A PARLIAMENTARY SCENE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4742, 6 September 1893, Page 2

A PARLIAMENTARY SCENE.

« The Crushing of Conybeare. [FEOM OUB. LONDON COEBEBPONDENT.] London, July 13. It waa necessary to finally pat a stop to the carping, venomous attacks of that boorish bore, Mr Conybeare, upon the Speaker, and, perhaps, Mr Peel took the moat effectual course when, losing his temper last Friday, for the firßt and only time within anyone's memory, he rose and wrathfully, yet majestically, crushed the objectionable member for Camborne. The scene aroße as follows:— Mr Conybeare had written a letter to the Chronicle attacking the Speaker, and this epistle, in his absence, the Souse had roundly condemned. On Friday he rose to make a personal explanation. If he lud made a ten minutes' speech I think he would have had the House with him, for he showed clearly enough that it had been led into errcr and had hardly dne him justic?. Mr Balfour, for instance, openly insinuated that Mr Conybeare had been abeent from the House on Tuesday night with malice prepense. Mr Conybearo showed plainly what I have already stated — namely, that he knew nothing whatever about the incident until it was over, and that the House had, therefore, in a double sense, condemned him unheard. AH this was to the point, and was received, too, with a certain undercurrent of sympathy. And then Mr Conybeare went wroDg, hopelessly wrong, for he was dreadfully wearying, interminably discursive. He spoke phrase after phrase of double-meaning, half in defence of himself, half, again, in fresh attack on the Speaker, half asserting and half apologising, never saying the fit word in the right way. The House got more and more fidgety. It was an intolerable situation to poor Mr Peel, who had to sit and hear this kiud of thing going on without cessation. Such phrases as " I acted on a broad general principle," and tie docfciine that a member must not write to the newspapers attacking the Speaker wa3 not consonant with democracy ; the Speaker was a public servant— all tbis dubious I could an' I would grated horribly. At length Mr Gladstone, who had listened very patiently, oould stand it no longer. He rose and practically stopped Mr Conybeare'B speech, hinting that the Speaker was practicallySincapGcitatedJ from acting —a view which the Speaker acknowledged

with a low bow. He was very kind to Mr Conybeare, accepted the reason he gave for hiß absence, thought that hia courage and integrity were beyond depute, but declared that he had distinctly charged the Speaker with obliquity of vision, and that now he was doing what he never could be allowed to do— questioning his conduct under the cover of a personal explanation. This was a pretty broad hint, but Mr Conybeare would not take it. He began again with the same formless sentences : "I do not make a charge of partiality, I merely suggest error of judgment," and bo on and bo on until one really did not know what the Houee in its exceeding impatience would do with Mr Conybeare. At last the Speaker, whose compressed lips, fingers lightly drumming the srm of his chair, paleface told of the storm within, roEe, and, without warning, hurled a most tremendous pliilippio at Mr Conybeare's bead. The tones filled the House, the attitude and gestures transformed it. With hand pointing direct at the hon member, Mr Peel pilloried him as an habitual parliamentary offender. " I would not/t hundered Mr Peel, ■" conde scend to stay in this House for twenty* four hours" if such a charge were credited. Mr Conybeare had now repeated it, and on the whole worsened it. But this was not the first time this outrageous accusation had been made. And then followed a terrible catalogue of the earlier Conybearian sins, with their punishments attached. " I repudiate them with honest indignation. I should be less than human if I did not do so with some warmth." The House rung with cheering, and the crushing of Conybeare waß complete, for now the Premier was forced into action. Mr Peel had talked significantly of resignation if there were the slightest sign of sympathy— which as a matter of fact there was not— with the action of the member for Camborne. Mr Gladstone had now to make himself tho executant of this unanimous feeling. He first moved that the letter be read, as he Baid, "for the refreshment of our memories." It was read in solemn silence, the Speaker standing, looking straight before him, hiß face a little calmer after the storm. Next the Premier moved that the speech was a breach of the privilege of the House, Mr Balfour formally seconding. Then the Irishmen had their say, and said it with extreme felicity. Mr Sexton suggested that Mr Conybeare should be heard, and then Mr Healy made a most delightful and entirely appropriate criticism of the whole business. He spoke with soothing emphasis of the personal pain the Speaker had shown, and suggested as a solution that Mr Conybeare should frankly express hiß regret— a charming little interposition full of tact. Mr Chamberlain rose, with thunder on hiß brow, as if to break up the little pact of peace that Mr Healy would have make. The Speaker stopped him, however, and rose instead to suggest that Mr Conybeare should withdraw. Mr Conybeare, tactless as ever, began again tho same involved phrases, the came inability to say or do the right or the wrong thing straight out and sans phrase. He was grateful to Mr Healy for hiß intervention, he had no intention of inflicting pain— (a long sigh of " Oh, oha !" from the House)— he did not wish to pursue the Speaker with rancorous feeling. Anfcl then came a monumental sentence at the end. " I have no hesitation in expressing my regret that what I have done h&B been accepted by Mr Speaker and the House in the sense in which it has been accepted. When lam wrong," added Mr Conybeare graciously, "I admit lam wrong. I apologise" (this with folded arms and anything but an apologetio manner), "and I have no deßire to prolong this discussion." This was really too much. " Withdraw, withdraw," shout the House, and Mr Conybeare was at last waved beyond the Bar. I must summarise rapidly the rest of the comedy. Here is a kind of annotated precis of it :— Mr Chamberlain : I protest against one sentence of Mr Healy'e, that Mr Conybeare ong-ht to apologise for inflictiDg pain. Tou, sir (in soft eibilation), did not express pain —you expressed indignation. As for the apology, I never heard a lamer one for a more scandalous offence. (A little applause here.) Mr Gladstone (sombre, very happy in phrasing, watching the Speaker and checking his every word) : Every Parliamentary offence should be purged with frank apology. That waß not the case here. 'Twas a grave Parliamentary aberration, I move that the House Buepend Mr Conybeare for a fortnight. "A week," corrected Sir William Harcourt, and the G.O.M. accepted the correction. Mr Balfour (going, like Agag, delicately, and playing bis part with faultless tact) : The question, Mr Speaker, is not aa to your feeling. We are concerned with the dignity of the Hou?e. Mr Conybeare's apology aggravates everything. We are doing the least that can be done, though Mr Gladstone is wise in inclining to mercy. The Speaker (gentle, mellifluous) : I suggest that if Mr Conybeare will come back and apologise the House may drop the penal motion. General hunt for absent Conybeare. Mr Came, Mr Storey, Mr Sexton, all after him. Sexton suggests giving him an interval. Assent. The Speaker sends the Sergeant-at-Arms to fetch him. General relaxation, ohat, perhaps a slight inclination to laugh. House does nothing, awaiting Conybeare. Conybeare strolls in, small piece of paper crumpled in his hand. Lounges to hia seat, rises doggedly, reads indifferently, a trifle sullenly, from his paper, which wcs obviously not written on in his own hand. Here is THE APOLOGY. I desire to express my unqualified regret for the publication of my expressions reflecting on Mr Speaker, and I hereby withdraw them. (Some murmurs, and a cheer or two.) Mr Gladstone (briefly, in a neutral tone, and after being banded the paper and reading from it to guard against his deafnesß having misled him) : Let the apology be accepted. Mr Balfour (again playing his hand faultlessly) : I should have been inclined to dissent from Mr Gladstone, bub on these occasions the House ought to act unanimouely. An apology had at least been wrung from reluctant lips, and, whatever may have been the aim and manner of the offender, his phraseology did in a sense cover his offence. So we'd perhap3 better accept it. [The End: Motion withdrawn.]