A meeting of the Gladstonian Party was held at the
Foreign Office on Monday, the object of which was to im- press upon all fractions of the majority that, if their Bills were to be carried, and especially the Home-rule Bill, they must surrender nearly the whole time of Parliament to the Ministry. Mr. Gladstone made rather a long speech, first cheering his followers by saying that Lord Melbourne's Government of 1835 lasted six and a half years, while his majority never amounted to 30, and complimenting them on their spirit of unity and self-discipline. He refused to talk of obstruction, but accused his opponents of using up twenty- three days upon the Address and Supply, when eleven days ought to have sufficed, besides demanding explicit statements on first readings, which are usually dispensed with. The Easter Vacation must, therefore, be a "scanty and skinny" one, in order that the second reading of the Home-rule Bill should be taken on April 6th, as it must be, "whatever happens." Moreover, that Bill must have precedence for all the days on which it is set down, while Government business must have precedence on Tuesdays, and there must be morning sittings on Fridays as well. The Government, in fact, takes the whole time of the House, except occasional Wednesdays. Mr. Gladstone admitted that this was a large demand ; but the alternative was a failure to fulfil distinct pledges to the country. He did not say how many of these pledges there were, but he did say that the Government had given twelve of them in the Queen's Speech. Apparently, he thinks of fulfilling them all, though Mr. Bright said even three omnibuses could not be driven abreast through Temple Bar.
