nce, things worse
than ever. Benches empty, as usual at Morning Sitting. But now or
never, and at least there would be long report in Irish papers. So
went at it by the hour. Finished at a quarter to five. At Morning
Sitting, debate automatically suspended at ten minutes to seven;
two hours and five minutes for everyone else to speak. SINCLAIR long
waiting chance to thrust in his nose. Found it at last; but House
wearied and worn out; glad when seven o'clock approached, and Bill
read First Time.

[Illustration: THE LEADER OF THE HOUSE--(VIDE THE OPPOSITION PRESS.)]

At Evening Sitting, Lawyers had it all to themselves. ROBERTSON opened
Debate on Law of Conspiracy in admirable speech. Later came LOCKWOOD,
speaking disrespectfully of "B." Then SQUIRE OF MALWOOD, girding at
SOLICITOR-GENERAL; MATTHEWS followed, with plump assertion that Squire
had not been talking about the Resolution. Finally CHARLES RUSSELL,
with demonstration that "the Right Hon. Gentleman (meaning MATTHEWS)
had displayed a complete misconception of the character and objects of
the Resolution." Being thus demonstrated upon unimpeachable authority
that nobody knew anything about the Resolution, House proceeded
to vote upon it. For, 180; against, 226. Ministerialists cheered;
Opposition apparently equally delighted. So home I to bed, everyone
determined first thing in morning get hold of newspaper, and see what
the Resolution really was about. _Business done_.--Miscellaneous.

_Wednesday_.--"I wonder," said SAGE OF QUEEN ANNE'S GATE, curiously
regarding CHAMBERLAIN discoursing on the Eight Hours Bill, "whom JOE
meant by his reference at Birmingham on Saturday night to 'the funny
man of the House of Commons,'--'A man who has a natural taste for
buffoonery, which he has cultivated with great art, who has a hatred
of every Government and all kinds of restraint, and especially, of
course, of the Government that happens to be in office.' Couldn't be
HENEAGE, and I don't suppose he had JESSE in his mind at the moment.
Pity a man can't make his points clearly. JOE used to be lucid enough.
But he's falling off now in that as in other matters. Made me rub my
eyes when I read his remarks about House of Lords, and remembered what
he used to say on subject when he and I ran together. Certainly JOE
is a man of courage. There are topics he might, with memory of past
speeches, easily avoid or circumnavigate. But he goes straight at
'em, whether fence or ditch, takes