It was not so much a peroration
as an appeal, a message, a benediction.
At first, when the Old Man sat down, the pause followed that speaks of
emotion too deep for prompt expression, and then once again a rush to
their feet by the Irishry and the Liberals, loud cheering, and the
waving of hats, and all those other manifestations of vehement feeling
which alone Mr. Gladstone is privileged to receive. The Tories had kept
very quiet; had conducted themselves on the whole very well. Once or
twice came a high sniff of disgust, and now and then a younger member
could not restrain himself from an exclamation. But, altogether, the
Opposition was under the same spell as the rest of the House, and
listened patiently to the end.
[Sidenote: Mr. Sexton.]
I may pass over all that occurred on that Monday evening, with the
single exception of the very remarkable speech of Mr. Sexton. It was
well known that Mr. Sexton had taken a prominent part in laying before
Mr. Gladstone and his colleagues the views of the Irish party as to what
would constitute a satisfactory Bill to the Irish people; and Mr. Sexton
was authorised by his colleagues to state their views to the House.
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