Obstruction,—figured by Punch this week, in one of Mr. Tenniel's
most imaginative cartoons, as a log over which Mr. Gladstone, spear in rest, is Quixote-like charging the mist,—has had the better part of two sittings of the Commons in the last week completely to itself, three hours in the sitting of yesterday week, and three more in the sitting of Wednesday afternoon. On the first occasion, the excuse was an answer given by Mr. Forster in relation to a meeting prohibited by the Government at Brookborough, in the county of Fermanagh, when a counter- demonstration and, consequently, a breach of the 'peace was expected, the answer not proving satisfactory to Mr. O'Kelly, who moved the adjournment of the House to complain of it. On the second occasion, the excuse was oven more trans- parently a pretence. The debate on the Address was adjourned from Tuesday to Wednesday, but the Times put out a mistaken notice that it was adjourned to Thursday, whereupon the Irish Members rose one after another to complain that the resumption on Wednesday was unexpected by them, and therefore unfair,— Mr. Parnell on this occasion posing as the moderating statesman, who first offered the Government a compromise, and finally succeeded in persuading his countrymen to give way and to let the adjourned debate proceed. In fact, it is not yet clear that Mr. Parnell's plan for obstruction this year is not to protract ordinary and sensible, but totally useless debate, till Parliament cannot act.
