The Fourth party, as it is called,—or the party of
four,—con- sisting of Lord Raudolph Churchill, Mr. Gorst, Sir H. D. Wolff, and Mr. Arthur Balfour,—made yesterday week a reconnaissance, not exactly in force, say rather in weakliness, against the Govern- ment, under the leadership, on this occasion, of Mr. Balfour. He moved a resolution taking the Government to task, for not so cutting their coat according to their cloth as to leave sufficient time for the thorough discussion of important measures. He pointed out, with much suavity, that it was the 20th of August; he commented considerately on all they had still to do, before they could disperse ; he reminded the House of Mr. Gladstone's admission, a month earlier, that it was hardly possible that im- portant measures brought before the House at such a date could receive adequate discussion ; he declared that when they intro- duced the Bill which took up so much time,—the Irish Disturbance Bill,—they must have known what its fate in the other House would be ; as for the plea of obstruction, obstruc- tion came from the Ministerial side, if from any side ; and Mr. Balfour particularly dwelt on the interminable speeches delivered on the Employers' Liability Bill ; finally, he closed his speech by gently accusing the Government of so introducing its measures as to prevent proper Parliamentary discussion altogether.
Previous page
