=Source.=--_The Times_, February 3.
About nine o'clock in the morning Mr. Gladstone, Mr. W. E.
Forster, Mr. Dodson, Sir Stafford Northcote, and Sir R. Cross
entered the House amid cheers. While Mr. Biggar was continuing his
observations on the Land League the Speaker resumed the Chair amid
loud cheering. The Speaker, without calling on the hon. member to
proceed with his remarks, at once said: "The motion for leave to
bring in the Person and Property Protection (Ireland) Bill has now
been under discussion for five days. The present sitting, having
commenced on Monday last, has continued till Wednesday morning,
a period of no less than forty-one hours, the House having been
occupied with discussions upon repeated motions for adjournment.
However tedious these discussions were, they were carried to a
division by small minorities in opposition to the general sense
of the House. A necessity has thus arisen which demands the
interposition of the Chair (cheers). The usual rule has been
proved powerless to insure orderly debate. An important measure,
recommended in Her Majesty's Speech, and declared to be urgent in
the interests of the State by a decisive majority, has been impeded
by the action of an inconsiderable minority of members who have
resorted to those modes of obstruction which have been recognized
by the House as a Parliamentary offence. The credit and authority
of this House are seriously threatened, and it is necessary they
should be vindicated. Under the operation of the accustomed rules
and methods of procedure the legislative powers of the House are
paralyzed. A new and exceptional course is imperatively demanded,
and I am satisfied that I shall best carry out the wish of the
House if I decline to call upon any more members to speak, and at
once put the question to the House."