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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 50, 5 April 1889, Page 17

By the death of the Bight Hon. John Bright, announced here on Thursday, 28th March, one of the greatest Statesmen and moft eminent men who have adorned the century has passed away. Whatever may have been the shadow that fell on Mr. Bright's mind in the past few years, his memory must ever be associated with every true and noble cause. Nor will Irishmen forget, through his failure at the close of his career, the kindly sympathy, the powerful advocacy, the great services, for which they are still his debtors. The goodness and grandeur of such a life may well atone for its faults. Men of all parties have united in bearing testimony to his merits — Lord Salisbury in the House of Lords, Mr. Gladstone in the House of Commons, and there is no part of the world where magnificent talents, united to integrity and breadth of character, are appreciated, that will not respond to the panegyrics so deservedly pronounced. Mr. Bright was ia his 78th year, having been born on November 16, 1811.

Mr. M. Mahbk, late goods clerk at the Wellington terminus, has been appointed station master at Eketahuna, on the Wairarapa line. Mr. Maher has thoroughly deserved his promotion by seventeen jcara of good and faithful service in the department. We heartily wish him success in his new sphere of labour.

Mb, T. P. O'Connoe sends the following message to the Boston Globi under date February 26 : — The feeling against the ill-treatment of Irish prisoners is still running strong, and is increased by a repetition of brutalities every day. For the first time since the beginning cf the great struggle, the Tories openly confess that the tide is turning against them, even Balfour last night joining in the confession,

The exposure made o£ Beach, alias Le Caron, in the United States has been complete. It has also been very serious, as it is impossible that it can avoid causing a very sore and angry feeling among all classes of the American people against England. Beach was not a major but a bugler and afterwards a seconJ lieutenant of coloured troops in the Federal army, where he was also a British spy. In his capacity of a soldier he mutinied in face of the enemy ; refused to go into battle, and was in consequence imprisoned. In spite of his denial, he has been proved by bank and post office officials to have constantly been in the receipt of large drafts from England, He is credibly accused of body-snatching, forgery, and swindling. His evidence has been flatly contradicted by Senator Jones, Mr. John Devoy, and Mr. Alexander Sullivan, and also by a Mrs. Lomasney whose deceased husband he accused of having been a dynamiter. Mr. Sexton at Dublin has also denounced his testimony as false. The gravest charge, however, made against him is brought by Mr. Powderly of the Knight a of Labour, who proves his statement by a letter written to aim by this man and which he has preserved. It is to the effect that at the time of the strike on the Missouri Pacific Railway three years ago, Le Caron, whom he did not know, and of whom he took no notice — though fortunately,he filed his letter — proposed to him to resort to force and cripple the company by the use of explosives, which he offered to place at his disposal. But this offer coming horn a paid Bervant of the British Government, and involving danger to life and a wide and reckless destruction of property in the United States, must certainly produce a marked effect among the

American people. The Government, then, in bringing forward Beach as a witness, hare evidently taken ia step whose consequences may prove.* very serious. Had the Bervices of the informer before the Commission been of any use to them— as was not the caße— their wisdom in availing themselves of them might still be doubtful, considering the revelations that have thus been made.

It was not altogether the exposure made of him in respect to the forged letters, it would seem, that drove the unhappy Pigott to commit suicide. His whole career of late years had been one of infamy, and he knew that all had now been discovered. He wa» i for example, engaged in conducting a trade in indecent photogiapha and books, and proof of this, he knew, was in the hands of Mr, Michael Davitt. He had, besides, been long a systematic forger, tad Sir Charles Russell was prepared to show that he had for years been employed in forging a number of accommodation bills, drawn on Lindeey of Glasgow. The Parnellites were very much disappointed at his disappearance, as they hoped by means of him to unTeil a fool conspiracy. A strong belief prevailed that the Times had connived at his escape, and the renewed cheerfulness of Sir Richard Webster in the court helped to confirm the opinion.

Wtt learn from a cablegram to the Irish World, under date February 26, that the continuance of the Parnell Commission, despite the failure of Pigott, was in accordance with the desires of the Parnellites. The cablegram runs as follows :— " Before the Commission opened this morning the judges held a private interview in their room. — It is reported that they were considering a proposition of the Times to withdraw from the case, to which the Parnellites very strongly object. The withdrawal of the Tunes would put a stop to the^ proceedings and leave the Irish leaders no chance to refute the slanders which have been heaped upon them during the past three months. It would also involve a winding up of the Commission, for which nobody is prepared, and with which nobody but the Times would be satisfied." The Tunes, it would seem, had caught a Tartar.

The Orangemen, we perceive, continue true to themselves. At a meeting of their body, held the other day in Liverpool, it was resolved to discard all political considerations in takiog part in public affaire and to rote only on Protestant grounds. In plain terms, religious bigotry alone is to be the Orangeman's guide, and all public interests are to be made subordinate to that. The advantage to any country to possess among its citizens such a body of men is manifest. And yet this is the body of men whose prejudices are considered so sacred that in order alone to preserve them intact, a determined resistance is offered to a measure devised for the general good of the Empire. The Orangemen are, under the circumstances, naturally growing more bold, and we find that they are inclined to obtain from the Government, that has supported their outrageous claims so unblushingly, extreme concessions. They have, for example, pronounced againßt the High Church leanings of Lord Salisbury, and demanded bis active patronage for the Evangelical party. That they will have their way we need not doubt, for the Tories, already beginning to acknowledge that they are tottering on their seats, cannot afford to offend any of their supporters. But when Lord Salisbury adds to his other troubles those of a High Churchman in the hands of the Evangelical enemy, his position will not be an enviable one. Religious bigotry, meantime. becomes once more an open factor in the Government of the Empire*

Odh excellent contemporary, the Boston Pilot, has iccently appeared in a suit of new type. We know of no newspaper, nevertheless, that could better afford to appear in type that was well worn ~for who could think of the mere form when engaged with such bright and powerful matter. If, on the other hand, type and matter should be in agreement, our contemporary must have a new suit every issue to match its brifiiancy and freshness.

THE Rev. Father Kickham, who has been a guest at the Bishop's House, Dunedin, for gome days, leaves by the Waihora to-day (Wednesday) c;t route for Sydney. We understand it is the intention of the rev. gentleman to enter a religious order.

The Dominican nuns have received blocks and remittances from Miw Bailey, Miss Shannon, Miss McGarvey, Mrs. Neabitt, Miss Mary McGrath, Miss L: Rodgers, Invercargill ; J. Balderston, Esq., Deep Creek, Maori Point, Otago ; W. Newman, Esq., Naaeby ; Mrs. Reid, Milton ; Mr. J. Kearney, Maniototo ; Mr. John Gill, Hyde ; Mr. T. McCarthy. Invercargill ; MiBS Hickson, Mr. W. Wadlow, Southbridge : Mr. Poland, Tuakau ; Mr. F. Scully, Auckland ; Mrs. O'Callaghan, Invercargill ; Mr. P. Flannery, Ida Valley ; Mr. J. Heron, Christchnrch ; Mr. J. Allen, Denniston, Westport ; MiBS M, Keane, Springfield ; Mr. M. E. Henry, Ashburton ; Mrs. Wilson, Head of Lake Wakatipu ; Miss K. Robertson, Queenstown. Per Rev. W. Burke— Mr. J. Hayes. Per Rev. N. Vereker— Miss M. Woods, Misß C. Chapman, Mr. J. Manning, Southbridge. Per Rev. P. Lynch from Rev. P Mcagher, Newcastle, N.S.W.-Master L. Munsen, Westport ■ Miss McArthy, Mra. W. Haydon. l'er Rev. N. Vereker— Mre. Pbelao, UacraM Flat.