One hundred years ago
Englishmen who so studied their papers on Monday as to understand what it was that really happened on Saturday last in the Commons, must have felt more of genuine heartache than of any bitterer feeling. To whom the fault is to be ascribed, we will not say; but we may be sure of this — that there must have been grave shortcomings, or more than shortcomings, on both sides of the House, before either side would sink to so low a point, and attempt to drag the House to so low a point, as the sitting of Saturday last indicated. A great political institution like the House of Commons can hardly fall into such anarchy as now prevails there, without such a falling-off of patriotic spirit on both sides of the House as ought to cause the English people serious alarm.
Spectator, 22 March 1884
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