DISORDER IN COMMITTEE ON THURS DAY, 27TH JULY. (Hansard, 1 August 1893)

§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONE

There is a matter in connection with the statement which I made yesterday which I ought to have referred to at the time, and it is this: that I wish to make a Motion to the following effect:— That the words of Mr. Speaker, addressed to the House yesterday, relating to the disorder which arose in the Committee on the Government of Ireland Bill on Thursday, the 27th of July, be entered on the Journal of this House. The Motion is one so obviously proper, and, indeed, consequential on what took place with reference to information and authority for the future guidance of the House, that if it be agreeable to the general feeling of the House I will move it now without delay.

§ THE SPEAKER

The Prime Minister has asked me to say a few words, or I should not have ventured again to obtrude myself on the notice of the House. From the first, I may own, I have been very unwilling indeed either that a Committee should be resorted to, or that any further notice should be taken of the regrettable incident of Thursday. But I have this to say—that I feel, if I may venture to say so, that the Prime Minister exercised a wise discretion and judgment in stating, as the whole House, I think, feels, that it was necessary to mark, in some exceptional manner, the feeling of this House at what took place on Thursday night. It was due not only to the outraged feeling of the House, but to the indignation which ran through the country—as it is not too much to say—it was due that the Leaders of the House should have done what they have done to-night, marked from four different quarters of the House the feeling 1011 that they entertained of what took place. I have only to add that I believe the great security against the repetition of such scenes as took place is for us not only collectively to feel that we are the House of Commons, but to feel individually that we are each one the guardian of its honour and its dignity, and that we do resent, as I am sure we shall resent, every infringement of the better traditions of the House as a personal injury and affront. I trust I may be allowed to say, after what has fallen from the Prime Minister, from the Leader of the Opposition, and from gentlemen representing other sections of opinion in this House, I hope the House may be content, as I am, to let the matter rest, not only within the walls of this House, but outside. We have thus marked our sense of what took place, and we shall, I believe, take the best steps we can to avoid the recurrence of any disturbance in the future.