The next episode was early in 1887, when Lord Randolph Churchill rose to mike a personal explanation as to his resignation which had so surprised his party. A dense fog had penetrated the Chamber, and, as he stood to speak, his thin figure loomed in mistiness. He was ceived with some cheers but sat down in silence;—he, who on concluding great speeches, had been followed by Ton; sustained and oft repeated cheering. Hi lst words were that he appealed to the Cresar outside the House, an appeal that was not answered.
In the summer of that year the Trish Nationalists so protracted the debates on the Committee Stage of the Irish Crimes Bill that the guillotine process, as it is called, had to be adopted, by a special order of the House proposed beforehand and passed after debate: that is to say, at ten o'clock on the 17th of June, all the claw: not passed up to that hour were to be sum: tiny put to the vote. On that day the House presented the beehive aspect, which is always seen when sume event is inmpending. The hours of debate glided along till half-past nine when Sir Charles Russell rose to say the last word for the Bill His cutting and telling remarks were received the Conservatives with ironical cheers, and he was pointing at them with quivering forefinger, when the first stroke of ten was heard from the hig clock of the Clock tower.
this moment all our listening ears caught, it. In a silent Chamber the Irish Nationalists rose ina body—we feared disturbance; Int no, they were only lew House in mute protest. Then the Bill ed its stage quietly.
On the other hand some regrettable scenes have occurred. In the spring of 1887, it was " part of the Irish tactics to prevent the Irish Crimes Bill being introduced before Easter. To this end they desired to obstruct Supply which the Government were equally determined to pass. They supplied relays of members to sustain the talking through all the hours of the night. Unfortunately, the Government had not enough men at those unusual hours for enforcing the closure—a statu: tory number being at that time required. So'the Whips were obliged to send for men from their homes in the fashionab)e squares of London. Many men care from their beds back to their places and the closure was applied. But when one point was closed another was taken wy and so forth. So the dawn glimmered in the Tighted Chamber, and then grey Cnylight streamed in, but the debate wen', on till t time. By that time rare men The Government for ce waxed, that of the Opposition watery; by one o'clock the opposition yielded, and the Supply passed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.