FRIDAY, 14th JANUARY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VIII, Issue 415, 25 March 1881, Page 18

FRIDAY, 14th JANUARY.

The Pall Mall Gazette thus summarist-s the debate when the di vision was taken on Mr. Parnell's amendment to the address :—: — The closing night of the debate on Mr. Parnell's amendment to the address was dull, decorous, and characterised, by that strange good temper which is the product of listlessness now and perhaps the prelude of a storm hereafter. The speeches were delivered to thin but patient and attentive audiences, and were calm in tone and quiet in djli\ery. Question -time was brief and without incident of note— in striking contrast with the passion and prolixity of Thursday's earlier hours. Mr. Labouchere emerged with his motion on hereditary legislators, which he had allowed to fall for some days into a state of suspended animation ; Mr. Justin M'Carthy had an amusing notice in reference to one of hi* constituents who claimed protection from police protection ; and Mr. Lalor, an Irish member, displayed an anzi'ty as to the doings of the Re"becca rioters of Wales which was not wholly an impulse of interest in the well-b-ing of the principality. There were several allusions to the Irish magistracy, which led to the usual sharp interchange of questions and answers between the Irish members and the Chir f Beere f ary, The prospect of a speech by Mr. Bynan, who delivers prolix harangues in the voice of an exceedingly shrill Btentor, was not attractive, and there was a stampede from the House when the debate was resumed. Mr. Dillwyn, with many expressions of apology, annou ced that he should vote for the Government, and Mr. Mulholland, an Irish Conservative, made a rather effective and not unamusi ng analysis of a speech by Mr. Davitt. The demand for the right to speak continued unabated a'l this time, in spite of the dull void and the depressed condition of the House ; and the debate appeared destined to go out in vapidity and dreariness. It was saved from this fate by Mr. Sexton, a young Irish member, who last night established his title to take high rank among the orators of the House . Hitherto remarkable only for an appetite for interrogation which was perfectly insatiable, for a fidelity to a particular seat only equalled by that of Mr. Hubbard, and for rhetoric more passionate than effective, Mr. Sexton last night proved himself capable of speaking with calmness, moderation, and dialectical skill. Starting rather inauspiciously with some personal comments of questionable taste on Lord Hartington, Mr. Sexton soon conciliated attention and favour, and gave an excellent sketch, from the Parnelhte point of view, of the policy of the Land League, studding his speech with allusions of a not ill-natured satire which enlivened its progress ; but be made the mistake rf speaking half an hour too long. After this gleam of sunshine the debate again sank to a low level ; the House emptied and the lobbies filled ; those who remained inside sprawled on the benches and yawned unceasingly. At ten o'clock the return of the diners-out again gavß the House a brisk and modish appearance, and Mr. Hussey Vivian managed to give some sparkle to the scene by getting up a brief but stoimy con- • trovcrsy with Mr. Parnell. Mr. Vivian alluded to the allegation that some young men bad trampled in the blood of the late Lord MouutmoTTes — a statement whicn Wr. Parnell characterised as a "gross faLsehcod." There was a tempeetuous shout of "Order" from the filled aud excited benches ; and! the Speaker in a peremptory manner called upon Mr, Parnell to withdraw, The Irish leader making some demur, the manner of the speaker gre^r stern; and Mr. Parnell explained that be applied the term " falsehood" to the anonymous person whose statement Mr. Vivian had repeated — a withdrawal which, satisfactory as to order, but unsatisfactory as to essentials, aroused deep aigns of irritation. Mr. Vivian then proceeded on his way, labouring heavily amid Irish interruptions. He was minatory against obstruction after his bland fashion, but finally, caught in the . meshes of irregularity by the vigilant Irish, he was called to ordex by the Speaker. Mr. E. D. Gray made a short, sharp speech, quoting a declaration of an Irish bishop that the moment a man was arrested

under the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act he would advise his flock not to pay rent and never again to pay rent until tbe la*t man was released — & declaration which excited much enthusiasm among the Home Rulers. Several English members rose after Mr. Gray. At five minutes past one the division was taken, with the result of— For Mr. Parnell's amendment, 57 ; against, 435. The result was received with comparative tranquility. The following description of the scene referred to above between Mr. Parnell and Mr Vivian is taken from the London correspondence of the Dally Express: — The debate to-night was characterised by several scenes, but by far the most violent was the one in which the name of the unhappy Lord Mountniorres was bandied about from side to side. Early in the evening Mr. Dillwyn excited some anger by declaring that he had it on authority that men waded through the blood of the murdered Lord Mountmorres. The Home Kulers stamped Mr. Dillwyn under with great promptitude ; but four hours afterwards Mr. Russey Vivian, the Welsh member, returned to the point and said he could confirm Mr. Dillwyn's statement. Hereupon Mr. Parnell rose, and with a face grim and pallid, denounced the statement as a " gross falsehood." A yell of anger arose on the Liberal benches, answered by defiant cheers from tbe Home Rulers, and from this moment if- alas in vain the Speaker tried to get a hearing. At length he said t»at i such language could not be applied to any member of the House. This was followed by screams — positive screams— of " Withdraw"; but Mr. Parnell coldly, slowly, almost contemptuously, repeated that, whoever was the authority of the hon. member, he had uttered a gross falsehood. After another burst of pastaon had subsided, Mr. Vivian went on to declare that his authority was a gentleman in her Majesty's service, but the Home Rulers received this with ironical laughter ; and on a second struggle between Mr. Parnell and Mr. Vivian, the Speaker ruled the latter out of order The scene was one of the most exciting of the debate, and it made it very clear that Mr. Vivian was no match for Mr. Parnell either with regard to the rules of the House or the power of denunciation.