vegetables.

London Produce Market.

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