Mr. Dillon on Monday moved the adjournment of the House,
in order to complain of the action of the Government and the police in Tipperary, and a furious debate arose, the Irish, wildly excited, interrupting speakers opposed to them, and especially Mr. T. W. Russell, until the Speaker was compelled to interfere. Mr. Dillon's own speech—an impressive one, if its facts are correct, which Mr. Balfour denies—entered into a mass of details ; but the pith of it was, that the pro- clamation of the meeting was illegal; that the police behaved with needless brutality, wantonly batoning the people; and that one particular charge was made upon himself and five other gentlemen, who were quietly talking together. The police, however, he admitted, in this case opened out as they reached the group, and did not baton anybody. Mr. Balfour's reply was that such meetings always produced disturbances, and were rightly prohibited, and that the police did not charge till they were stoned and assailed with bits of gaspipe filled with powder, which he thought formidable weapons, though the other side described them as " boys' playthings." Mr. Glad- stone then spoke, and described the affair as most serious— though no one was injured—and demanded a public inquiry; but the House, after listening to many more speeches, and among them a bitter one from Mr. H. Fowler, who did not believe that Mr. Balfour credited his own police, on a division refused the adjournment by 281 to 220.
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