THE COLONIST. Published Daily— Mornings. Nelson, Wednesday, November 18. 1891. A MARTYR.

Colonist, Volume XXXV, Issue 7172, 18 November 1891, Page 3

THE COLONIST. Published Daily— Mornings. Nelson, Wednesday, November 18. 1891. A MARTYR.

The most curious perversion of the glorification designed for one prominent politician, and converted to the uses of another, took place at the banquet given to Mr Rolleston a few days ago. From far and near, from north to south, the summons went forth, and the answer oame. The Leader of the Opposition waa to be honored by his followers. It was to bd shown at the centre, where be had reigned as Superintendent and Minister, how fervently he was admired, how truly he was believed in so that soon he might be called to supersede those troublesome Liberals, who are the bane of the Conservatives. Everything was duly prepared. The most creditable representatives, the highly respectable members of both Houses, were told off, when without a direct failure, without neglect on the part of any of the ohosen to minister to the greatness of the man of the hour, he was left beyond any question to ocoupy no better than the second plaoe. When the Martyr appeared, all fell down before the sufferer. He had abandoned his seat rather than submit to acknowledge the authority of the elected ohief of the House as equal to his own. Be insists upon the Speaker — some future holder of that dignity, that is— being instructed to expunge from the Journals the motion, meaning, of course, the cenaure of himself. And beoause of thia assertion of a right to have his own way, in defiance of all constituted authority, he is oheered to the echo by those professing to be the genuine representatives of law and order. In faot, Mr John Bryoe having deliberately set at defiance all Parliamentary discipline, all that prevents our legislature sinking to the level of the worst of our neighbors, Comes out in the charaoter of a Martyr, and as such takes the highest place among our assembled Conservative politicians. Whatever may be the feeling with whioh Mr Kolleston may regard this exhibition, when it happens to be with respeot to a Speaker who was preferred to himself, he must at least, in common with all who know Mr JBryoe, have listened with amusement, if not contempt, to the oleaginous strain in which this fiery champion of disorder enlarged for the benefit of what he pleased to style " the rising generation." It was surely a Btretch of assurance approaching the sublime, when the hero of a vote of censure, the unrepentent offender, dared to harangue an imaginary body of auditors as though hb were a shining example of peace. The wretohed platitudes about guiding stars and all the rest of it may have been pagsed over in silence, but surely it was not decent to hear such things from such lips, bo lately breathing nothing but bitterness. There is nothing easier than for one who carefully prepares himself, and when only applause can be expected, to utter the bland benevolences that Mr Bryce bo plenteously bestows, but the same man m wratb, and having lost all oontrol of himself, arc two very different beings. If a choice must be made, it may be questioned whether the outspoken, angry member, with his determination to have his own way or perish in the attempt, does not commend hirnsaH mote favorably to menly men than the smooth lecturer of good boys, who does not s;cun aa if butter would melt iu his mouth. A6 any rate, he appeared in a character quite new, and one that took With his hearers. Mr Bryoe as the Martyr of a ferocious Speaker ia something to remember.