DOI Heft:
May 30, 1868
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16881#0239
232
[May 30, 1368.
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHAR TV ART.
PUNCH’S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.
Monday, May ISM. The Education Bill was scratched. No great
loss, for it was a three-legged brute, and very weak. “ All Mr. Glad-
stone’s fault that the scratching had to be done,” said the Duke of
| Marlborough, plaintively. Which, in a sense it is, no doubt, as if
he had not brought out the Irish horse, the Government screws might
have had a chance. Excuse racing slang on the Derby Day.
Next came the Regulation of Railways Bill. One good thing was
stuck into it. The nuisance of a smoky chimney, reeking before you
for hours, and filling the carriages with sulphureous odours, ought to
be abated. The Companies lay the fault on the engine-drivers, and the
[ eD gin e-drivers on the Companies. The Bill imposes a heavyish penalty
on both. Something should have been said of the cheek of a Company
that inflicts huge volumes of foul smoke on a passenger, and fines him
for lighting a ten-penny cigar.
About three years ago a fellow called O’Leary' was sent, to gaol in
Ireland, and to the usual question, “ What’s your religion ?” impu-
dently replied, “that he had none, and that he called himself ‘ Pagan ’
O’Leary.” Whereat the Governor, a military man, ordered him to
have a religion immediately. He refused, and was put on penal diet,
and this process was repeated until he declared himself a Roman
Catholic. This being precisely the plan which Roman Catholics,
where they have power, adopt for the purpose of making conversions,
they can say nothing against it, but Mr. Peter Taylor, the Leicester
grievance-monger, brought the matter before the House, which roared
a good deal during Lord Mayo’s explanation. Of course, a con-
scientious atheist is entitled to all consideration and commiseration,
but as this O’Leary merely meant to be insolent and defiant, we do
not know that any particular harm was done. When Coleridge, at
school, avowed himself a republican, his master flogged him, “ wisely,
as I think, soundly, as I know.”
We referred the Boundaries Bill to a Committee of Five, chosen by
Mr. Disraeli, who selected a majority of Liberals. Actually, none
of the Opposition attacked him for this, or accused him of hypocrisy
or trickery.
Then we prepared to go into Committee on the Scottish Reform Bill.
It was proposed to give seven additional Members to Caledonia (stern
and wild), and thereby to raise the numbers of the House of Commons.
JVIr. Baxter asked, instead, that all English boroughs with fewer than
5000 inhabitants should be disfranchised, and the Scotch Members
obtained in that way. Sir Rainald Knightley, an old Tory, preferred
that places having two Members, and fewer than 12,000 people, should
lose one seat. The Premier found that he must give way, so he sup-
ported the second proposition, but the House carried^ the first, and
Government was again defeated; numbers 217 to 196, majority 21.
The Scotchmen thus pulled a piece out of the English lietorm Act,
and obtained their demands at English expense. We suppose it is
revenge for Fiodden, but they must not carry their vengeance too iar,
or English indignation will carry an Act forbidding a Scotchman to
quoie Burns more than six times in any one speech or article.
We went into Committee, and the irrepressible Scotch, led by Mr.
Bouverie, an Englishman, wopped the Government again, by 113 to
96. The clause enacting a Rate-paying qualification was knocked out.
Mr. Disraeli then cried “halt,” as this was an important
alteration.
There was remonstrance, when out spoke Sir Charles Russell, of
the Victoria Cross, and advised i he Premier to appeal to the country
against his antagonists. The nation understood ttie situation, added
Sir Charles, and. that the business was merely a struggle for power
between two men of eloquence and ability.
Mr. Disraeli took until Thursday to consider.
It is convenient to add here, that having considered, he announced that
this Amendment had been arrived at precipitately, and that he sfiould
j give the House an opportunity for reconsideration. He should on the
following Monday move that no one should vote in Scotland who had
not been Rated, aud paid his Rates.
Another scene of abuse was added to the Cabinet Drama. A few of
the epigrams may amuse theatrical readers.
Hon. Percy Wyndhcpm (a Conservative). Government pull out what
they call their principles, as a showman draws his puppets from a big,
to be dangled awhile, and put away when they have served their turn
Some of us refuse to be dragged through the mud.
John Bright (a Quaker). The Minister ought not to menace us. A
crisis twice a weex is rather too much for my nerves. If he picks a
quarrel now, it is for love of the quarrel.
Mr. Bouverie (a Whig). The Minister is like Ancient Pistol, also
Mr. Toots. I could wish my enemy nothing more humiliating than his
position.
Mr. J. Hardy (brother of Mr. G. Hardy). If Mr. Bouverie likes to
go into the country, nobody will regret it. Why give the narrow-
minded Scotch more Members ? 1 won’t say with Charles the
Second that Presbyterianism is not a religion for a gentleman ; but it
is not conservative, and bands with Papists.
Sir R. Knightley (the old Tory). I only want the two other Reform
Bills passed ; then turn the Miaistry out next day, if you like.
Sir George Bowyer (Catholic). The language used is the true humi-
liation. If Ministers desire to keep office, their opponents are hungry
for place. He had heard no Ministerial menace, which would, indeed,
be a crime.
Col. Loyd Lindsay (Conservative Son-in-Laio of Lord Over stone). Mean
and paltry motives ought not to be attributed to the Ministerialists ■
and, as for Mr. Wyndham, let him remember Addison on Sir Roger
de Coverlet's hounds. An old one is listened to, but a raw dog may
yeip his heart out.
[Of course, they met at Chalk Farm in the morning, when Mr. W ynd ham's ball
took effect in Primrose Hill, and Mr. Lindsay’s somewhere in the Adelaide Hoad,
after which they shook hands J
Mr. G. Hardy (Home Secretary). I say nothing in t.he way of retalia-
tion for offensive remarks, but why dou’t the Opposition try to put an
end to an exhibition which they say is a disgrace ? Eor that proceeding
I long. I defy you. Make a distinct motion.
Mr. Bernal Osborne (‘‘a nondescript country gentleman"). Baiting a
Minister is delightful, but it may be carried too far. Let us pass the
Bills. Representative institutions are getting rather to a discount.
Mr. Moncrieff (late Liberal Advocate). It is not right to throw
Government crises into Scotch faces.
Then that matter was left until the Monday.
Tuesday. The important Friendly Societies Bill was scratched in the
Lords.
Mr. Gladstone demanded the intentions of Mr. Disraeli as to the
Suspensory Act.
Mr. Disraeli. As it is the first, step towards the disestablishment
of the Church, I intend to give it ail possible opposition.
The whole sitting was given to a debate on the Purchase System in j
the Army. It was originated by Mu. Trevelyan, who would abolish
the system and buy up the vested interests, a process which General j
Peel estimated would cost between ten and twelve millions. The
discussion was too technical to be interesting, but the subject itself j
demands attention. The middle classes complain that they are nothing .
m the Army, which is composed only of the highest and lowest.
Wednesday. The day sitting was given to Sir Colman O’Loghlen’s
Libel Bill, tue object of whiett is to make the speakers of libels respon-
sible for them instead of the newspaper which merely records them.
It is a small and reasonable relief, yet it was opposed; but when we
say that auioug the opponents was Mr. Whalley, we need scarcely
add that the measure commends itself to every sensible man. it made
progress.
Thursday. In addition to the Reform epigrams above, we made some
progress with the Bribery Bill, whicli Mr. Mill declared to be, though
incomplete, very creditable to the Government, as a bold attempt to
grapple with a great evil. A Bill for the “comprehending all vagrom
men” went through Committee, aud a Member feared that it would
punish two of the Commons who might toss for a cab, and also would I
interfere with games at marbles and buttons. Was not the elephantine
trunk illustrated ?
|
Friday. Mr. Denis Joseph Reardgn signalised himself in the
House of Commons by asking, or rather by trying to ask, whether, as ;
the Queen has gone to Scotland, Ministers did not intend, for her
own comfort, and the good of the Nation, to advise Her Majesty to
Abdicate ! From ad sides of the House descended a storm of indig-
nation, which the Speaker crystallised into an intimation that such a j
question must not be put. The case is not one for the use of hard 1
language about poor Mr. Reardon, whose own Abdicatiou is desirable, j
Captain Archdall put into a Question Mr. Punch's suggestion last {
week, that Negroinanta might inauce a prosecution of Sir R,obert
Napier, for the same reason that it has induced a prosecution of Mr.
Lyre. Two military gentlemen also adverted to the subject; but ou
the whole, we think their advocacy of Mr. Lyre had better be con-
fined to an imitation, according to their means, of Lord Overstone,
the typical dispassionate man, who has come forward with a subscrip-
tion of £200 to the Lyre Defence Fund, and a dignified intimation that
the pecuniary ruin of that brave aud good officer “ can never be
permitted.”
Now, does anybody, this Derby week, want to know more about the
Irish Church campaign than that Mr. Gladstone to-night carried the
Second Reading of the Suspensory Bill by 312 to 258, majority against
Government, 54, alter a long debate, in which Mr. Hardy was
“ mighty valiant in speech,” and Mr. Disraeli ingenious aud ortho-
dox. If anybody does, he may go to the Exchange, in Catherine j
Street, and make the best bargain tie can with a news-boy for a copy j
of a Saturday morning’s paper. Now, then, is that champagne packed, ,
and where is tfie Wenhain Lake ice put ?
The Latest Spiritualist Style ce Cloak—A Wrap-rascal.
[May 30, 1368.
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHAR TV ART.
PUNCH’S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.
Monday, May ISM. The Education Bill was scratched. No great
loss, for it was a three-legged brute, and very weak. “ All Mr. Glad-
stone’s fault that the scratching had to be done,” said the Duke of
| Marlborough, plaintively. Which, in a sense it is, no doubt, as if
he had not brought out the Irish horse, the Government screws might
have had a chance. Excuse racing slang on the Derby Day.
Next came the Regulation of Railways Bill. One good thing was
stuck into it. The nuisance of a smoky chimney, reeking before you
for hours, and filling the carriages with sulphureous odours, ought to
be abated. The Companies lay the fault on the engine-drivers, and the
[ eD gin e-drivers on the Companies. The Bill imposes a heavyish penalty
on both. Something should have been said of the cheek of a Company
that inflicts huge volumes of foul smoke on a passenger, and fines him
for lighting a ten-penny cigar.
About three years ago a fellow called O’Leary' was sent, to gaol in
Ireland, and to the usual question, “ What’s your religion ?” impu-
dently replied, “that he had none, and that he called himself ‘ Pagan ’
O’Leary.” Whereat the Governor, a military man, ordered him to
have a religion immediately. He refused, and was put on penal diet,
and this process was repeated until he declared himself a Roman
Catholic. This being precisely the plan which Roman Catholics,
where they have power, adopt for the purpose of making conversions,
they can say nothing against it, but Mr. Peter Taylor, the Leicester
grievance-monger, brought the matter before the House, which roared
a good deal during Lord Mayo’s explanation. Of course, a con-
scientious atheist is entitled to all consideration and commiseration,
but as this O’Leary merely meant to be insolent and defiant, we do
not know that any particular harm was done. When Coleridge, at
school, avowed himself a republican, his master flogged him, “ wisely,
as I think, soundly, as I know.”
We referred the Boundaries Bill to a Committee of Five, chosen by
Mr. Disraeli, who selected a majority of Liberals. Actually, none
of the Opposition attacked him for this, or accused him of hypocrisy
or trickery.
Then we prepared to go into Committee on the Scottish Reform Bill.
It was proposed to give seven additional Members to Caledonia (stern
and wild), and thereby to raise the numbers of the House of Commons.
JVIr. Baxter asked, instead, that all English boroughs with fewer than
5000 inhabitants should be disfranchised, and the Scotch Members
obtained in that way. Sir Rainald Knightley, an old Tory, preferred
that places having two Members, and fewer than 12,000 people, should
lose one seat. The Premier found that he must give way, so he sup-
ported the second proposition, but the House carried^ the first, and
Government was again defeated; numbers 217 to 196, majority 21.
The Scotchmen thus pulled a piece out of the English lietorm Act,
and obtained their demands at English expense. We suppose it is
revenge for Fiodden, but they must not carry their vengeance too iar,
or English indignation will carry an Act forbidding a Scotchman to
quoie Burns more than six times in any one speech or article.
We went into Committee, and the irrepressible Scotch, led by Mr.
Bouverie, an Englishman, wopped the Government again, by 113 to
96. The clause enacting a Rate-paying qualification was knocked out.
Mr. Disraeli then cried “halt,” as this was an important
alteration.
There was remonstrance, when out spoke Sir Charles Russell, of
the Victoria Cross, and advised i he Premier to appeal to the country
against his antagonists. The nation understood ttie situation, added
Sir Charles, and. that the business was merely a struggle for power
between two men of eloquence and ability.
Mr. Disraeli took until Thursday to consider.
It is convenient to add here, that having considered, he announced that
this Amendment had been arrived at precipitately, and that he sfiould
j give the House an opportunity for reconsideration. He should on the
following Monday move that no one should vote in Scotland who had
not been Rated, aud paid his Rates.
Another scene of abuse was added to the Cabinet Drama. A few of
the epigrams may amuse theatrical readers.
Hon. Percy Wyndhcpm (a Conservative). Government pull out what
they call their principles, as a showman draws his puppets from a big,
to be dangled awhile, and put away when they have served their turn
Some of us refuse to be dragged through the mud.
John Bright (a Quaker). The Minister ought not to menace us. A
crisis twice a weex is rather too much for my nerves. If he picks a
quarrel now, it is for love of the quarrel.
Mr. Bouverie (a Whig). The Minister is like Ancient Pistol, also
Mr. Toots. I could wish my enemy nothing more humiliating than his
position.
Mr. J. Hardy (brother of Mr. G. Hardy). If Mr. Bouverie likes to
go into the country, nobody will regret it. Why give the narrow-
minded Scotch more Members ? 1 won’t say with Charles the
Second that Presbyterianism is not a religion for a gentleman ; but it
is not conservative, and bands with Papists.
Sir R. Knightley (the old Tory). I only want the two other Reform
Bills passed ; then turn the Miaistry out next day, if you like.
Sir George Bowyer (Catholic). The language used is the true humi-
liation. If Ministers desire to keep office, their opponents are hungry
for place. He had heard no Ministerial menace, which would, indeed,
be a crime.
Col. Loyd Lindsay (Conservative Son-in-Laio of Lord Over stone). Mean
and paltry motives ought not to be attributed to the Ministerialists ■
and, as for Mr. Wyndham, let him remember Addison on Sir Roger
de Coverlet's hounds. An old one is listened to, but a raw dog may
yeip his heart out.
[Of course, they met at Chalk Farm in the morning, when Mr. W ynd ham's ball
took effect in Primrose Hill, and Mr. Lindsay’s somewhere in the Adelaide Hoad,
after which they shook hands J
Mr. G. Hardy (Home Secretary). I say nothing in t.he way of retalia-
tion for offensive remarks, but why dou’t the Opposition try to put an
end to an exhibition which they say is a disgrace ? Eor that proceeding
I long. I defy you. Make a distinct motion.
Mr. Bernal Osborne (‘‘a nondescript country gentleman"). Baiting a
Minister is delightful, but it may be carried too far. Let us pass the
Bills. Representative institutions are getting rather to a discount.
Mr. Moncrieff (late Liberal Advocate). It is not right to throw
Government crises into Scotch faces.
Then that matter was left until the Monday.
Tuesday. The important Friendly Societies Bill was scratched in the
Lords.
Mr. Gladstone demanded the intentions of Mr. Disraeli as to the
Suspensory Act.
Mr. Disraeli. As it is the first, step towards the disestablishment
of the Church, I intend to give it ail possible opposition.
The whole sitting was given to a debate on the Purchase System in j
the Army. It was originated by Mu. Trevelyan, who would abolish
the system and buy up the vested interests, a process which General j
Peel estimated would cost between ten and twelve millions. The
discussion was too technical to be interesting, but the subject itself j
demands attention. The middle classes complain that they are nothing .
m the Army, which is composed only of the highest and lowest.
Wednesday. The day sitting was given to Sir Colman O’Loghlen’s
Libel Bill, tue object of whiett is to make the speakers of libels respon-
sible for them instead of the newspaper which merely records them.
It is a small and reasonable relief, yet it was opposed; but when we
say that auioug the opponents was Mr. Whalley, we need scarcely
add that the measure commends itself to every sensible man. it made
progress.
Thursday. In addition to the Reform epigrams above, we made some
progress with the Bribery Bill, whicli Mr. Mill declared to be, though
incomplete, very creditable to the Government, as a bold attempt to
grapple with a great evil. A Bill for the “comprehending all vagrom
men” went through Committee, aud a Member feared that it would
punish two of the Commons who might toss for a cab, and also would I
interfere with games at marbles and buttons. Was not the elephantine
trunk illustrated ?
|
Friday. Mr. Denis Joseph Reardgn signalised himself in the
House of Commons by asking, or rather by trying to ask, whether, as ;
the Queen has gone to Scotland, Ministers did not intend, for her
own comfort, and the good of the Nation, to advise Her Majesty to
Abdicate ! From ad sides of the House descended a storm of indig-
nation, which the Speaker crystallised into an intimation that such a j
question must not be put. The case is not one for the use of hard 1
language about poor Mr. Reardon, whose own Abdicatiou is desirable, j
Captain Archdall put into a Question Mr. Punch's suggestion last {
week, that Negroinanta might inauce a prosecution of Sir R,obert
Napier, for the same reason that it has induced a prosecution of Mr.
Lyre. Two military gentlemen also adverted to the subject; but ou
the whole, we think their advocacy of Mr. Lyre had better be con-
fined to an imitation, according to their means, of Lord Overstone,
the typical dispassionate man, who has come forward with a subscrip-
tion of £200 to the Lyre Defence Fund, and a dignified intimation that
the pecuniary ruin of that brave aud good officer “ can never be
permitted.”
Now, does anybody, this Derby week, want to know more about the
Irish Church campaign than that Mr. Gladstone to-night carried the
Second Reading of the Suspensory Bill by 312 to 258, majority against
Government, 54, alter a long debate, in which Mr. Hardy was
“ mighty valiant in speech,” and Mr. Disraeli ingenious aud ortho-
dox. If anybody does, he may go to the Exchange, in Catherine j
Street, and make the best bargain tie can with a news-boy for a copy j
of a Saturday morning’s paper. Now, then, is that champagne packed, ,
and where is tfie Wenhain Lake ice put ?
The Latest Spiritualist Style ce Cloak—A Wrap-rascal.