(Extracted from the Diary of Toby, M.P.)
House of Commons, Monday, March 9.—When on conclusion of Questions the Prime Minister rose to move Second Reading of Home Rule Bill, House presented appearance seen only once or twice in lifetime of a Parliament. Chamber crowded from floor to topmost bench of Strangers' Gallery. Members who could not find seats made for the side galleries, filling both rows two deep. Still later comers patiently stood at the Bar throughout the full hour occupied by the historic speech. A group more comfortably settled themselves on the steps of the Speaker's Chair. The principal nations of the world were represented in the Diplomatic Gallery by their ambassadors. As for the peers, they fought for places in limited space allotted to them with the energy of messenger-boys paid to secure places in the queue of first night of new play at popular theatre.
MIJNHEER KAARSON. (The New Orange Free Stater.)
[Mr. William O'Brien referred to Ulster as the new "Orange" Free State, which has just received official recognition.]
Entering while Questions were in progress Premier was received with rousing cheer. Renewed with fuller force when he stood at the Table to discharge his momentous task. That the enthusiasm was largely testimony to personal popularity and esteem appeared from what followed. Weighed down with gravity of responsibility, as he unfolded his plan he found lacking the inspiration of continuous outbursts of cheering that usually punctuate important speeches by Party leaders.
Radicals and Nationalists were prepared to accept his concessions to Ulster feeling; but they did not like them. Redmond's declaration that the Premier "has gone to the very extremest limits of concession" drew from Ministerialists a more strident cheer than any accorded to their Leader as he expounded his plan.
Consciousness of this significant luke-warmness reacted upon Premier. He spoke with unusual slowness, further developing tendency of recent growth to drop his voice at end of sentence.
Bonner Law studiously quiet in manner, moderate in speech. Nevertheless, perhaps therefore, made it clear that Premier's overtures, unloved by his followers, will not be welcomed by Opposition. Carson, who had enthusiastic reception from Unionists, flashed forth epigram that put Ulster's view in a phrase.
"We don't want sentence of death," he said, "with a stay of execution for six years."