Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/274

 266] FOEEIGN HISTORY. [1899.

for a bill of indemnity afterwards. The leaders of the more official Opposition Sgri. Giolitti and Rudini, consequently came to an understanding with the extreme Left to insist upon the danger of this abdication by the Chamber of its constitutional rights, and an effort was made to limit the vote on account to one month's requirements. This, however, was defeated by 203 to 88 votes, and the six months' vote was granted. A few days later General Pelloux persuaded the Chamber to vote his proposed amendment of procedure, but it was found ineffectual in practice, and obstruction remained unchecked. Further pro- longation of the session was useless, and its prorogation a week later was announced (June 22) in the official Gazette, and on the following day a royal decree conferred extraordinary powers upon the Government during the recess. The right of meeting and association was suspended, the wearing or carrying in public of badges, flags and seditious emblems was forbidden, and public servants employed on railways, etc., who in groups of three or upwards should meet to discuss strikes were to be punished with imprisonment. The decree, moreover, was to come into effect immediately upon the expiration of the excep- tional laws already promulgated, if in the interval the bill of indemnity was not regularly voted by Parliament.

This measure of precaution was without doubt the most serious step adopted by the kingdom of Italy since the troublous times of its unification, and its gravity was recognised through- out the country. The Socialists talked of arraigning the Ministry ; the Moderates groaned under the inroad upon con- stitutional rights; whilst the Clericals were jubilant over the troubles of the Throne.

The closing sitting of the Chamber (June 28) reflected at once the determination of the Government and the attitude of the Opposition. The discussion of the Navy Estimates was interrupted in order to consider the decree. General Pelloux was generally successful in his manoeuvres, although he con- siderably lessened his majority by his overtures to the Right, and his consent to Zanardelli's retirement was seriously blamed ; he was charged, moreover, with bringing forward measures which seriously threatened parliamentary prerogative. He de- fended himself against these attacks with little vigour, but nevertheless he obtained his bill of indemnity by 208 to 138 votes. On the morrow of the prorogation (July 1) the deputies of the extreme Left met together in one of the committee rooms of Monte Citorio, under the presidency of Sgr. Ardrea Costa, and drew up a protest against the summary closing of the session. They explained that their obstructive policy was necessitated by the dangers threatening parliamentary prerog- atives which they sought to defend. A few hours later the chairman of this meeting was arrested on the pretext of having still to purge himself of a sentence of five months' imprisonment passed upon him in 1894, and he was conveyed handcuffed