OUR LETTERS. OUR LONDON LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1639, 21 April 1883, Page 8

OUR LETTERS. OUR LONDON LETTER.

(FROM OUIt OWN COmiESPON'DENT. ) February 23rd,

You will see from the newspapers that we are all frozen with horror and amazement at the revelations recently made in the Kilmaiuham Courthouse. That is a conventional way of saying that the evidence given by the informers against their accomplices has been evory where devoured with intensß interest and enjoyment. I speak of England — the case may be otherwise in Ireland, among thos>e whose lives were actually menaced by the " Invincibles." To be suieweleel a thrill of repulsion— not unpleasant — at some of the ghastly disclosures. They are as good as a stage tiagedy or ft Ratcliti'e romance. When a stranger greets ua with a remark on the subject, we shudder an i look shocked. That is the correct thing. But, on the whole, we should be borry it the Phoenix Park tragedy, with all its concomitants, were erased from our annals. It is a big thing. It fills the otheiwise vacant imagination. It gives matter to the dullest talker. If enormities huch as these occurred more irequently, life would be better worth living ! The mysteiious "No. 1" is still at large. He is very much sought after. Many conjectures are afloat as to his identity and whereabouts. It is subpected that Carey knows more abdut him than he has yet revealed. "No. 1" is said to be a militarylooking man, of medium height, and limps. Some say he is an Iribh-Anierican named Milne or Millen, who served in the Federal Army ; others say ho is aJ. P. M'Donald or O'Donnell, an Irishman, who served in the French Army during the last war. By the Central News he was very confidently identified with Geneial M'Adaras, but that gentleman telegraphs to a Dublin paper emphatically denying the accusation. Mr Gladstone was not present at the opening of Parliament. His residence at Cannes h.id improved his health p.o much that hi« family and colleagues persuaded him to stay tht-re until his convalescence fahould be complete. The Premier's life at Cannes has been ably and minuti'ly chiotiicled by a conespon dwnfc of the Daily Nowh, who appears to be an inmate of the Chateau Scott. The reports are too full ■•"of genuine admiration for Mr Gladhfcone to have been penned by his valet, and one is at a loss to know who else could have supplied information of ko personal a character. That Mrs G did it is not to be believed. The funniest report is that of a tea-drinking at which Monsieur Cle'iuenceau was present. If these distinguished men had taken tea in some distinguished manner— with a fork, for instance, or out of a feeding-bottle — the fact would have been worth mentioning ■ but they seem to have imbibed it quite like ordinary mortals, and the talk meanwhile was as flat as the " business."

The G. O. M. leant, statuesque, againsf? a bookcase, with a teacup in his hand, and remarked that he was very fond of tea — diank more of it between midnight and 4 o'clock in the morning than any other member of the House of Commons. Cle'meneeau confessed that ho also was an intemperate bibber of tea, which was probably a polite fib, to please the old gentleman and keep up the hilarity. We hear through another channel that CleWnceau't) particular " wanity " is cuflce, and that he once expressed a poor opinion of the Americans, because they had no good coft'eo nor any general' ideas. Then both the great meti wondered " how before tea was imported into Europe our forefathers got on without iL" There is depth in that idea, but it is far from being original. It was then remarked that ''manners had become more polite and nations more humane since the introduction of the Chinese beverage, on hearing which Mr Gladstone exclaimed : ' Oh, there were great and atlinir ble characters in the Middle Ages.'" The conversation then trailed off into political platitude, good enough for the occasion, but scarcely worth telegraphing to London. According to the Queen's Speech, this session is to be exclusively concerned with the legislative needs of England and Scotland. No Irish need apply. Our friends across the Channel are expected to be satisfied with the attentions they have lately received, and in common gratitude to hold lhair tongues, and purge themselves of disloyal societies. These are the sentiments that breathe through the Royal mes-age. But the composers of that document reckoned without their host?. The very first dhision of the session was on an Irish question — the imprisonment of Healy — and since then a good part of the time has been taken up with matters arising out of the Dublin trial.

_ The domestic measures put down for consideration are chiefly old ones "carried forward." This is the third appearance of the Bankruptcy Bill, the Ballot Bill, the Rivera Conservancy Bill, and the Corrupt Practices Bill Among those dating from las.t session are the measures for the reform of the London municipality, the government of counties, the criminal code, and the law of patents. A Tenant-right Bill for English and Scotch farmers, and a bill proposing to establish a Court p of Criminal Appeal, are down for the first time. The programme is a pretty stiff one, but it is hoped that by the help of the new rules of debate a good part of the woik will be gut through. Among the private bills announced is one to abolish actions for breach of promise to marry ; another (Juotin McCarthy's) to abolish the Vice-royalty in Ireland.

The struggle between the House of Commons and Biadlaugh has ended in the triumph of tho latter. What the Parliament denied to reason it has yielded to importunity, liko the judge in the parable. Until the last moment the intentions of the Government were not

known witli respect to the claims of the member for Northampton, and this gentleman accordingly gathered his legions in Trafalgar square (perfectly orderly legion*), and declared that if on that day no announcement were made by tho Government, he shou d take his seat. If, on the contrary, they promised to introduce a bill substituting an affirmation foi r,hc oath, he would wait until tin fate of th<bill were known. Whim the Commons as sembled, the Speaker read a letter from Brad laugh reciting the various attempts he had uuide to obtain his seat, and giving notice that he would present himself to go through whatever formula was necessary to enable him then, to take it. In answer to Labouchere, Lord Hartington said th 3 Government would deal this session with the Parliamentary oath ; and in the_ name sitting the Attorney-General gave notice of a bill to amend the Parliamentary Oaths Act of 18G6, an announcement which was cheered by the Liberals. Sir It. Cross notified that he would offer the strongest opposition in his power to tho bill. Bradlaugh, who had been listening under the gallery, at once left the House, and drove off in a beaming humour with his daughter and Mrs Besant. The Oaths Bill has passed the first reading. Tho first part of ths debate on tho Address was occupied by a consideration of the Egyptian policy. It was a rdchauffe of the argu incuts for and against the war, that won brought forward at the time the vote of credit was moved. The debate would have been very dull but for the amusing paradoxes of Liid Randolph Churchill aud Sir Wilfred Lawson. The latter moved an amendment condemning the expedition, which was seconded by Labouchere. Mr A. Balfour amended the amendment by a motion expressing regret that intervention was not resorted to sooner. Both amendments were rejected. Dilke denied that the war was undertaken to protect Bi itish capitalists. He granted that a National party existed in Egypt, but it was not represented by oho military faction. What Arabi wanted was a bigger army, and more pay for the army ; he never put forward any plan in favour of popular liberty. Dilke concluded by saying that our proceedings in Egypt had been approved by Germany, Austria, Italy, and liussia. He had no reason to suppose that Turkey was hostile ; and if France had not expressed an opinion on the 'subject, it was? because she was otherwise engaged. The agricultural interests were then commiserated. Sir M. Lopes pointed out that -"armers had experienced eight consecutive bad seasons, and seamed to be entering on a ninth. \Lr Duckham thought the causes of agricultural distress were over-preservation of game, excessive rents, an arbitrary and cruel law of distress, insecurity of tenure, and unjust taxation. Mr Illingworth considered that the persons engaged in commercial industry were in as bad a plight as the fanners, but they bore their distress with more stoicism.

At this point the debate, which had begun to languish, received a sudden iillip from the statements made by Carey, the informer, The Conservatives believe, as an article of faith, that the Government released Parnell and his friends on the understanding that the latter should use their interest to put down lawlessness in Ireland. Paruell had then mentioned the existence of a man named Sheridan, who might be employed in the cause of order. Carey says this Sheridan was one of the Invincibles. The conclusion was irresistible. P.irnell knew Sheridan, therefore Parnell wa i an Invincible. The Government had desired the co operation of Parnell in the pacification of Ireland, therefore the Government had employed, or might ha veemployed, or were disposed to employ, tLe Invincibles — the murderers oi Lord F. Cavendish and Mrßuike- in restoring peace to Ireland ! That is the charge impheu i/i Gorst's amendment. In the course ( of hit. speech the member for Chatham compared ihe Cabinet to the Invincibles. Each had an inner circle, and each, he believed, had a " No 1." It was a remarkable coincidence that the member for Bradford (Forster) was the first object of both these organisations. One organisation aimed at his political assassination, the other at his physical assassination. The Home Secretary replied in a long and slashing speech. He denied that the communications with Parnell had taken place without the knowledge or consent of Forster. "My right hon. friend . was the principji party to those communications. It is all nonsense to say we ought not to have accepted the assurances of the suspects. The right hon. gentleman was as willing as we were to do so. There was one difference, and only one difference between us, and that was the question whether the assurances actually given were sufficient or not. He thought they were not. We thought they were. You may argiu> the matter as much as you like, you wiil never make more of it." As to Sheridan — " We never did associate ourselves with Sheridan. As far as I know, though I am not very conver.sant with his movements, he has never been in Ireland from that day to this."

Gibson, member for Dublin University, made a terrible attack onjthe Land League, aiid called on Parnell to answer the charges made against that organisation and its leaders. He denounced the League as " remorseless, cruel, and cowardly — (loud cheers) ; — not against the. landlords, whom it had defamed and robbed — but against poor and humble Irishmen, whom it tried to dragoon into its ranks. .It had been pointed out that out of 57 murders, five only were those of landlords ; and that out of 145 attempted murders, only 10 were attempts on landlords. The horrible majority of balances was to be made up of humbler people, for whoso sake the Land League leaders said they were fighting." Parnell threw in a word now and then, but made no formal reply. The debate was resumed last night by Lowther, who was followed by Forater. Forster spoke for two hours. He took credit for having deposed Parnell from his position of "uncrowned king of Ireland," and for breaking up the Land League. He said he did not charge Parnell and his friends with planning any murder, or with complicity with murder. " But I do charge against the hon. member and his friends that they allowed themselves to continue the leaders of an organisation which not merely urged the ruin of opponents by the boycotting that was to make life more miserable than death, but which set on foot an agitation that organised and permitted murder, and of which ihe natuial outcome was murder, as the hon. member ought to h-ave known it would be." Later on Mr Forbtef had occasion to say that Parnell had either connived at murder {Parnell : "It is a lie !"] O'KeJly sprang up and gave the lie to Forster four times, amid great uproar and cries of "Name!" He was named, and turned out. Forster explained that he was about to give Parnell an alternative— that he either connived at outrages, or chose to remain in ignorance of them and gain advantage by them. Parnell will roply to-night. Sir Alexander Gait," G.C.M.G., the High Commissioner for Canada, has been speaking at Edinburgh on the relation of tho Colonies to the Empire. < It is a subject that has lately come into prominence here. In some quarters it is confidently believed that a change is imminent that will greatly elevate the status of the Colonies in relation to tho Mother Ooun-

try. Tho High Commissioner deprecated the idea, of separation. He would not desire to see the Colonies reduced co tha condition of insignificant independent States, losing their birthright as members of the greatest Empire' in the world. The plan he suggested for giving the uolonirs a share in the General Imperial Government proportioned to tneir growing importance is that of local self-government under n Federal Parliament. He would have the -übject s,ubmittod to a Government Commission of representative men from England, Scotland, Ireland, and the self-governing Colonies, who would have before them the federation of the United States, the German' Empire, and many other successful Constitutions dividing local from general legislation. Mr W. Westgarth writes to a contemporary expressing an opinion that Sir A. Gait's project while grand and ideally perfect, is too far re^ moved from the present condition of things to be practicable. He thinks the claims of the Colonies might be satisfied by admitting into the Cabinet delegates from the parts f the Empire not at present represented in Parliament. " The expanded Cabinet, theTi, by the marvels of our graduating politics and constitutionaladaptation, becomes virtually a supreme federative assembly." These two plans seem t.o differ in nothing but a name. What the one calls Federal Assembly" the other calla •'Expanded Cabinet." Twenty years ago Sir lid ward Creasy argued for the admission of Jolonial representatives into the British' Parliament as now constituted. Only, as the < Colonies contribute nothing to the revenue by taxation, their representatives would be relatively fewer in number, and would not be illowed to speak or vote in Committees of ways and means. This idea is favourably criticised by Sheldon Amos, the aiithor of "Ihe Sconce of Politics," the latest volume of the international scientific series. The Soirento, with 5830 .frozen -carcasses of New Zealand sheep, arrived on the '7th inst. Lhe meat is in excellent condition. It caittfci from the hold dry, clean, and perfectly sweet 1 hough frozen into a solid block it showed no sign of frost-bite. On the first day 250 caroanses were bought up by the butchers at an average price of 7|<l per lb, and immediately resold as English mutton at the ordinary high uricea. The Sorrento was chartered by the Australian Company (Limited), and loaded at Port Chalmers.

6/t 0 ' 1 , 6 '/'' 12cl1 insfc> ivi vd g menfc was given in the Welch- Tennent divorce cases. In deciding the action against the wife, Lord Eraser said there was not a single act of immorality proved against her. She was therefore "' assoilised " from the conclusions of the action, and was entitled to expenses. The counter action was dismissed. Influential meetings were held in London md Edinburgh in the interests of the Skye crofters. Resolutions ware passed urging the Government to appoint a special commission to inquire into their case. Three of the four against whom warrants had been issued were arrested at Glasgow on their way to surrender themselves at Edinburgh. Two are described as old and feeble men. Their quiet and simple manners so won upon their " stony-hearted ' gaoler (all gaolers are necessaiily stonyhearted) that he showed them the sights of the city, and accompanied them to Holyrood and other places of interest. They were lodged at a hotel, as the warrant of arrest made no mention of imprisonment. When their case came on for hearing they were ordered to find bail to the amount of £100 each, to appear before the Court when called upon. The Salvationists have met 1 with the same hostile treatment from the roughs of Geneva aa from the roughs of London. But whereas f.he^ English authorities have acknowledged the ibligtition of protecting the followers of General Booth, ths beadles of Geneva sided witjh the rowdies, flatly refused to help the persecuted revivalists, and finally expelled the r ;Englinh delegates from the canton in a peculiarly offensive way. The latter .were two young girls — one a daughter oi' the General, and the other the daughter of an English clergyman, and only 18,— both.being described as clever, pious, and good-looking. An account of their examination appeared in The Times of Monday, communicated by ono of the young ladies to The Times correspon 'lent. Tho Swiss are too wise a people to stand any such nonsense as the . Sal vation craze. They believe in only one. legitimate enthusiasm— the lust of money. Rekdera of Johann Schorr's novels will remember the striking picture he draws of Geneva society in (I think) "Michel." Man muss ( prdktisch scin—enorni praktischt That is the eternal refrain of the acquisitive Genevan. It has been the motto of the nation in all times. Before they bad clocks and cheese to sell, they sold their valour. Helvetic troops have-been in the pay of probably every sovereign in Europe. In the wars between Leo l£. and Francis 1., several thousands of Swiss mercenaries were enlisted on each side. For • gold they were ready to cut each other's throats", but at the last momentthe Pope offered better pay, and all the Swiss in the French jarmy immediately deserted. The Swiss We the Chinese of Europe .in their resistance to all improving influences from without. On one side they have Italian art, on another German philosophy, on a third the social culture of France ; but Switzerland has never produced an artist, nor a phil- isopher, nor (speaking roundly) a gentleman. In the very middle of the stream of progress, the Swiss people contrive to remain stationary and unchanged, like a snag in an American river. Civilisation, has no hold in their unctuous egotism ; it slides off like water from the, oily surface of a duck. Rousseau was not a very great man, but ho was too great for the Swiss, who burned his books and drove him from the territory. . He was not properly Swiss, his family having.been originally French. It was a Swiss preacher of the 15th century who made the following brilliaut dissertation :— " A language has been lately invented called Greek. This Greek is the mother of all schisms ; and in it a book has been written which is called the New .Testament, and in which are many perilous passages. Another language has also arisen, which is Hebrew. Whosoever learns the same becomes a Jew !"