206 



DISCIPLINARY POWER OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLIES. 



insufficient. The "Home-Rulers," as they 

 were called, misled for an instant, soon recov- 

 ered their way. Scarcely was the regime of 

 urgency in force, when Mr. Gladstone anew 

 launched forth hitter complaints at the slow 

 progress of the debate, and called for an in- 

 crease of measures to hasten its course. Thus 

 the session closed with a formal notice of reso- 

 lutions to be presented at the following session 

 in October. 



The autumn session commenced on October 

 24, 1882, and Mr. Gladstone brought forward 

 his resolutions as business that had devolved 

 on the Government. He said : " It was gen- 

 erally admitted last year that the efforts of the 



of motions, on every day for which they are 

 set down. 



It will be seen that the justification put forth 

 by Mr. Gladstone for the action of the Govern- 

 ment in taking part in this matter is founded 

 on the doctrine of necessity. The affairs of the 

 British Empire, he says elsewhere, " by its ex- 

 tension and concentration, have put a frightful 

 charge upon Parliament, so that this question 

 becomes one of life or death." This doctrine 

 of necessity furnishes always the last reason 

 for a usurpation of power. 



The rules of procedure were discussed for a 

 month, and adopted. The following is the text 

 of these new rules : 



MB. GLADSTONE BRINGS FORWARD HIS RESOLUTIONS. 



House to adjust this matter by conference for 

 themselves in a long series of years had been 

 futile and ineffectual, and that it remained to 

 be considered whether, by putting into opera- 

 tion that degree of influence which the House 

 is always inclined for the public interest to ac- 

 cord to the Government of the day, it might be 

 possible to put the question into a channel 

 which would be more likely to lead to a suc- 

 cessful issue." He concluded his speech by 

 moving that the new rules of procedure have 

 precedence of all orders of the day and notices 



I. PROCEDURE. 



PUTTING THE QUESTION. 



1. That when it shall appear to Mr. Speaker, or to 

 the chairman of Ways and Means in a Committee of 

 the "Whole House, during any debate, that the subject 

 has been adequately discussed, and that it is the evi- 

 dent sense of the House, or of the committee, that the 

 Question be now put, he may so inform the House or 

 the committee ; and, if a motion be made " That the 

 question be now put," Mr. Speaker, or the chairman, 

 shall forthwith put such question; and, if the same 

 be decided in the affirmative, the question under dis- 

 cussion shall be put forthwith : provided that the 

 question, " That the question be now put," shall not 



