H(ere) C(omes) E(verybody) Ch-ld-rs.
Business done.—Irish Land Bill.
Thursday.—Cheerful presence of Ashbourne diffused over Ministerial Bench in Lords to-night. Not often here. Has given up to Dublin what was meant for mankind. Always unfeignedly delighted to get back to Westminster. Business to-night to move the Second Reading of Coercion Bill. Considerable gathering of Peers, expecting debate, and possible division. Amazed to find Front Opposition Bench almost empty. Granville rises to explain that it is useless to fight measure, and therefore don't intend to raise debate. Argyll furious. Had meant to smash Opposition, and they had run away! Selborne sleekly sarcastic. Admitted he, too, had speech ready, but would wait for audience on Front Bench opposite. General feeling of disappointment. Several Peers who had come down, expecting lively entertainment, wanted their money returned at the doors. Markiss referred them to Granville, but Granville had already smiled his way out. Bill read Second Time, and sitting comically collapsed.
Commons crowded. Grandolph's name underlined on the bills. Understood he meant to "go for" the Government. Expectation fully realised. Took the Land Bill out of Balfour's hands, publicly danced on it, kicked it up and down floor of House, and finally tore it to shreds.
"I trust," he said, when, at end of hour's exercise of this kind, nothing was left of the Bill but its title, "that I have not by these observations added to the difficulties of the situation."
"Not at all, not at all," said Old Morality, polite to the last.
After Grandolph's finished performance, Harcourt a little heavy. Humour rose to highest level when he alluded to Jesse Collings as "the Member for Three Acres and a Cow." Henry James deeply offended at levity of Harcourt's tone. This last hit too much for him. Rose and quitted House amid hilarious cheers from Parnellites.
