Mr. Labouchere on Friday week moved, as an amendment to
the Report on the Address, what was virtually a vote of censure on the Government for protecting Prince Alexander of Bulgaria. His speech was full of innuendo directed against the Court, but for him rather dull. His idea was that in pressing for Prince Alexander's return, the Government was only moved by a dynastic interest—the Queen, in fact, liking the Battenbergs- and that for so doing England was " snubbed " by every Con- tinental Power, which he considered a great humiliation. He alleged that Lord Iddesleigh had aided in an effort to obtain a loan for Bulgaria, and that the Prince was encouraged to remain in Bulgarians a defiance to Russia. He quoted from Lord Salis- bury's speech at Guildhall the sentences denouncing the Sofia kidnapping, and protested against Lord Salisbury forcing the country into war without the consent of Parliament. Sir James Fergusson peremptorily denied the financial story, declared that the Government had never proposed alliances against Russia, and affirmed in the strongest way that it thought of nothing but its international duties and the obligation of treaties. He might have added that it had done nothing but protect the public law of Europe, which had been grossly and successfully violated by the kidnapping of the Prince. Mr. Bryce half- supported Mr. Labouchere, especially about the snubbing—as if a plaintiff were humiliated when a Magistrate refuses from fear to do his duty—but finally the " amendment " was nega- tived without a division. It had secured its object in wasting a night.
