Part 14

Feb. 16th.--Sharp succession of frantic speeches in the House of Commons by Mr. Newdegate, Alderman Fowler, Mr. Warton, Mr. Henry Chaplin, Mr. Onslow, Mr. Grantham, Mr. Beresford Hope, Lord H. Lennox, Lord C. Hamilton, Mr. A. Balfour, Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, and Mr. A. O'Connor. Divisions: from two to three to one for Government. The Marquis of Hartington consents to adjourn the motion for Bill until Monday at twelve.

Feb. 18th.--The _Observer_ says that when Conservatives ask Liberals whether they really mean to alter the law for the purpose of admitting Mr. Bradlaugh, it is fair for Liberals in turn to ask Conservatives whether they really mean to maintain an admitted abuse and injustice for the mere purpose of excluding Mr. Bradlaugh.

Feb. 19th.--First reading of Bill carried on division by 184 votes to 53; second reading formally fixed for that night week.

Feb. 20th.--_Daily News_ says Bill will be carried by large majorities, and will be regarded by the House and the country as the appropriate settlement of an unfortunate controversy.

The _Times_ says the leaders of the opposition will not succeed in finally preventing the Bill from becoming law. Its real concern is that Mr. Bradlaugh has been substantially in the right; that he has been unjustly excluded from taking the seat which belongs to him.

The _Morning Advertiser_ thinks the Government may yet find it difficult to persuade the House to adopt the Bill.

The _Morning Post_ justifies the irregular opposition to the first reading of the Bill, and thinks notice of the measure should have been given in the Queen's Speech. No measure had created more excitement or raised more indignation in the country, which desired to see it rejected by a decisive majority.

March 5th.--Appeal case Bradlaugh _v._ Clarke part heard before the House of Lords.

March 6th.--Case concluded; judgment deferred.

March 9th.--Action for maintenance--Bradlaugh _v._ Newdegate--tried before Lord Coleridge and a special jury. Henry Lewis Clarke, the common informer, swore that he had not the means to pay the costs, and would not have brought the action if he had not been indemnified by Mr. Newdegate. Case adjourned for argument of legal points.

March 17th.--Maintenance action argued; four counsel appearing for Mr. Newdegate. Lord Coleridge reserved judgment.

March 20th.--The Solicitors to the Treasury compelled Mr. Bradlaugh to pay the costs of the House of Commons in the action against the deputy Sergeant-at-Arms.

TRANSCRIBERS' NOTES

Page 58, 59: Variable spelling of Chipping Wicomb/Wycomb as in the original Page 62: . added after "brought up in custody" Page 70: " added after 'concluding with the words "So help me, God' Page 75: " removed after '27 L. J., Q. B., 195.' Page 83: aseembly corrected to assembly after "may say again, that this" Page 88: Extra the removed from "lay it before the the Judges" Page 96: " added after 'the man who stands before them--(' Page 100 (A Cardinal's Broken Oath Page 2): . added after E.C Page 104 (A Cardinal's Broken Oath Page 6): inuendoes as in the original Page 111 (Northampton and the House of Commons Page 5): , corrected to . after "personally give such undertaking" Page 113 (Northampton and the House of Commons Page 7): . added after "sitting within its walls" Page 121 (Northampton and the House of Commons Page 15): " corrected to ' after "heirs and successors, according to law," Page 127 (Diary of the Northampton Struggle Page 5): . added after '"persons so admitted," etc' Page 133 (Diary of the Northampton Struggle Page 11): v. italicised for consistency after "The case of Clarke" Page 140 (Diary of the Northampton Struggle Page 18): v. italicised for consistency after "Appeal case Bradlaugh" and after "Action for maintenance--Bradlaugh" General: Variable spelling of Serjeant-at-Arms/Sergeant-at-Arms as in the original General: There are several words, which would normally have been spelt with a "u" in British English, which have been spelt without in the original text e.g. humor, endeavored, savor. These spellings have been preserved. General: Variable spelling of Lewis Price/Pryse as in the original