When Mr.
Marjoribanks read out a majority of 51--or a majority bigger than the usual one--there was a loud halloo of triumph and delighted surprise from the Liberal and the Irish Benches; and so the first big fence in the Home Rule Bill was easily taken.
[Sidenote: Obstructive Chamberlain.] By the middle of the sitting on the following day the House of Commons stood face to face with the first clause.

Under ordinary circumstances, the clause would have been passed after a few speeches--especially and definitely directed to the words of the clause; Mr.Chamberlain demanded the right on this clause to discuss, not only the whole Bill with all its other clauses, but the past and future of the whole Home Rule struggle.

He quoted passage after passage from speeches delivered by Irish members years and years ago; in short, he entered upon a survey of the whole controversy.

There were countless interruptions from the Irish Benches--not in the least because the Irish members cared for Joe's attacks, but because such a roundabout discussion was altogether a revolutionary departure from all previous precedents; and would have been held distinctly out of order by any of the predecessors of Mr.
Mellor in the chair.

That good-natured and easy-going official, however, gave Mr.Chamberlain his head; and so, for an hour, he poured forth a stream of clever, biting, but mean and irrelevant vituperation.
[Sidenote: The G.O.M.'s greatest speech.] It was well that it should have been so; for to this speech the House of Commons owes one of the most remarkable and historic scenes in its long history.