Sketches in the House: The Story of a Memorable Session (1893)O'Connor, T. P. (Thomas Power)
History
Sketches in the House: The Story of a Memorable Session (1893)
O'Connor, T. P. (Thomas Power)
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1837-1901; Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons; Home rule -- Ireland
This plain-spoken opinion of Lord Randolph Churchill was induced by the
fact that Mr. Gibbs and his friends had now resolved on a desperate step
to secure attention to his complaint. This was no other than refusing to
leave the House, and take part in the division. It is more than twelve
years since this extreme, violent, and almost revolutionary step was
adopted before. On the dreadful night--how well I remember it!--when the
news came that Michael Davitt had been sent back to penal servitude, the
information sent a thrill of such horror and almost despair amongst the
Irish Benches, that some method of manifesting their feelings became
inevitable. By a series of circumstances, into which I need not now go,
the manifestation took the shape of refusing to go into the division
lobby, and retaining our seats. We were all suspended in turn, and
removed from the House by the Serjeant-at-Arms.
[Sidenote: Logan.]
Meantime, the unexpected and extraordinary delay in taking the division
had brought back some members from the division lobbies; and some had
actually recorded their votes, and were returning in the ordinary course
to their seats. Among these was Mr. Logan. Mr. Logan peered somewhat
curiously at the angry faces and the shouting figures on the Tory
Benches, and approached them with the view of finding out what it was
all about. His air, somehow or other, suggested--quite wrongly, as it
turned out--to the Tories that he was meditating an assault upon some of
them: and there rose angry cries from them of "Bar! Bar!" This, in
Parliamentary language, means that the member is violating the rule
against any member standing on the floor of the House, except in the
narrow and short interspace which lies between the entrance door and the
bar--a very small bit of free territory. Logan, in his turn, was
exasperated by these remarks, and used some retort. Then there were
renewed cries that he was not in order in standing up on the floor,
together with a multitude of expletives at the expense of his party and
himself. And Mr. Logan thereupon said he would put himself in order, and
sat down on the Front Opposition Bench. In doing so, he certainly did
put himself in order, for a member can take his seat where he likes
during the progress of a division. But this step is what led to the
violent and unprecedented scene which followed. For Mr. Hayes Fisher
immediately caught hold of Mr. Logan by the collar, Ashmead Bartlett, I
understand, followed suit, and thus the first blow was struck.
[Sidenote: Colonel Saunderson hits out.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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