Punch: Punch (83.1882)

VOLUME LXXXIIL—JULY TO DECEMBER,

1882.

THE GLADSTONE CABINET.—1882.

First Lord of the Treasury .
Chancellor of the Exchequer

Lord President of the Council
Lord Privy Seal . . . .

Home Office .....
Foreign Office .

Colonial Office .....

War Secretary .....

Indian Secretary ....

Admiralty ......

Chief Secretary for Ireland .

President of the Board of Trade
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster .

President of the Local Government Board

Bight IPon. W. E. Gladstone.

Eight Hon. W. E, Gladstone (after-
ward Eight Hon. Sir H. C. E.
Childers).

Earl Spencer, K.G.

Lord Carlingford.

Sir William Vernon Harcourt.

Earl Granville, K.G.

Earl of Kimberley (afterward Earl
ot Derby).

Eight Hon. Sir Hugh C. E. Childers
(afterward Marquis of Hartington).

Marquis of Hartington (afterward
Earl of Kimberley).

Earl of Northbrook.

Right Hon. G. 0. Trevelyan.

Right Hon. J. Chamberlain.

Eight Hon. J. Bright (afterward Right
Hon. J. G. Dodson).

Right Hon. J. G. Dodson (afterward
Right Hon. Sir C. W. Dilke,
Bart.).

*** In consequence of the resignation o/Mr. Bright, and, the accession to the Government o/Lord Derby, considerable
re-adjustment took place in the Gladstone Cabinet in the latter part of 1882.

POLITICAL

IN OUR. last Introduction it was observed that vigorous
action was in contemplation with a view to securing
the passage of the Prevention of Crimes Bill, whose pro-
gress in Committee was still delayed by unscrupulous
obstruction.

Accordingly, on the 29th June, when fifteen Clauses had
been disposed of, a prolonged sitting was determined on.
The House, in fact, subsequently sat continuously for 28
hours, until, after the suspension of Mr. Parnell and
fifteen of his followers, and the “reporting” of Mr.
O’Donnell for insulting the Chairman, Mr. Playfair, all
the Clauses of the Bill were successfully carried. Urgency
was then declared, the third reading was shortly afterwards
taken, the Bill passed quickly through the Upper House,
and on 12th July became law.

The Arrears Bill, whose provisions were described in our
last Introduction, after long discussion and some modifica-
tion, was read a third time on 21st July, and went up to
the Lords. There, although it passed its second reading
without opposition, it was vigorously attacked in Commit-
tee, and Amendments were carried which, in the opinion of
its framers, were destructive of its value. The Ministry
declined to accept the Bill as so amended, and, in particular,

SUMMARY.

Mr. Gladstone refused to give up the principle of compul-
sion, as being, in his view, of the very essence of the
measure. The more important of the Lords’ Amendments
were rejected by the Lower House, and a crisis again
appeared imminent. Lord Salisbury, however, who per-
sonally was in favour of standing to the Amendments at all
costs, was not supported by his followers, an ‘ ‘ overwhelm-
ing majority” of whom were, as he confessed, inclined to
compromise. The Arrears Bill therefore became law.

With the exception of this and the Crimes Bill, a few
minor measures—such as the Parcels Post Bill, the Electric
Lighting Bill, the Married Woman’s Property Bill (a not
unimportant advance in legislation), the Settled Lands Act
(introduced in the House of Lords), and one or two Scotch
measures—the Session was again a barren one. (See Car-
toon, “ The Gladstone Bag,” p. 79.)

The question of Procedure was reserved for discussion in
an Autumn Session, to be held with that especial object.
Parliament was adjourned in August to meet again in
October. (See Cartoon, “The Olo-Tourists,” p. 91.)

In this Autumn Session Procedure was the only business
introduced by the Government. It led to long debates, but
eventually the “New Rules ” were passed pretty much as