Nothing can be more unjust than to say, with the
Times and the Daily News, that Mr. Gladstone attempted to frighten the House into agreeing to his resolution, by threatening it with further disorderly acts of Mr. Bradlaugh's. What he did say was simply this,—that Mr. Bradlaugh had attempted to take the oath, against the orders of the House ; that, on the motion of the leader of Opposition, he had been ordered into arrest for doing so ; and then discharged, also on the motion of the leader of Opposition, without any kind of apology to the House ; and that his colleague at Northampton had intimated that such scenes would recur, if action were not taken in regard to Mr. Bradlaugh's claim. This was all true. Sir S. Northcote was obliged to move that Mr. Bradlaugh be taken into custody, and. then that he be discharged from custody, without any apology to the House. And what could be a greater encouragement to Mr. Bradlaugh to pursue the same course again ?
