Punch (56.1869)

February IT, 1869.J PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

MAKING UP FOR IT.

Lady. “ But if you Hunt Five Days a Week, you can’t have Time foe anything else !

Foxhunter. “0 yes, I do Lots of Things; and then I am Chokchwakden on Sunday, don t you know?

PUNCH’S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

February 16. Tuesday. The Queen’s Speech was read by Lord
Chancellor Hatherley, his first appearance as a reader of Queen’s
Speeches. Mr. Gladstone had not given him a great deal to do.

1. Her Majesty recurred to the advice of Parliament as early as

Ministerial arrangements had permitted.

2. Did so with special interest, at a time when the Popular branch

had been chosen with the advantage of a greatly enlarged enfran-
chisement of her faithful and loyal people.

3. All right with Foreign Powers. Believed that they desired to

keep the peace.

4. llejoiced that there was nothing serious in the Levant.

5. Hoped to place friendship with America on a firm basis.

6. Grieved at disturbances in New Zealand. Was confident that the

Colonists would take care of themselves.

7. The Estimates would show a Diminished Charge upon the

Country.

8. We need not continue to suspend Irish Habeas Corpus.

9. Can we have further guarantee for purity and liberty at Parlia-

mentary and Municipal elections F

10. Poorest class of Rate-payers to be relieved.

11. Scotch Education to be improved.

12. Also English Endowed Schools.

13. Invent Financial Boards to control the County rate.

14. Reform in Bankruptcy. Abolition of imprisonment for Debt.

15. The Ecclesiastical Arrangements op Ireland are to be

considered at an earlv date.

(a) Regard to be shown to every legitimate interest.

(b) Welfare of Religion to be promoted through equal justice.

(c) Undivided feeling of Ireland to be secured on the side of

loyalty and law.

Cd) Memory of former contentions to be effaced.

(e) Sympathies of an affectionate people to be cherished.

That was what Lord Hatherley had to say, and the intelligent
reader, even without the help of the small capitals, might perceive
that there were only two points of much interest. He may just note
that No. 3 means that, it is politic to seem to think that France and
Prussia do not want to quarrel, though the former is nagging viciously
at the latter, through Belgium. No. 5 meant that nothing was settled
with America, except the yacht-match, and if the Speech had been
delayed forty-eight hours, the Queen would have had to mention that
America rejects the Reverdy-Johnson Convention. No. 6 means
that the New Zealand colonists, who grumbled at our soldiers, are not
going to have them again, but must fight the Maori on their own hook.
No. 9 is interpreted by sundry to mean that the Government are inclined
to the Ballot. No. 14 we seem to have heard once or twice before.

There was another thing which might as well have been mentioned
in the Speech, except that it is gracious for a Queen to say as little
about disagreeable matters as may be. The Home Secretary, the
next evening, gave notice of a measure for the Repression of Crime.

Nos. 7 and 15, meaning Reduced Expenses and Irish Church Dis-
establishment, will be the great texts for Parliamentary preaching upon.

As for the Debates on the Address, they really do not deserve so
hard a name. Honey on velvet, flowers, compliments, everything that
is delightful. Lord Cairns, the learned lawyer and brilliant debater, who
has succeeded dear Malmesbury as leader of the Opposition, has
nothing to find fault with, and was blandness itself. Lord Granville
is always polite, and to-night expressed modest concern that he had to
succeed, as leader, one who had made himself a great namein history,
Earl Russell. We believe that Lord Cairns was going in the
excess of his good humour to say “ So have I,” but was pulled down
by his moral coat-tails. All was over by seven.

In the Commons announcement was made by Mr. Gladstone that
on Monday, the 1st of March, he should reveal his Irish Church
scheme.

Lord Eustace Cecil (brother of Lord Salisbury) means to deal
with the tradesfolk, Pancras vestrymen or others, who use fraudulent
weights and measures, and Mr. Punch hereby pledges himself to stand
by Lord Eustace in this crusade.