The occasion was the motion of Mr. Redmond in reference to the release
of the dynamitards. Mr. McCarthy, though he strongly disapproved of the
motion, was forced to express regret that Mr. Asquith had closed the
prison doors with a "bang;" and one or two of the supporters and friends
of Mr. Asquith were also compelled to express their dissent, and to vote
in the lobby against him. But undoubtedly that speech has immensely
increased Mr. Asquith's reputation and strengthens his position. He is
one of the strong and great men of the immediate future.
[Sidenote: Obstruction, naked and unashamed.]
When the debate on amnesty was concluded, there came a climax to that
system of obstruction in which the Tories and the Unionists indulged
during the first fortnight; and there was indication of the growing
exasperation of the Ministerial and the Irish members. Midnight had
struck; and Mr. Balfour, on the part of the Tories, had the face to
declare that it was impossible, at such a late hour, to do justice to
the next amendment. As the next amendment dealt with the Gweedore
prisoners, and as the House has heard of little else but the Gweedore
prisoners for the last fortnight, the majority received this
announcement with a fierce outburst of impatience, the Irish Bench
especially being delighted at the opportunity of paying back to Mr.
Pages:
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48