(EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M. P.)
_House of Commons, Monday, May 25._--"Let the curtain ring down, Mr.
SPEAKER, and the sooner the better. It is a farce, and I think a
contemptible farce."
Thus BONNER LAW--the farce being the Third Reading of the Home Rule
Bill.
The curtain had risen on a thronged and excited House. Were it the
custom at the T. R. Westminster to put out notice-boards one might have
borne the legend dear to the heart of the manager, "Standing room Only."
Even late-comers among the peers were fain to stand by the doorway
opening on the Gallery, where earlier birds had found twigs on which to
sit. Overflow of Commoners into the side galleries gave the last touch
to stirring scene presented but twice or thrice in history of a Session.
Ordered business of sitting was the stage of the measure alluded to in
phrase quoted from LEADER OF OPPOSITION. But, as was testified anew last
Thursday, business in House of Commons does not always run through
expected courses. In strained temper of the hour anything might happen,
even a bout of fisticuffs. What actually did happen was that within
space of hour and a-half from SPEAKER'S taking the Chair, a period
including the ordinary Question-hour, Home Rule Bill was read a third
time and carried over to House of Lords through cheering crowd waiting
in Central Lobby.
SPEAKER introduced soothing note by frank confession that, when on
Thursday he invited LEADER OF OPPOSITION to state whether he approved
the outburst of disorder among his followers which prevented their
authorised spokesman being heard, he "was betrayed into an expression he
ought not to have used." BONNER LAW "gratefully accepted the
explanation," and eloquently extolled the character of the SPEAKER.
* * * * *
Illustration: _Conjurer._ "Ladies and gentlemen, I will now place
this scroll in the hat, and in a few weeks I shall show you
something--er--something which will surprise you."
_A Voice._ "You've got it up your sleeve."
_Conjurer._ "On the contrary, gentlemen." (_Aside_) "Wish to Heaven I
had!"
* * * * *
SPEAKER invited PREMIER to yield to insistent demand of Opposition and
give further particulars with regard to the Amending Bill. The PREMIER,
always ready to oblige, responded in a few luminous, courteous
sentences, which did not add a syllable of information beyond what had
been reiterated in previous references to subject. It was then that
BONNER LAW, with rare dramatic gesture, gave the command, "Ring down the
curtain!" "It is the end of the Act, but not of the play," he added amid
loud cheers from host behind him, reinforced this afternoon by arrival of
recruits from North-East Derbyshire and Ipswich. "The final Act in the
drama will be played not in the House of Commons, but in the country,
and there, Sir, it will not be a farce."
* * * * *
Illustration: THE HOME RULE BABY.
"If the Bill becomes an Act it will be born with a rope round its
neck."--_Mr. WILLIAM O'BRIEN._
* * * * *
PRIME MINISTER, amid constant interruption from benches opposite, made
short reply. Curtain about to fall as directed when WILLIAM O'BRIEN
hurried to front of stage. Reasonably expected that, having through
forty years made strenuous fight for Home Rule, he was now about to sing
a paean suitable to eve of final victory. On the contrary what he wished
to remark, and like the Heathen Chinee his language was plain, was that,
"If the Bill becomes an Act it will be born with a rope round its neck."
Home Rule for Ireland all very well. But not Home Rule _cum_ JOHN
REDMOND and _sine_ WILLIAM O'BRIEN.
House listened with impatience to this tirade, calling again and again
for the division. When it was taken it appeared that 351 voted for Third
Reading and 274 against, a majority of 77. Redmondites leaped to their
feet and wildly cheered. Ministerialists did not respond to enthusiastic
outburst. They were dumbly glad that a measure wrangled over for three
sessions was out of the way at last, leaving behind, it is true, the
shadow of an Amending Bill.
_Business done._--Both Houses adjourn for Whitsun recess. Commons resume
9th of June; Lords six days later.
* * * * *