Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/22

 14] ENGLISH HISTORY. [fbb.

Campbell-Bannerman was already agreed upon when the meeting came together, the names of Sir Henry Fowler and Mr. Asquith, Q.C., having been withdrawn by their respective supporters. The only significance, therefore, of the gathering, apart from the formal installation of Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, was the attitude of those Liberals who desired to reserve the leadership for Sir Wm. Harcourt, should he at any time wish to resume it ; and at the same time to publish abroad the domestic squabbles of the party, which had ended for a while in the retirement of its most effective champion. Lord Rosebery's refusal to act again with Sir Wm. Harcourt was too notorious to need expression at the meeting, but Mr. Atherley-Jones (Dwrkcvm, N.W.), who made himself the spokesman of the anti-Rosebery section of the party, insisted that something more than the usual stereotyped ex- pressions of regret should accompany Sir Wm. Harcourt in his retirement. After a slight display of coyness on the part of the more ardent Roseberyites, the words "expresses its continued confidence in him " were added to the formal resolution. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman was then formally proposed, seconded and supported by representative members of the various sections of English, Scotch and Welsh Liberal opinion. In reply, Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman made a distinctly favourable im- pression on his hearers, conveying a sense of the responsibility of the post he was ready to assume. He promised to bring all his powers to maintain and advance the name, fame and power of the House of Commons, and urged his party to make the Opposition a reality by giving the Government a watchful and active, and not a violent or reckless Opposition.

On the following day (Feb. 7) Parliament was opened by royal commission, with a speech from the throne longer and duller than usual. No one anticipated that the assembling of Parliament would add much to the enlivenment of political life. The opposing forces were too unequally balanced to render struggles exciting, and whilst the minority were helpless to promote legislation, the Ministry, secure of their majority, were unwilling to attempt reforms or improvements which, however necessary, might alienate some section of their followers. It was, moreover, well known beforehand that the Ministry were keenly interested in only one of their own bills — that for the better administration of London — and that, however many measures might be promised in the speech from the throne, no intention of pushing them through was to be deduced there- from ; for, whilst it was politic to satisfy one section .of their followers by the introduction of certain measures of domestic and social reform for discussion, it was still more unadvisable to offend another section by pushing such measures to the extent of legislation.

The speech from the throne, read by the Lord Chancellor, read as follows : —

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