Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 109, August 31, 1895Various
General
Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 109, August 31, 1895
Various
English wit and humor -- Periodicals
The same through long sitting, which closes at this moment with
dawn surprising the blushing East. On successive questions--the
suspension of twelve o'clock rule, the SPEAKER leaving Chair
without question put, Chitral, and a long series of formal motions in
Supply--TIM delivered innumerable speeches; took in all ten
divisions. Once, House being cleared for division, he, in conformity
with quaint requirements of the moment, remained seated with hat on,
contesting points of order with SPEAKER. Alone he did it.
Although from fifty to a hundred Members went out to vote with him,
none felt capable of joining in his masterly controversy with the
masterful SPEAKER.
[Illustration: Tim takes the leading part in the performance of _Much
Ado about Nothing_, by the John Daly Company.
"We shall stay here at least a month; and he (Benedick) heartily prays
some occasion may detain us longer."
_Much Ado_, &c., Act I., Sc. 1.]
Hard lines for new SPEAKER; in Chair for nearly twelve hours,
incessantly on the watch. But, as SARK says, the game has
for him been well worth burning the candle at both ends. To-night's
sitting has finally established his position in the Chair.
_Business done._--Address agreed to.
* * * * *
_Tuesday._--SARK, whose knowledge of SHAKSPEARE is
extensive and peculiar, goes about humming:--
Ban, ban Caliban.
Got new House Commons;
Get new Chair_man_.
This accomplished to-night in simplest fashion. Two hours discussion
of Limerick's flash of humour in having elected to represent it in
Parliament a gentleman languishing in one of Her Majesty's prisons.
This disposed of, House went into Committee of Supply. But as yet we
have no Chairman. MELLOR'S unrequited labours closed with life
of last Parliament. SARK always says justice never done to
MELLOR.
"A painstaking, upright, courteous gentleman," he testifies. "Much
too good for obstruction's daily food in Chair of Committees. If
he had a fault tending to incapacitate him for Chair, it was the
extreme geniality of a nature that made him shrink from giving pain.
He came into office at an epoch of exceptional difficulty. LYON
PLAYFAIR had bad time when he was hampered by well-organised,
ruthless obstruction led by PARNELL. Obstruction to the
Home-Rule Bill throughout first session of MELLOR'S
chairmanship not less ably led, for JOE, not yet come to
Imperial estate, was much to the fore. It was certainly not less
ruthless; numerically was in treble force. To obfusticate the Chairman
was easiest, most effective way of delaying progress of Bill through
Committee; MELLOR suffered accordingly. The order of things
should have been reversed. MELLOR should come to Chair to-day.
LOWTHER should have had his job in Session of 1893. JAMES
W. is endowed in marked degree with the quality of phlegm
invaluable to Chairman in troublous times. What worried sensitive
nature of MELLOR would have flurried him no more than bucket
of water cast over a duck's back."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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