PLUNKET left to himself on Treasury Bench; bore up with
unflagging energy and perennial patience; has heard same points raised
every year since he was First Commissioner; has made same replies, and
has seen Votes passed. Long before he was in office same thing used
to go on with other First Commissioners. That was before the SAGE had
taken to politics. Good old RYLANDS--"Preposterous PETER"--was then
the Grand Inquisitor. But it was the same deer, the same gas-bills,
the same question of free residence for "that eminent warrior," as the
SAGE to-night called him, the Dook of CAMBRIDGE.
Oddly enough, almost only flash of humour through long sitting came
from GEORGE CAMPBELL. Gave graphic description of his hanging about
Holyrood Palace hankering after admission. According to existing
regulation, admission to be gained only after bang goes two saxpences.
For sixteen years Sir GEORGE ever lured to vicinity; sometimes
casually entered doorway, proposing to loiter past ticket-collector;
stopped by demand of a shilling, had resisted temptation. That was
sad, but what he felt most acutely was injury done to his nation.
Americans visiting Edinburgh on their way to Paris went to Holyrood:
charged a shilling.
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