Friday, 1.20 a.m.—If there is in the world at this moment a thoroughly astonished man it is John William Logan, Member of Parliament for the South (Harborough) division of Leicestershire. Just now Logan's mind is disturbed and his collar ruffled by an incident in the passage of Home-Rule Bill; but he is capable of giving perfectly coherent account of events. At ten o'clock Mellor rose as usual to set in motion machinery of guillotine. Question at moment before Committee peremptorily put. Logan, unguardedly descending from serene atmosphere of side gallery, reached floor of House; was passing between table and Front Opposition Bench towards division lobby when he beheld vision of Vicary Gibbs skipping down gangway steps shouting and waving his arms. Logan, a man of philosophical temperament and inquiring mind, halted to watch course of events. Something apparently wrong in the City; things either gone up or gone down; Vicary Gibbs certainly come down; was now seated beside Prince Arthur, with hat fiercely pressed over brow, excitedly shouting at Chairman. As everybody else was shouting at same moment, Chairman wrung his hands, and spasmodically cried "Order! Order!" Logan had presence of mind to note that whilst Vicary in any pause in the storm cried aloud, "Mr. Mellor, I rise to order," he was sitting down all the time with his hat on.
That was Logan's last collected idea before personal affairs entirely engrossed his attention. Hayes Fisher, in ordinary times mildest-mannered man that ever helped to govern Ireland, took note of Logan still standing in passage between Front Bench and table; effect upon him miraculous.
"Yah, Logan!" he yelled; "get out. Bah! bah! go to the Bar."
Contagion of fury touched Carson, who had hitherto been shouting at large. He now turned on Logan. "Gag! gag!" he yelled. "Gang of gaggers." Then, in heat of moment, he cried above the uproar, "Gag of gangers."
This too much for Logan. Hitherto stood everything; now sat down in contiguity to Carson. Here is where the surprise came in. Front Opposition Bench not his usual place, but was nearest available seat. His standing up objected to; it was certainly against rules of law and order that prevail in the House of Commons. Very well then, he would sit down. This he did, taking vacant place by Carson. But, like the bo'sun and the sailor strung up for forty lashes, hit high or hit low he couldn't please them. The scene that followed has no parallel since similar disturbance took place in Dotheboys Hall when Nicholas Nickleby revolted and "took it out" of Squeers. Hayes Fisher leaning over clutched LOGAN by the back of the neck and thrust him forth. Ashmead-Bartlett, seeing opportunity of winning his knightly spurs, firmly fixed his eyeglass, and felt for Logan in the front.
That the table and front Opposition Bench were not "steepled" in Logan's gore, as were the forms and benches at Dotheboy's Hall in that of Fanny Squeers's Pa, was due to diversion raised from another quarter. Irish members below Gangway, seeing the scrimmage, and noting Carson had something to do with it, moved down in body with wild "whirroo!" Saunderson, providentially in his place, sprang up and advanced to intercept the rolling flood. Crean being on crest of advancing wave found his face, by what Campbell-Bannerman would describe as a "regrettable accident." in contact with the Colonel's fist. Moreover, it was the knuckly end, scarcely less hurtful than the sharp edge of the sword which laid Walker (of London) low. Crean drew back, but only pour mieux reculer, as they say in Cork. Whilst the Colonel was standing in the attitude of pacific impartiality he later described to the Speaker, Crean dealt him an uncommonly nasty one on the chops; the thud distinctly heard amid the Babel of cries in the miniature Donnybrook below Gangway. Amid moving, struggling mass, Saunderson's white waistcoat flashed to and fro like flag of truce, to which, alas! there was no response. What became of Logan in this crisis not quite clear. Fancy I saw Walrond extricating him from the embraces of Fanny-Squeers-Ashmead-Bartlett. Mr. G. looked on with troubled face from Treasury Bench. Bartley standing up on edge of scrimmage, pointed accusatory forefinger at him, was saying something, probably opprobrious but at the moment inaudible.
"So like Bartley to go to root of matter," said George Russell, who surveyed scene from sanctuary of Speaker's chair. "Others might accuse Joseph of being responsible for disturbance by likening his old colleague and chief to iniquitous King Herod at the epoch when the worms were waiting to make an end of him. Vicary GIBBS and good Conservatives generally are sure it was Tay Pay's retort of 'Judas! Judas!' that dropped the fat into the fire. Only Bartley has cool judgment and presence of mind to point the moral of the moving scene. A striking figure in the inextricable mêlée. When his statue is added to that of great Parliamentarians in St. Stephen's Hall, the sculptor should seize this attitude."
Business done.—Home-Rule Bill through Committee; but first a real taste of Donnybrook.
