THE PROCLAMATION OF THE LEAGUE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 25, 14 October 1887, Page 15

THE PROCLAMATION OF THE LEAGUE.

( United Ireland August 27.)

In the history of tyranny there never was anything so ludicrous as the manner of the proclamation of the National League ? They were truly a comical coterie that met ia the Castle. There was my Lord Ashbourne, of the loud voice and bland smile, whose recent exploits in the Court of Appeal in Father Keller's case and in Lord Massereene's case, in the interest always of the landlord, have made the horsehair wigs of such lawyers as frequent the couit uncurl and " each particular hair stand on an end " with absolute amazement. There was Vice- Chancellor Chatterton, whose name the late Lord Justice Christian has made a synonyn for stolid, self-asserting stupidity, and there— clarum ac venerable nomen—w&s Pether the Packer, that well-deserving pillar of the State, whose gross blunders were, in the opinion of the Executive, redeemed by his grosser brutality. There was only wanting the Lord Lieutenant to complete the quartette. For this illustrious descendant of Lord Castlereagh his most enthusiastict |admirers claim no higher merit than that of a harmless imbecile. His great State function is to sign his name. He was Bent for to the Viceregal cricket ground to sign away the liberties of an entire people. It ia said that he refused to go until " over " was called, and he specially stipulated he should be let back in time to have his turn at the bat. He was obsequiously pointed out by Pether where his name was to go. He wrote it in a fair round hand with a final flourish, and half an hour afterwards he was bick again in his flannels fielding for the I Zingari. That evening in hia deepest tragedy tones, Lord Salisbury announced in the House of Lords that the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, after consultation with his Privy Council, had declared the National League to be an illegal association.

What a solemn farce the whole business was. Is it any wonder the M ail chuckled over the peiformance 1 " The proclamation," it says, "informs all concerned that the National Leagae is dangerous. Maoy things are dangerous which yet cannot, or else ought not, in prudence }obe suppressed. Street-crossings are dangerous. Fire-arms are-dangeroup; and even fireworks, and the necessary fire we cook our food with. Habits of tippling are exceedingly dangerous, and there are few of us who do not at one time or another form some dang?rous acquaintances," and so on through a sarcastic leaderette. They say Sir Michael Morris, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, was invited U this little afternoon tea-coercion- party at the Castle, and declined with thanks. " I never," be observed, with his most effective brogue and drawl, " saw much fun in running my head against a stone wall. That's a kind of amusement, do you observe, in which the wall generally has the best of it."

Skinnt Men.—'* Wells' Health Renewer ' ' restores health and vigour ; cures dyspepsia. At chemists and druggists. Kempthome, Prosser and Co., agents, Dunedin. Mme. Tussaad now exhibits Queen Victoria's first doll, first shoes, first glove, and variona other mementos of the royal nursery ; alßo a piece of Her Majesty's wedding cake. Professor Todd, of Amherst College, recently departed for Japan to observe the coming solar eclipse. He took with him a large telescope and other apparatus, which he will set np about 100 miles from Tokio. The Very Rev. Cannon Keller, of Youghall, writing to the Rev. W. Sharman, of Preston, says: '"Our great hope in this sorely tried country is in the honest and intelligent support of justice-loviDg Englishmen^ 'ike yourself, who are no longer content to follow blindly the dictates of class or race prf judice, but who are determined to examine facts and judge for themselves." The London correspondent of the Liverpool Daily Post under stands that arrangements will be made for starting a prominentGladstonian in opposition to Mr. Bright at the next general election. It is believed that the majority in Texas against the " prohibitory liquor amendment " will exceed I*oo,ooo votes. On August 7, the Pope sent a letter to the Emperor of Germany at Gasttin thanking him for his recent gift. The letter ia most c rdial in tone. It alludes to the prominent part taken personally by his Majesty in re-establishing religious peace, and, in conclusion, says that the accord between the Pope and the Emperor will also contribute to maintain peace in Europe. Sir Chas Russel speaking recently at Chatham dealt principally with the Home Rule question . He said he despaired almost of reconciliation with the Liberal Unionists, and would prefer to see them in their proper places as Tories. He claimed that the members of the old Liberal party were the only men the country could trust to deal with the great English question, of the land, local taxation local Government, the House ot Lords, and the principle of one man one vote. The tenams of Viscount Castleiosse, in the vicinity of Hospital, County Limeri2k, about 200 in number, have arrived at a settlement with their landlord, having been allowed an abatement of 17£ per cent, on the March gale. They had demanded 20. A despatch from Millbrook, Kansap, states that a terrible hurricane patsed over the place, almost extinguishing the town, whi< b contained five hundred inhabitants. One person was killed and 2."> injured. Dr. Alfred R. Wallace, the English scientist, is delighted with the United States. Hi' h.f t- ached San Francisco after an extended tour, and says the ouutiy cm feed and clothe the world and havu abundance to spare. The respect paid by representative Irishmen in New York to the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen on their way through New York to Europe was marked and proper. Ireland has no warmer frit ml 9 than the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen. Queen Victoria has contributed numerous relics to the Mary , Stewart Tercentenaiy Exhibition at Peterborough; among them a 1 Bible with the Quc< n of Scots' aut. graph, and a print of the Queen snd Loid Darnley, of which only three copieß exist.