Current Topics AT HOME AND ABROAD.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 25, 14 October 1887, Page 1

Current Topics AT HOME AND ABROAD.

PIONB oF FAI7.UBE.

We have already beard a good deal rp^pjciing tbe inconsistency and weakness'of the Tory Government. in consenting to the revision of the judicial rents. The nature of the step thus taken, as we.l as the readiness of the Liberal-Unionists to sacrifice everyching to their opposition to the Irish cause, seems to us, however, to be more clearly explained in tbe fol 'owing passage from the St. James's Gazette, aa ultra-Tory newspaper, than in anything we had previously seen. The fear awakened in the Tory camp by the betrayal of the Government's weakness and tbe complete want of principle that characterises the unholy alliance between Tories and Liberal-Unionists may be plainly *-cad between the line 1 ?. The Gazette is referriug to the speech made by Lord Hartington at the Greenwich banquet :— " It appears from another portion of Lord Hartington's speech, that if Lord Salisbury and Mr. Goscben believed tbat to revise judicial rents in Ireland was neither expedient nor honest, the Liberal-Unionist leaders were not desirous of revision either. '1 am ready to admit;' cays Lord Hartington, 'that we believed aad hoped it would not be necessary in the present session, to adopt a principle so full of risk •nd danger, 60 pregnant with possible inconvenieace and difficulty in the w<iy of passing a great Jand scheme for Ireland, as tbe principle of the revision of judicial rents payable by solvent tenants. But the change was made, and no doubt it was made under a belief that it hits become necessary, if the consolidation of i he LiberalUnionists and Conservatives was not to ba interrupted. But it has not had that resalt. There is nothing to show that this surrender of udgment— we think of justice too— has pleased many Liberals in the country. None of the many Liberals of whom Mr. Goschen is the representative can like it, or be anything else loan disgusted with it; while as for the Oonser natives, it is unnecessary to inform anyone who knows the slate of feeling amongst them, that what thousands of their number regard as a compulsory surrender of principle is •trongly resented. Now, whatever the fads or the merits of the case may be, that does not make for concord ; there is no continuance of consolidation here. Yet Lord Hartington— speaking, we presume, for the Conservative-Unionist leaders as well as for the LiberalUnionist chiefs— promises that beforo next session they will place before the country a policy of reform and of progress, which shall at the same time tend to consolidate the union of the Unionist party, to secure and establish the maintenance of the Union, and to confer npon our country benefits for which it has long been waiting, and for which, but some policy of this kind, it may have long to wait It it a noble endeavour, and we should rejoice if it does not turn put to be undertaken a little too soon."

f A BLIP OK THE TONGUE OR TWO.

Dr. Tanneb, who lately distinguished himself in the House of Commons by having an interview with a Tory member, in which he used language that was rather more energetic than complimentary, U, netertheless, by no means to be taken for a wild uncultured native from the bogs, to whom the accidents of nationalism alone threw open the doors of Parliament. The doctor notwithstanding a slip of of the tongue, or rather two or three consecutive slips, one more energetic than another, and into which he was betrayed by what was most probably an intentionally provoking intrusion at a moment of irritation, is a cultured and genial gentleman, whose social pcsition has always been recognised. It was, perhaps, at a celebrated Knglish school, that he acquired an over-ready use in moments of irritation of the expletive that, from time immemorial, has characterised the English people, and even placed a nick-name for them on the tongues of foreigners, for among the colleges at which Dr. Tanner obtained his education was that at Winchester. He also Btudied at Leipzig and Berlin, as well as at the Queen's College in bis native city of Cork. If Dr. Tanner swears, therefore, he may be accredited with swearing, as the old saying is, like a lord, for his antecedents are of high social standing, and half the odium which he incurs may be looked upon as due to enmity, which pursues one who is accused of being a deserter from the party with which birth and education

might be considered as identifying him. The doctor, in short, is a convert to tbe national canse, for which the sights that mat bis eyes, and all the circumstances in which, on due consideration, he found his native land, won bis sympathies. With all the zeal of a sincere convert, he now supports and advocates that cause, and tbe vigour with which be encounters the Tories, whose position be thoroughly understands, is one of the features in the opposition of tbe Home. Rulers which most disconcerts them, and which they resent as most vexatious. This feeling against the doctor should be known in calculating as to the chances that the interview in which he particularly distinguished himself was forced upon him for the purpose of picking a quarrel. But, if it was so, the trinmph gained was bat momentary, and the satisfaction fleeting, for the frankness with which Dr. Tanner acknowledged his fault and the evident sincerity of a bis regret for his passing forgetfulness, have rather won admiration for him than anything else.

hopeful conBIDEKATIONB.

Mb. Datitt, who lately presided at a lector* delivered by Mr. 0. H. Oldham on the Flax Industry of Ireland, took occasion to speak at con* siderable length on the all-important Bubject of the encouragement of Irish Industries generally, and the way in which it might best be promoted. The iubject, however, which chiefly engaged his attention was what had also formed the theme of the lecturer, that is flax-growing and the manufacture of linen, the only g.-eat branch of industry for which Ireland bai been distinguished during the present century. The industry, however, as the speaker showed, has been by no means so fully carried out M it might have been, and especially the matter of flax -growing has» been neglected in a very faulty manner. Mr. Davitt, nevertheless, does not bring this before the public for the first time. It has, in fact, been for many years one of the questions that attention has been periodically directed to, and it may well be brought forward, as Mr. Davitt indeed made line of it, as one of the most powerful pleas that can be urged in favour of Home Rule. It is evident that nothing but a government whose interest was principally that of developing the resources of the country, and providing as their first duty for its progress and welfare, could effectually deal with a question such as this which has been conclusively proved by frequent failure as beyond the reach of private solution. That the industry is a most important one cannot be doubted, nor is it. doubtful that Ireland is exceptionally qualified by nature to give it the fullest development of which it is capable. The encouragement of this branch of industry, as well as of the woollen manufactures, for which the country iB also especially adapted, as Mr. Davitt pointed out, would form mort worthy occupation for a native legislature. He deprecated altogether the notion that the industries were antagonistic, and reproved alike the mistaken nationalist who resisted encouragement to the linen trade, as that historically associated with the destruction in the last centmry of the woollen trade, and the anti-nationalist who feared that a national parliament would nnduly favour the revival of the woollen industry. The equal promotion of bjth, Mr. Davitt showed to be the true policy that needed to be carried out for the common benefit of the country, giving them the preference as those for which Ireland was especially adapted. Three mil lion a of money it seems, for example.every year are sent to foreign countries for the flax seed needed in the United kingdom, and of this every ounce might under a proper system of management be produced in Irelund. It may perhaps, seem rather paradoxical, but one of the most hopeful considerations in connection with the Irish question is that of the bad management which now so generally prevails. In fact, when the matter is properly looked into, the settlement of the agrarian question becomes by no means the only one that seems imperative. Independent of this, and yet in some way connected with it, are many other questions, every one of which needs solution, but to the solution of every one of which most hopeful expectations are attached. It is not a mere matter of giving to the farming classes land at rents which they can afford to pay, or even totally frpe from rent, but so that they should still be subject to suffer from the variations of the seasons, or the effects of foreign competition, or, perhaps, even condemned still to poverty arising from the growth of excessive population. There are abundant resources at hand, to whose develop menf a right sottjement of the agrarian question may, indee

subserve, but which require the fostering care of a national legislature and without whose development no agrarian settlement that can be made will be otherwise than imperfect and insufficient. But hope lies in the fact, as we have said, that such resources abound and only require development. Everything is present except the power of good management for which the people are now making their struggle.

AMtaibs in EUROPE.

The relations between Russia and France which will in all probability be now afiected in no light degree by the action of Italy, are described as follows by the St. James's Gazette:—" Undoubtedly a change has come over the look of things since the last Three-Emperor conference ; especially in one important particular, the relations of Russia and France. We know that an alliance between the two powers has been feared in Germany above all things ; but great aa the dread may have been and undoubtedly has been, it is not likely that any sadden rapprochement was apprehended, France had yet to complete her armament ; in Bossia, vast as are the Czar's supplies of mea and of warlike material, much preparation would be necessary before an alliance with France couM be acknowledged ; and, therefore, the worst that could be anticipated in Germany were these two thingsgrowth of Busso-French friendship and maintenence meanwhile of the spirit of revenge in France. Now both these things have happened. What the real military strength of France may be is a doubtful' matter. The common inference of observers at the recent review of French troops was that the army of the Bepublic needed much improvement ; but the truth is, all the same, that the offensive and defensive power of France has increased. Meanwhile, the Bussian Government, by the rapidity and magnitude of its operations in Central Asia, has done much lo hold England in check under certain circumstances. And while that has been going on, an increasing disposition to alliance between France and Bussia has become manifest, and there has been a distinct revival of the aforesaid spirit of venge in the first -named country. In this connection something else has happened which must Datnraily add to the apprehensions of Germany : General Boulanger's appearance above the horieon. Now this General may be no very tremendous person in himself. He may be a boaster ; he may be a mountebank ; he may be not much of a •oldier ; but if, nevertheless, he has created a belief in him■elf in the French army, if the flare he makes is mistaken by the rank-and-file of that army for another Napoleonic ' star,' then the soldiers of the Bepublic are suppliod with precisely the sort of inspiration which is needed to make them truly formidabl*. a year ago there was no French general in whom the army had any confidence. Now it possesses such a being, however he maj turn out • and the difference is one which the German generals know their business too well to count as nothing. Thus it is that the outlook for Germany has changed for the worse and not for the better since the last Three-Emperors' meeting ; and other adverse circumstances come into the reckoning. If the national hostility between the French and Ac German peoples has increased, so has the national hostility between Russians and Germans. The hatred of the Czar's subjects for the Emperor William's people is at least as deep, though it is not so fierce, as the hatred of the French; and, thanks to MKatkcfE for one, the Russian hatred bas been worked upon very considerably of late. Moreover, we have seen the two Governments at loggerheads over the question of expulsion of foreigners from the soil. There is a Russian grievance against Germany (deliberately incurred) in the matter of Russian credit : and altogether ie appears certain that whether there has or has not been any approach of Bussia to France, there has been repulsion between Russia and Germany.' 1 Aud now, as we have said, there comes in the question of the Italian alliance with Germany, to increase whatever elements of disagreement already existed between that country and France and Russia respectively. Under the circumstances the only thing that se^ms to point to a hope for the continuance of peace is the fear that a Bus-so-French alliance would not be strong enough to encounter that now formed. But as to how far the fear of defeat may affect such powers as Russia and France remains to be seen, We confess we have i ot much faith in the assurance to be derived from it

AN tXPLANATION.

We have received from Hawera two communications relating to Iho if cent i lection in which Mr. McQuiro contented thu representation of the district with Major Atkinson. It will be remembered that a week or two ago we made allusion to the contest that had taken place, commenting on a repoit that was going the rounds of the papers and which attracted a good deal of nutice. We did not, however, attribute »ny particular impoitauce to the matter, and we merely refeired to it as a prominent topic that, without being misunderstood, we could hardly aUow to pass unno iced. Our information oa the subject was 6hgtit, and our relia-K- on tac accuracy of an ordinaryreport was not paiticularly strong. Wo never oreamt of disputing the light of a Cathul'c priest to advise his people as to how in connection with the education question, which cannot be separated from the

religion whose interests it is the special duty of the priest to proaote they should act at the time of an election. Our opinions on this subject are too well known to require any further explanation from us—and if, during the election which has just taken place, we refrained from again repeating and insisting upon them, the reason was not that we had changed them in the slightest degree, but because certain circumstances made us choose for the time a passive part as most conducive to the ends we had in view, and because also we were aware that ws had not warned and exhorted the Catholics of thft Colony jn vain, but that they were as anxious and determined in the matter as we ourselves were, and would not lost eight of their all important object. The report, however, struck us as fair matter for a passing remark or two— and as to anything that was said in the heat of such an encounter we did not look upon it as worthy of serious consideration. Such forgetfulnesses are of constant occorrence and hardly form the subject oven of a nine days' wonder. A parliamentary candidate, in fact, may well be allowed some degree of license, and whether he be allowed it or not there is at least abundant preceden to assure us that he will take it. Indeed we could quote some very exalted instances to proye our assertion, Nor are we to suppose that the denunciations of the man whose fortunes hang in the balance really express his mind. We do not believe, for example, that Major Atkinson really considers a large number of his constituents at Hawera to be worse than a lot of dogs. If he did he would be veryunfit for the place he now again occupies, and in which, although we cannot say that we have ever regarded him as acting brilliantly, he has always conducted himself respectably. We find, nevertheless, that something more is made of the situation at Hawera than perhaps the circumstances warrant. There are probably misunderstanding and exaggeration, and anything that might serve to increase the prevailing irritation is to be avoided. It is not, therefore, in accordance with prudence that we should throw open our columns to a discussion which is of a somewhat warmer nature than we are accustomed to publish, and more especially it would be out of character with the poiition we occupy were we to do anything to anticipate the authoritative inquiry which, as we are informed, the people immediately concerned have applied for, and which] we are convinced must resnlt in explaining^every misunderstanding that may exist and bringing about reconciliation and harmony.

A CASE FOE THE MINISTER OV JUSTICE

Apropos of the attempt that was lately made at Sydney to obtain the release of a prisoner undergoing a life sentence, on the plea that twenty years were supposed to be the period virtually meant by such a condemnation, we learn that a case which seems deserving of some consideration exibts in our own Colony. It appears that there is confined in one or other of our gaols a man named Whitehead, who, twenty-thiee years ago, was found guilty of murder, but whose sentence was commuted, by the efforts of the late Mri Bathgate, into one of penal servitude for life. The deed that led to the unfortunate man's conviction was done in a moment of anger, and, so far as such a deed admits of excuse, may possibly be looked upon as excusable. The niumeied mau had stolen some money that Whitehead, who was his mate, had saved, as the result of years of hard work, and on being discovered threatened the man he had robbed if he dared to^complain. A quarrel ensued, and the fatal Mow was struck with a tomahawk which the murderer threw violently from him and which took effect in the victim's head. We do not intend to say anything in palliation of murder, and doubtless the case in question leceived all the consideration demanded by it at the time it was tried. The question, however, arises as to whether, in the long course cf years that has pasted over, the requirements £ justice have not been amply fulfilled, and, morj especially, if 9 understanding exists fhat a life-sentence, under ordinary circun^ stances, is to terminate after a certain period has expired. What seems certain is, that casts presenting even worse features than those n which this unhappy man was concerned have been occasionally more leniently dealt with. His punishment has been a heavy one. There are many who, perhaps, would rather choose to die than to drag out such a life. To lealise what a man under such circumstances must suffer is more than the imagination can attain to, aud we nave reason to believe that this unhappy man to whom we allude has not been insensible to the nature of his crime, any more than to thfi penalties it inflicted on him. There is no reason, again, to beUayq that the interests of society must be in any way injured by his release. The example given would not be one of a weak or eso s-i v« leniency and could produce no ill effects. It is not likely— j. -, ■ fact, extremely unlikely and as certain probably as anything m iuu life of a human creature can be looked upon beforehand as being— that there would be no repetition of crime on the part of this poor man. What was done by him was done once for all, and arose from no criminal dispo s itii;n or maligaiiy chenshed in cold blood. So far .is m in is authorise I to deal with it, we may claim that it has been dealt with, and the ret--, lies between the criminal and his God. The case, therefore, is one that recommends itself to merciful considera-

Won, and thafrmay well obtain attention from the Minister of : Justice. Hfc would most fitly inaugurate his career by making inquiries into it.

AMBAN ATTEMPT.

Herb is food for rejoicing to Catholics of every sort. That the Dunedin Evening Star, the timehonoured, scurrilous, enemy of everything Catholic, the verbatim reporter of anti-Catholic termagants' and charlatans, tbe ransacker of every ribald publication in the world almost, so as to preeent his readers with calumnies, falsehoods, and a general conglomeration of anti- Catholic Altb, should be converted so far as to patronise Bom an Catholics of any gort must needs be a matter of congratulation to all of us. There is.it seems.a breed of Eoman Catholics in the Colony known by the title of " New Zealand Roman Catholics," and wholly distinguished from Boman Catholics who are ■tigmatised by the epithet " Irish," and who sympathise with the Irish National canee. Onr contemporary, the Boening Star, champions the New Zealand Boman Catholics as follows :— " The abuse of the rile Saxon (!), which seems to represent the entire policy of the N.Z. Tablet, has for years afforded considerable diversion to Her Majesty's lieges in Ofcago ; but of late the most scurrilous vials of its wrath have been poured out on the devoted heads of English Boman Catholics at Home and in the colonies. . According to our esteemed contemporary, the being born an Englishman is an « original sin from which there is no redemption. Heaven is to be kept select for Irish patriots ! There happen to be in New Zealand a considerable number of Boman Catholics of various nationalities, who, naturally enough, do not take this view, and, seeing that the Tablet has ceased to be anything but an exponent of the most pronounced Irish nationalism, they have determined to establish a new paper as the distinct organ of their communion— the position originally taken by the Tablet. It is intended to be a weekly, and will be published in Wellington ; the preliminary arrangements being, we understand Tery well forward . The Tablet has clearly brought this opposition —likely enough to be very foimidable, from a business point of view —upon itself. There is a limit to toleration, and that limit has long been exceeded. Even « the worm will turn ' under sufficient provocation, and the patience of New Zealand Baman Catholics, severely taxed, has given way at last. Substantial guarantees and good promises of support will start the new weekly fair, and there is a prospect of the editorial chair being filled by an accomplished gentleman, not unknown to literary fame, at present holding a high position in the Colony." We need hardly defend ourselves from the charges brought against U3 by the Star. Our readers know what we have done, and in what sense we have condemned the " vile Saxoa," and how we have dealt by the cause of Irish nationalism, and we can trust our reputation to their keeping. But we fancy the " diversion " we have given to the Star has been of slight account. The exceeding meanness of rejoicing at the supposed prospect of a rivalry that should Injure our business standing and starve us out, is not quite consistent with the experience of diversion. We should say it arose from impotent rage, and enduriug spite against an opponent who had made himself felt in a way that was not at all diverting. Bat as to the "New Zealand Boman Catholics," whom tbe Evening Star so generously patronises, wherever they are to be found, we should be very glad, in Catholic interests, if there was in the Colony a large population of genuine English Catholics, and if they were most ably supported by an organ of their own. For our part, however, we acknowledge that the Tablet is the particular organ of Irish Catholics, the] advocate of Irish nationalism, as well as of Catholicism that is distinctively Irish, and we are content that it should stand or fall as such, according as the Catholic population of the Colony decides. It remains with them to continue to support as, or to starve us out as our contemporary the Dunedin Evening Star bo honourably advises— being tired, perhaps, of the " diversion " we give him.— What will he say if we survive completely uninjured to give him a stave or two more of it ?

A DISTIKGUISHBD VISITOR.

Among the sensations of the year in Ireland has been that caused by the visit paid by Mr. Blame the candidate who was defeated by Mr. Cleveland in the late election for the Presidency of the United States, but who may probably live to contest the high office another day with better success. Mr. Blame, who is partly of Irish descentthe wife of the Sootch founder of his family in Pennsylvania having been an emigrant from Donegal— seems to have won golden opinions during his visit— which lasted a few days only—And to have pleased thosa who came into contact with him, as well aa by his good looks as by his manner and bearing. He, however, did not disguise from those who questioned him the fact that nothing he had seen in Europe seemed to him worthy to compare with what he had been used to in the United State*. A reporter of the Dublin Freeman, for example, tells us that he expressed himself as missing the « spring and verve "to which he had been accustomed at home. That is we presume, nothing in Europe was sufficiently gu-nhead to suit his views. But, indeed, it might wuil aeem iucongruou.* if an aspirant to the Presidency of th« United States mould find the course of thiDgs in

any part of Europe suflcient for the requirements of his particular energy, Between Europe and America there is a great gulf fixed not only by geographical position, but by the circumstances of human nature and historical considerations. Especially is this the case with regard to Ireland. Whatever may be the sympathies that draw the countries into relationship, their cases are as different as ever they can be. There is America pursuing her onward career, advancing from prosperity to prosperity, and treading a path where all is new and fresh, And there is Ireland— or there will she be when, as we hope will be the case ere long, she has obtained her freedom—emerging from the slough and moving onward over a road paved with fallen beings of the past, which still must leave some remembrance or som« remnants behind them. The task that Mr. Blame may be called npon to perform in the near future must, indeed, be different from that which will fall to the lot of those who shall take- a leading part in directing the f ature destinies of Ireland. But as to the comparative nobility of either task it might be difficult to decide. Whether is it nobler to guide the young and strong in accordance with her bright and unsullied past, or to raise her who has been beaten down and reestablish her erect and vigorous ? In any case it is well to receive the assurance of Mr. Blame that what he has seen in Ireland has served to increase the interest he had already taken in the prosperity and welfare. He is already a valuable and influential friend, and may eventually become an extremely powerful one.

A GREAT Celbbbation.

The great religious event of tbe day in Ireland has been the celebration in Limerick of the sacerdotal jubilee of Pope Leo XIII. The celebration was made by the Arcb- Confraternity of the Holy Family — and was very impressively and splendidly carried out.— A procession of 6000 men marched through the principal streets— which had been planted with trees and adorned for the occasion, to the grounds of the cathedral where an address was delivered by the Bishop. j of the diocese and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given — and then they returned to the church of tbe Redemptorist Fathers whence they had set out, andjwhere an address was delivered to them by the Bishop of Ossory. — At night the city was brilliantly illuminated. At any time such a demonstration would be very remarkable — and remarkable under various aspects. — What wou'd the men, for example who framed the penal laws say could they arise from their graves, and in the. City of th« Broken Treaty, behold such an outoome of the system inaugurated by them 1 Notwithstanding all the rigours they introduced and all the decades of persecution that followed, they would behold the exuberant tokens of Ireland's unquenchable Catholicity and her faithfulness to Borne that could nob be stamped out.— But under the circumstances of the times more remarkable still must we consider this magnificent demonstration. — It occurs in a country that is supposed to be in a state of disturbance ; whose criminal condition is looked upon as needing exceptional laws, and yet it is in honour of a Sovereign whose aid has b;en invok >d in the cause of law and order eren by statesman who do not recognise his spiritual power. It occurs in a country where some would havo us believe the authority of religion is weak— and whose bishops and priests they would subject to the control ot an official layman, lest they should trifle with the loyalty of thtir people.— And yet it is in honour of the potentate in whom is lodged the very foundation of obedience and loyalty. — Are we to suppose that those 6000 men were at variance with the national aspirations of the people to whom they belonged ? We might, on the contrary, venture a wager without much chance of loss that every man amongst them was a genuine Irish patriot, and an agitator at least in spirit. But none the less genuinely was he ready to celebrate the jubilee of the Holy Father and to enter into tfre true spirit of the festival.— lf those good people who interest themselves in running down the Irish movement, and traducing the motives and sentiments of Irishmen would but tnrn their attention to examine the real state of affairs, they would Sad reason for much ,' self-reproach and deep repentance. The prooession at Limerick in celebration of the Holy Father's jubilee may be taken as typical of the disposition of the whole united Irish people, and it ia one that is certainly completely out of harmony with all that is base or irreligious.

hard times,

As the idea is common that an exceptional humanity has always characterised the laws of England since the Reformation occurred to cirilife the people, these passages which we take from an article in the St. James's Qaaette on a volume recently published by the Middlesex County Record Society may serve to throw a little light ou the matter, and to show that a good deal that was barbarous still remained :—: — '• The social condition of the metropolitan county in the eaily years of the seventeenth century is here brought very vividly befoio ne. Death vras the penalty then inflicted for most felonies ; but even with the remembrance, of this fact before us, there is a.n.eiiiing startling in the statement that during ten years of James's reign the criminal code was responsible for 704 human lftea. This number of persXp perished by the rope alone. la the same period thirty-two suffered, death by the ptine forte et dv,r.e, for s aading

mute"— i.e., declining to confess or plef.d lo tbeu indictments. By 1 iJit ding route ' the prisoner avoided for.'eitore of bis landed property, but was compelled to lie naked on the flour of a gloomy cell with 'a& great a weight of iron as he could bear and more ' paced upon his body, His food and drink, till death released him from his sofferuus or till lie consented to plead were occasional morsels of the of the worst bread' and draughts of stauding water. Yet out of the tbirly-two Middlesex prisoners in James l's reign, who to aveic the confiscation of their property and the consequent rum of ttulr descendants, endured the torture, three were women. . . . The proceedings against Catho'ic recusants were frequeot ; and the list of recusants' names, which occupies more than thirty pages of the index, sbouH be of vaiue to th? genealogist. Mr. Jeaffreaon has given the ipHssima vct'oa, as he puts it, of the most exemplary indictments of Catholic priests for celebrating Mass, or for be'ng and lemaining traitorously in tlrs country contrary to the well-kaown statutes of Elisabeth: Most of the priests ' put themseWcS guilty,' acd upon those tbat did so capital sentence was immediate);^ paf ?ed. The proceedings Kgainet parson? ' for not coming to church ' are also interesting. The majairy of such person were resolute Catborcs ; but a Tew were Brownists and members of other sects who had po sympathy with the Roman fa { th, whilst others kept away from church from mere lar:ness or a lij'at acp'eciation of re'igion." England, then, as we see, notwithstanding the privileges of tbe reformation hsrdl^ exceeded all the other countries of Europe in humanity and mercy. Indeed some of the barbarous penalties, as we are told, were the direct fruits of the particular enlightenment that had come upon her.