NEWS OF THE WEEK
MEE first resolution on Procedure, so far, at least, as it affirms
the principle of the closure of debate by a majority, was carried in the House of Commons on Thursday night, by a ma- jority of 39 (318 to 279). There were but five pairs. Of the Irish Home-rule party, 39 voted against the Government and 14 in its favour ; while seven were absent, of whom three were in gaol_ Five Liberals voted against the Government, namely, the two tellers, Mr. Marriott and Mr. Joseph Cowen ; and besides them, Mr. Walter, Sir Edward Watkin, and Mr. P. A. Taylor. There were 16 absentees, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Brogden, Lord C. Campbell, one only of the Fitzwilliam family (the Hon. C. W. Fitzwilliam), Mr. E. Stafford Howard, three City Aldermen (the two Alder- men Lawrence and Sir A. Lusk), Mr. R. T. Middleton, Mr. Muntz, Sir N. M. de Rothschild, Mr. Charles Russell, Sir Tollemache Sinclair, Lord Stafford, Mr. M'Cullagh Torrens, and Sir D. Wedderburn, four of whom were prevented either by illness, or by absence in distant countries, from attending. The three City Aldermen were probably influenced by the fear of the City Corporation Reform Bill ; Mr. Charles Russell could not, perhaps, afford to vote, without obtaining some promise from the Government which would satisfy his Irish constituents on the great question of arrears ; while the remainder, no doubt, were more or less disaffected to the Government. On the whole, however, the division shows that the Liberal party is as solidly united as on the opening of Parliament in May, 1880.
