Punch (63.1872)

August 3, 1872.1 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 43

PUNCH'S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

ois day, July 22.—Lord Graxard—you must
look back to last week if you don't remember
all about him; it is too hot to go into details
— saved everybody all trouble by resigning
bis Lord Lieutenancy. It may be remarked
that some previous attempt to obtain an
opinion on this .subject from, the Viceroy of Irelastd was met by offend) we know not. me. richaed is the ^ oi a Reverend, a

America, and other civilised Powers, for aid to put down the hideous
system. Lord Granville said that the horrors of the traffic had
not been exaggerated, and stated that Government was taking active
measures against it. We rejoice to hear it; but we hope that the
Bishop of Winchester and others will from time to time demand
a report of progress.

In the Commons, Sir Robert Peel wished to know if any steps
were being taken to prevent the probable influx into this country of the
Jesuits, banished by Prince von Bismarck for plotting against tbe
safety of (Germany. Mr. Gladstone did not think lightly of the
matter ; "it was indeed a grave and serious one ; " but he was not
prepared with any present reply.

Then was made the announcement that, in consequence of the
Judgment of Mr. Justice Keogh in the Galway Case, the Attornet-
General for Ireland intended to prosecute the Roman Catholic
Bishop of Clonfert, Captain Nolan, Mr. Sebastian Nolan, and
nineteen Priests, for their conduct at the Galway election. The Irish
Attorney-General (Mr. Dowse) declared that his duty was plain,
but that it was very painful. There was an effort to show that an
Order of the House was necessary to this prosecution, but all the Law
Officers of the Crown had decided that it was not.

Here Mr. Punch eraveth, or rather taketh, leave to interpolate a
remark which will save him trouble in the future. He raises his hat
in admiration of the cleverness which is being disp layed in exalted
quarters. Mr. Justice Keogh, like a rude person, has denounced a
number of ecclesiastics, and others, for mal-practices. " Remove
that profane Judge ! " howleth Irishry. " Maintain the Queen's
law! " shouteth Britishry. Sweetly smiling, comes the Executive,
steering notably, satisfies England and Scotland by upholding the
law, and pleases Ireland (or the rational Papists) by a prosecution
which will make martyrs of the accused Priests, and can by no pos-
sibility be followed by a conviction. Mr. Punch has rarely been
delighted by more dexterous and adroit management. " How blest
are we that are not simple men ! "

Military Forces Localisation (the Druidical Centres) Bill. Much
abuse of soldiers for not being as virtuous as they are brave. Sir
Henry Hoare made fun of " three peaceful shepherds who had tuned
their pipes on the Radical benches," on which he also sits ; but when
he called Mr. Richard the Hon. and Reverend Member, Mr. Had-
field, another Dissenter, arose to order. Why the title should

J , , .,------ ~z 7—■--- - ~ J onena, we Know not. air. iiichard is tne son 01 a neven

the slightly incisive remark that it was not the business of Govern- Calvinistic Methodist minister, and was himself for several years
ment to advise : it had only the power to dismiss. Well put, Lord | minister at a Dissenting chapel in Southward However, Sir Henry
wpencer. I retracted the reverence.

Lord Buckhurst s Bill (for the protection of children against those The above took lace in what posterity may like to know we call

who twist them into Acrobats) having been drawn badly was with
drawn promptly. The " professors" of the art of tumbling have
been making a great clamour against the measure, and desire us to
believe that the life of a young acrobat is a sort of Paradise, whence
he emerges lissome, daring, and beautiful as " the herald Mercury,
new lighted on a heaven-kissins: hill." We should like to hear the
children themselves on the subject, only they might be afraid to
testify.

Mr. Jacob Bright aimed another blow at the Sanatory Act touch-
ing which the sentimentalists ululate, and the House, by 140 to 74,
decided that matters should remain as at present.

We talked on Army votes, and the pension to Lady Mayo was
voted, with warm tributes to the merit of the lamented Viceroy, and
then we took the liberty of defeating the Government on the Thames
Embankment question. The Bill for carrying out the preposterous
plan of the Chancellor of the Exchequer was rejected by 154 to
133. But a new question opens up. It is suggested that Northum-
berland House should be pulled down, in order to the making a fine
road to the Embankment. The Duke has signified that he will
listen to the reasons why his mansion should be destroyed. This
fine specimen of Jacobean architecture was built about 1605, and it
has histories; but of course, if it is in the way of the omnibuses and
railway vans, down with it.

Tuesday.—The Lords read the Metalliferous Mines Bill a Second
Time. Would you be surprised to hear that we already protect
women and children to this extraordinary extent ? No children
under 15 are sent down into the mines, and women are not worked
more than 12 hours, and—will you believe it ?—not at all on Sundays.

There came this evening a terrific thunderstorm, one that will be
mentioned in records. It broke while the Lords were discussing the
Elementary Education Elections Bill, for which the Electricity was
too much; the Debate could not be heard, and the measure, a
Government one, was thiown out by 46 to 42.

On the question of the Slave Trade on the East Coast of Africa,
there were some very noble and worthy utterances, and especially
did the son of William Wilberforce deliver himself eloquently
against " the cursed traffic." As his Lordship said, we know little
on the subject, but we ought to know that about 90,000 slaves are
annually exported, and as each costs the lives of many others, it
may be said that from 350 to 500,000 human beings are annually
sacrificed. The Bishop called on Government to appeal to France,

the morning, that is, in the sitting that ended at seven in the evening.
At nine we resumed, and went at the Licensing Bill. It was a very
hot night, and those who were making regulations about other folks'
thirstiness, had plenty of iced cup ready at hand. Divers Over-
Legislations were attempted, and some Members had an idea that
no boy under fourteen could ever want a glass of beer. A clause was
carried for punishing a publican who may sell such boy a glass.
Then we imposed penalties on drunkenness, and one Member proposed
a heavy fine for being drunk, and another was for fmprisonment;
but it was finally arranged that for a first offence the fine shall be
Ten Shillings, and then cumulation fines were voted. Well, if the
law be carried out, getting tipsy will be an expensive amusement to
anybody who has not plenty of money. Mr. Vernon Hakcourt
said, on Friday, that unless the Magistrates are lenient, the Act
will send about half our adult male population to prison.

Wednesday.—Mr. Gilpin once more aired nis Anti-Hanging
notions, and' in the usual debate the afternoon was wasted. Mr.
Punch notes that Mr. Tipping, Member for Stockport, made a
courageous and able speech against our tendencies to relaxation of
moral fibre, and to shrinking from duty ; and Mr. Bruce contended
that, as it was clear that the gallows had a deterrent effect, we were
right to use it. On division, 167 to 54 showed that all the House's
moral fibre is not relaxed, and also that a certain physical fibre, of
the genus Cannabis, is not thought to have lost all its virtue.

Thursday.—The Autumn Manoeuvres, ladies, are thus fixed. The
Southern Army will assemble at Blandford on the 17th of August,
and the Northern Army at Pewsey on August 31. It is at Pewsey
that, according to all the books, the wonderful epitaph to Lady
O'Looney is to be seen. It describes her as " great niece of Burke,
commonly called the Sublime," and adds that she was

" Bland, passionate, and deeply religious;
Also she painted in wa'er- colours,
And sent several pictures to the Exhibition.
She was first cousin to Lady Jones,
And of such is the Kingdom of Heaven."

We shall be much obliged to the Northern Army to look into the
church or churchyard, and report to us whether this amazing
inscription is really in either.
To-night in the Commons there was excitement. The gallery and