The matter was brought before the House on Monday, Mr.
W. H. Smith proposing to move Dr. Tanner's suspension for a month, but Dr. Tanner was not in attendance. Mr. Gladstone, speaking of Dr. Tanner's offence in the gravest way, pleaded that he should nevertheless be personally heard before being suspended, and Mr. W. H. Smith wisely gave way to the request of the Leader of the Opposition. On Thursday, when Dr. Tanner did attend, he gave his own milder version of the insult, and then apologised,—in very inadequate language, as we think. Mr. Gladstone, changing his tone entirely, then held that Dr. Tanner should be let off with a reprimand. And the Speaker, who not usually weak in these matters, thinking so too, Mr. W. H. Smith yielded, and that was the very unfortunate ending of the affair. Of course, we do not doubt that the House was right to submit to the Speaker's judgment; but we cannot express too strongly our impression that that judgment was for once a seriously mistaken one. Dr. Tanner is a highly educated man ; he is a graduate of the Royal University in Ireland; he has committed offences of this kind in the House and in the lobby, till the publics are sick of his name. To let off an offender so hardened, with a reprimand, seems to ns pure weakness unworthy of the House of Commons.
