In the House of Commons, the new form of Address
in answer to the Speech from the Throne, was moved by Colonel Kenyon-Slaney (M.P. for the Newport Division of Shropshire) in the following terms :—" Most Gracious Sovereign,—We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Com- mons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled, beg leave to thank your Majesty for the most gracious Speech which your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament." It was seconded by Mr. Fulton (M.P. for West Ham, Northern Division). Then Mr. Gladstone rose, and in a very gentle speech ex- pressed his disappointment that the Government intended to encroach at once on the rights of private Members, in order to urge forward the measures of which they had given notice, —the Irish Land measure, the Tithe measure, and the Irish Relief measures,—touched very tranquilly on the sins of the Porte in Armenia, inquired whether there was to be an in- vestigation of the charges against Mr. Stanley's African Rear- Column, protested somewhat warmly against the statement in the Queen's Speech that the improved state of Ireland was due to the firmer administration of justice, and attacked the Government for embodying so very partisan a statement in a Royal Speech which they desired to shield against superfluous assaults and criticisms. But Mr. Gladstone probably felt little real interest in the political parade of the evening, all his thoughts being fixed on the great Parnell question, which was in suspense.
