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.
Balfour some of the insults he had poured on them so freely during his
six years of power. Meantime, the Liberal temper had been roused to
still more feverish heat by the splendid news from Halifax, followed by
the even more unexpectedly good tidings from Walsall; and there was a
determination to stand no nonsense. But Obstruction was determined to go
on, and when it was two o'clock in the morning Sir William Harcourt
declared that he would not persevere further. There arose a fierce shout
of disappointment from his supporters and from the Irishry; but Sir
William beamed pleasantly, and the majority submitted to the tyranny of
the minority. And thus debating impracticable proposals, barely
listening to long speeches, doing absolutely nothing, the days
succeeded each other; and legislators who wanted work, longed for the
steady and mechanical regularity of their well-ordered offices, their
vast factories, their sanely-conducted communications with all parts of
the world, to which English genius, sense, and industry have brought the
goods of England. The contrast between the Englishman at business and at
politics is exasperating, woeful, tragic.