A scene greatly to be regretted occurred in the House
of Commons on Tuesday. The Lords' amendments to the Coal- Mines Regulation Bill were being discussed at a very late hour, when Mr. Cunninghame Graham (North-West Lanarkshire) " protested against a House which did not represent the people daring to dictate to a House which did." The Speaker called on him to withdraw the expression; but Mr. Graham refused, pleading in the Scotch way that his conscience forbade him. 'The Speaker therefore named him, and he was suspended. It is said that Mr. Graham had given great provocation in the debate, and no doubt injurious language against the other House is forbidden by the Standing Orders, while Mr. Graham was bound to obey the Speaker's order. We cannot think, however, that it was altogether wise to give it. Mr. Gladstone once said the Peers were "up in a balloon," and their non-representative character is frequently a sound argu- ment for rejecting their amendments. The use of the word " dare " was only vulgar rhetoric, and, unfortunately, if the use of vulgar rhetoric is to be an offence in the House of Commons, -one-third of the Members will need incessant calls to order. Too many of the New Radicals are proud of not being gentlemen, for any Speaker, even if he is as dignified as Mr. Peel, to hope to maintain the ancient etiquettes.
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