On Tuesday there was a great " scene "in the
House of Commons. Major O'Gorman—among Home-rulers, certainly the favourite of the House—was in a state of great excitement, due, it is said, to the refusal of the War Department to give what the Major esteemed fair promotion to a young relative of his. The mode in which he avenged himself was remarkable. When the Secretary kir War, Colonel Stanley, replied to Major Nolan's speech on the inadequate allowance made to the Army Reserves, Major O'Gorman interpo- lated a mud "Hear, hear," at the end of every sentence, till called to order by the Speaker. He then protested with great warmth that he was in order, that he had a full right to call "hear, hear," at every period, every comma, and every semicolon, in any speech he might be listening to, and declared he had a right to cheer, and "intended to do it." Of course, this was a flat defiance of the Speaker, who had ruled that Major O'Gorman was disturbing the House and the Secretary for War. And the Chancellor of the Exchequer on one side, and Mr. Lowe on the other, rose to support the Speaker. The Speaker proceeded to name Major O'Gorman,—" I now name you, Major O'Gorman, for having interrupted the proceedings, by disorderly conduct, and having refused, when called upon by the Chair, to submit yourself to the judgment of the House." Here- upon Sir S. Northcote said that the Speaker, having been compelled "to exercise the solemn duty of naming the honourable and gallant Member," he must move that the honourable and gallant Member be directed to withdraw, for his disorderly interruption and disrespectful conduct to the Speaker. Mr. Lowe seconded this motion, and,—after the discussion of an amendment intended by Major Nolan to mitigate the severity of this tremendous cen- sure, an amendment which was negatived,—it was carried ; and a second resolution was passed, to take the conduct of Major O'Gorman into consideration on Wednesday, when he was directed by the House to attend in his place. This Major O'Gorman did on Wednesday, and made a very ample and cordial apology for his misconduct ; whereupon the order was discharged, and the awful and solemn act of the naming of a Member by the Speaker came—apparently—to its close, without tragic results.
Previous page
