The Parliamentary event of the week has been the simmer-
ing of Irish Anti-Parnellite wrath with the Government, which is beginning to boil. The first signs of it occurred yesterday week in the discussion of Mr. Byrne's amendment to include in the legislative powers forbidden to the Irish Legislature, those which deal with " carrying and using arms, armed associations, and associations for drill and practice in the use of arms," the intention being to reserve to the Imperial Parliament all legislation intended to facilitate the raising of a semi-military force, or to suppress the organisation of any such force. The Solicitor-General resisted the amendment, but indicated the willingness of the Government to consider and bring up words that would keep the organisation of any semi-military force in the hands of the Imperial Parliament and Administration. Thereupon Nationalist wrath began to bubble up. Colonel Nolan asked if the Government were going to draft such an amendment as would " emasculate "the Irish people. Mr. Sexton said this amendment was the com- plement of the cowardly Ulster " Plan of Campaign." He declared that he had risen three times on the previous day, and twice on that evening, and had not been called upon ; and he felt that it was inconvenient, perhaps useless, for him to speak when the Government had already indicated their in- tention to give way. Poor Mr. Mellor humbly apologised to Mr. Sexton for not seeing him, while the Prime Minister assured all the Irish Members that the Government was always anxious to hear them before deciding on its own course, and subse- quently the amendment was rejected byan majority of 38 (283 to 245). Colonel Lockwood's amendment to exclude the Irish Legislature from making laws concerning "the manufacture or sale or purchase of arms and munitions of war or of ex. plosive substances," was then rejected by the Solicitor-General, and ultimately negatived by a majority of 40 (294 against 254) ; and, finally, an amendment prohibiting the Irish Legis- lature from interfering with the "powers, privileges, and liberties " of her Majesty's forces in Ireland was negatived by a majority of 40 (289 to 249); but during the whole sitting, the effervescence of the Irish Party, and the interferences of Mr. Healy, were marked features of the discussion.
