Sitting of 19 May 1898

Preamble
Mr. SPEAKER took the Chair at Three of the Clock.

DEATH OF MR. GLADSTONE.
Notice taken of the death, at an early hour this morning, of the Right Honourable WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE.
THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester. E.): Mr. Speaker, I think it will be felt in all parts of the House that we should do fitting honour to the memory of the great man whose long and splendid career closed to-day, by adjourning our business this afternoon. This is not the occasion, Sir, upon which to give utterance to any of the thoughts which naturally suggest themselves. That occasion will be presented to-morrow, when it will be my duty, in Committee of the House, to propose an address to Her Majesty, praying her to grant the honour of a public funeral to Mr. Gladstone, should that not be inconsistent with his expressed wishes or the wishes of those who have a right to speak on his behalf, and also praying Her Majesty to give directions for a public monument to be erected at Westminster in his honour The exact terms in which that motion will be brought before the House will appear on the Paper, but perhaps it will
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be as well that I should say, among other things, that we pray Her Majesty that an inscription be placed upon the monument expressive of the public admiration and attachment inspired by the deceased statesman, and of the high sense entertained by the House and the country of his rare and splendid gifts, and his devoted labours in Parliament, and in great offices of the State. Sir, before I actually move that this House adjourn, we shall have to puss a purely formal resolution to set up a Committee in which the Address, the contents of which I have just indicated to the House, will be moved by me to-morrow. As soon as that purely formal proceeding is terminated I shall then move that the House do now adjourn.
MR. SPEAKER: The Question is—
"That this House will to-morrow, at half-past three, resolve itself into a Committee, to consider that an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that Her Majesty will give directions that the remains of the Rt. Hon. William Ewart Gladstone be interred in the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster, and that a monument be erected in the said church to his memory, at the public expense."
Question put and agreed to.
THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY: I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.
SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT: Sir, I rise, not to express to-day any of those sentiments of national sorrow which, as the right honourable Gentleman the Leader of the House has said, will be in order tomorrow, but I rise only to second the motion which the honourable Gentleman has moved, "That this House do now adjourn."
Question put and agreed to.
House adjourned at 3.15.