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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 10, 29 June 1888, Page 17

The Rev. Father Burke will deliver a lecture on the " Men of the modern Irish movements," in the Choral Hall, Duiedin, on Friday evening July 6, in aid of tbe fund for erecting the gymnasium at the Christian Brothers' School. We need hardly oommeat on the interesting nature of the subject chosen, than whick at present nothing could be more attractive, amd which, treated as the reverend lecturer is capable of dealing with it, can hardly be too highly rated. The school-choir will sing in the intervals selections from the Irish melodies. Under tha circumstances H is not necessary for ua to recommend the undertaking to, the support of our readers, for, apart from all sympathy with the object to be promoted, and which we are convinced is ardent, the entertainment offered is in itself sufficient to draw together a large audience*

Mb. Gladstone, in replying in the House to a statement made the other day by Mr. Balfour, to the effect that the increase of sea* tences on appeal had also been practised in Ireland under tbe Liberal Government, spoke as follows :—": — " It was without our knowledge , and it is with knowledge in matters not directly of executive action that responsibility begins. 1 rejoice that the discovery has been made. It is a new proof of how deeply the spirit of evil traditions bas entered into the lrißh administration. We do not now, as in the days described by Lord Cornwallie, employ torture and murder as instruments of Iriau government, but practices seem to survive which disgrace the name of justice, and which would not for a moment be tolerated this side of tbe Channel. I hope Mr. Balfour will continue his researches, and drag into daylight every evil usage which, unknown to ne, has disgraced Irish judicature or administration, He will thus supply new proofs of the necessity and advantage of investing the Irish people with power over affairs and property of their own, and providing that they shall be governed as we are, in a national, and not in an tmoatural spirit."

Mb. Gladstone, replying to an address tigned by 1,200 Quakeia favouring Home Kale, says it has been difficult to persuade him that the Society of Friends could be so little in harmony with the traditions of tbeir body as to approve a coercive policy. The address, however, gives definite evidence of their sentiments.

An ominous index of the progress of the Home Rule pause in Snglaad (safe tba Natiefo of M»y 18) was the preseacs of Ctoergo

Augustus Sala at the banquet of the Eighty Club, in honor of Mr Mr Parnell. Time was when the ex-contributor to the London JUuHrated Mm* used to speed his Fatirical shafts Gladstone-wards, and draw on his fond of parcism in dealing with Irish claims to autonomy. Times, however, are changed, and George is changed with them. We welcome this brilliant convert into the Home Rule fold. Like so many others he, too, has found the way of salvation.

THB Nation, referrring to the dinner given in London on May 8 byt he Eighty Club to Mr. Parnell, and at which he replied to Lord Carnarvon's contradiction of his statements as to the views pronounced by his Lordship on Home Rule, writes as follows :— " After having summarily silenced Lord Carnarvon, Mr. Parnell proceeded to discuss the Papal Rescript. It was, he said, with the utmost unwillingness that he approached such a question. He was nn Irish Protestantbut be had great faith in the political self-independence of his Catholic fellow-countrymen. He had never been associated with the Plan of Campaign, nor bad the National League nor the Irish Parliamentary party anything to do with it. He had been dangerously ill at the moment the Plan was first started, and had continued to remain so for several months afterwards. He had of late succeeded in restricting its operations, and was just preparing a substitute for it (which, however, would have none of its objectionable features) when the Boraan Rescript happened to be published. Now that Messrs. O'Brien and Dillon were in difficulties, be should make no move to withdraw the Plan. Mr. Parnell's scathing denunciations of Tory tyranny in Ireland, his reference to the grossly unjust attacks on the liberty of the Press in the persons of Mr. Edward Harrington, of the Kerry Bmtinel, and Mr. Corcoran, of the Cork Examiner, and his eloquent defence of Irish National rights, were listened to with the deepest Interest and endorsed by the enthusiastic applause of the assembled Liberals. The Unionist Press is in the sorest of plights over this triumph of debating skill and statesmanship. Mr. Parnell's victory is complete."

The degree in which we may rely on the cable messaees ha* received an exemplification in the news sent here within the last two •rtbree weeks about the Presidential election. We were told positively that Mr. Cleveland bad been re-elected, and were left to conclude that soen was the case from want of an opposing candidate. It however, turns out that the Republican Convention are now in session at Chicago, *nd that they have adopted General Harrison as their candidate, Mr. Blame bavin? made the unanimous vote of the party the condition of bis standing, and that, as he probably knew, being an impossibility. The Convention, moreover, moists strongly on continned Protection, and the rejection of the Fisheries Treaty. But it is provoking to witness the complete untrast worthiness of the cable

The defeat of Lord Salisbury's Government, on Mr Morley's motion to disallow the proposed control of chief constables by the Quarter Sessions, has given the Unionist party a warning and a fright. It has made both sections realise how dependent they are •n each other, and shown them clearly the precipice on which they etand Lord Salisbury's appeal to them to hold together whatever may befall, under penalty of his being obliged to introduce only the mildeet measures, is extremely pathetic. But at least there must be some degree of consolation to the Home Rulers in the knowledge, that although they are not able to carry their own proposals, they can com pel their opponents to remain between fixed lines, and lines which in some instances are most distasteful to them. As to the honesty of their position, we need not refer to it. Mr. Morlev's motion in condemnation of the manner m which Ireland is governed, will of course be defeated by this combination whom terror binds together, but it will at the ■ame time, result in weakening their position still more by «?2m!& H6H 6 " tate °i f tb ! ° ABe more P pon » { °enMy before the cotmtry of which they are already so much afraid. We, in fact, should not be supnsed to find thatthe beginning of the end bae been arrived at.

The following cablegram has been received from the Pilot's special correspondent at Rome : Rome, Kay 23, 1888. John Boyle OReilly, Boston: Archbishop Walsh has been received to-day in private audience by the Pope. The audience lasted ninety minutes and was most satisfactory. The Irish eauie has nothing te fear from Leo XIII. Papal interference in Irish politics is impossible. All the alarming statements to the contrary are the inventions of malicioua enemies, of a piece with their exaggerations and gratuitous interpret* tions of the Papal rePcript. Archbishop Walsh leaves for Ireland thi H week; The Pope shows him a special mark of honour by desiring his presence at the Algerian conference to-morrow.

It appears that so intense had been the feeling excited against Her Majesty the Queen in Berlin, it was judged prudent to circulate a false report as to the station at which her train, on her late visit there from Florence, was to arrive, lest a besrile demonstration should ??i!'u^! CWefCnriOßity ° fthepopnlaee ' I»ww,w1 »ww,w« l aroused bj the light of her Majesty's Indian and Highland attaodjutß who

traversed the city together publicly in a Royal carriage on their way to the palace. The peopl», they say, conld not tell which was whicb, and not only were unable to diatineuish a Rtaunch Presbyterian fro m a Hindoo, but did not even know|a Scotchman by bis legs— Esepede HereuUm. The mystery as to her Majesty's movements was main, turned throughout her visit so as to avoid any rudeness on the part of the crowd.

The fortunes of General Boulanger which his opponents hopefully regarded as having taken a turn for the worse, in the result of certain late elections, have again received an advancement by the return of M. Dernulede, President of the League of Patriots, for Charente. M. DeVoulerte is an ardent Boulangist, and, a few weeks ago, got himself into trouble by cheering lustily for his leader, at an untimely hour » in the street.

Mr. Simon Conwa.t, late of Dnnedin, ban taken the Commerci*' Hotel at Timnru. We are happy in wishing Mr. and Mrs Oonway al success and prosperity in their new undertaking.

The Tory Press did its best to make little of the victory erained by the Gladstonites at Mid Lanark, although it waa obliged to acknowledge that the matter still had some significance. It will be curious to pee w at pretence is brought forward to explain the defeat at Southampton. There was not a borough in Bngland where overthrow of the Conservatives would have seemed more unlike y. Yet Mr. Evans, the Gladstoneite, beat the Conservative. Mr. Guest, by 5152 to 4266, and that, notwithstanding his personal absence in America. It is no wonder that Lord Salisbury is perplexed by any trifling flaw in the support afforded him by the dissentient Liberals* and that, the dissentient Liberals are ready to make all concessions to him. Neither the one nor the other dare appeal to the country, and a dissolution would be their ruin.

We publish in another place the prospectus of the Mount Highlay Consolidated Quartz Mining Company. The claims which this Company is being formed to work, »re trose known as the Mareburn Reefs, and which hive long been looked upon ai the vpry treasure house of Central Otago. There can be no 'loubt that when the Company has been floated and the work undertaken, the effect will be felt, not only by those who are fortunate enough tobold share, but by the community in general, which cannot fail to \><s benefited by the development of the mining indnstries. This, ia fact, is the chief thing to which the colony must look for recovery front the position in which it stands at present. The enterprise that we particularly allude to is not one to which any risk attaches. The reefs have been fully put to the proof, and the returns, in every in - stance, from the trial crushings have been such as to justify the highes* expectations. The method , moreover, in which the works are to be conducted, and the nature of the apparatus used, will be such as to minimise expense, anl to help in raising dividends to a figure most satisfactory to the shareholders. We recommend the prospectus to the careful attention of our readers.

Akythhtci that concerns the saints should be a profitable subject of study for us. Let us contemplate, then, with all possible edification the condition of that very remarkable saint, Brother Brunton, whose discbarge as a bankrupt has been suspended by Judge Williams, because, says his Honour, the saint comes within the 157 section of th e Act, through his having been guilty of misconduct. There is the saint, then in a pretty pickle, in a state of suspense, not even like Ma hornet's coffin between heaven and earth, but, much more probably between earth and some place else, The other saints, it seems, when the libel action went against him told him he had nothing to do but to file, and not one of them proposed to subscribe a penny towards enabling him to pay the woman he had libelled her damages. It is a mercy he had money enough to pay his solicitors, and of coarse having placed his conscience in the hands of those' gentlemen, as he says he did, he was right not to trouble himself about anything more. As a doctrinal point, moreover, it is interesting to learn that the saints can take care of one another's consciences, for we understand that the Messrs Adams are saints as well, and not very faroff the land of Beulah. Brother Brunton, however, has not been well treated. If there had been no call for his wares be would never have undertaken to supply them, and the people who encouraged him, and, in a large degree, made him what he is, should rot leave him in the lnrch. Where is Mr. Thomas Dick ? As not only anoiher saint, but a prominent citizen and prop of the State, be ought to know better than that, particularly when he had hia own finger also in the pie* But the bawbees, perhaps, are dearer even than sanctity itself.