VICTORY ALL ALONG THE LINE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 3, 10 May 1889, Page 23

VICTORY ALL ALONG THE LINE.

{Pilot correspondence, London, March 18.)

Never has a St. Patrick's Day dawned on Ireland more brightly than in this year of hope, 1889. The counsel for the Times announced last Wednesday that their case was closed, and the Commission adjourned until April 2. On the previous day an expert accountant testified that be bad examined the books of the Hibernian Bank and the books of the National League, but found nothing in either of an incriminating nature. Mr. Parnell cheerfully assented to Sir Henry James's request to be let examine the private account of Mr. Parnell with the National Bank. Then a Cork reporter named Coffee told how he had bamboozled a policeman with a tale in which there wasn't a word of truth, receiving 575d015. from the Times for tne same. Presiding Justice Hannen seemed to think that Mr. Coffee had taken a serious liberty in thus hoaxing a policeman, and committed w.tness for contempt of court. Mr. Soames, with characteristic a9ininity, took the stand next day to testify that Coffee was an untruthful man, and Mr. Biggar took advantage of the opportunity to elicit the fact that Soames had sent Kirby to America to coax Sheridan to come over and testify, but that Sheridan would not do so for lees than 100,000 dols.

Then a man named Levy swore that he bad been a member of the Fenian Supreme Council, admitting on crof=s-3xaminatioa that be had Bpenta year in prison for robbing his employer.

At the request of Sir Charles Kussell, Justice Hannen ordered the release of William O'Brien and Mr. limothy Harrington, whom it is necessary for Sir Charles to consult, ou condition that they abstain frjtn agitation during their liberty. Sir Caarles Russell asked the Court whether it was prepared to ex pra s judgment regarding the question of an interim report on the forged letters. In reply Presiding Judge Hannen said : " We are not prepared to give aa answer limiting our freedom of action. Tae extraordinary circumstances attending the withdrawal of the letters speak for themselves. No report can enhance or diminish their eff c. But we have not yet come to a decision as regards the making of a report." The Times is certaiuly in a peck of trouble. Mr. Campbell, the private secretary of Mr. Parnell, has begun the first of many libel suits, which will be brought by slandered Pamellites against the fdend of Richard Pigott, and the case will probably be tried in May, Mr. Frederic Harrison his published in the News another vigorous protest against the retention in office of Attorney -General Sir Richard Webster after the exposure of the latter's connection with the Times infamy. The whole Tory Government is tarred with the same dirty stick. Home Secretary Mathews admitted on Friday that the scoandrelly Bpy, Lj Caron-Beach, had been permitted to refresh his memory by going over his correspondence with the Home Office authorities before appearing on the witness stand to help the Times out with an oath. Lord Salisbury, Lord Carnarvon, and Sir Wm. Vernon Harcourt have been subpoeaaed by Sir Charles Russell. None of the Parnellite counsel will participate in the attack in the House of Commons on Attorney-General Webster.

The heaviest blow to Toryism has been the defeat of its candidate in the <£ennington division of Lambeth last Fiiday. The enforced resignation of the Tory scapegrace, Mr. R. Gent-Davis, compelled an election, which resulted, to the surprise of the Tories, in a victory for Mr. Beaufoy, the Gladstonian candidate, who polled 4,069 votes, against 3,439 for Mr. Hope, the Conservative nominee. At the last elt c ion Gent-DavU, the retiring member, received 3,222 vo'es, and Mr. Beaufoy 2,792.

This is the most serious reverse sustained by the Tory-Unionist Government since it came into power, over two years ago, and its moral and material effect upon the constituencies cannot be overrated. One of the outposts of Toryism's greatest and almost impregnable strongholds has been carried by storm, and the victors set no bounds to the triumphs which shall follow. The Government and their allies were absolutely stupefied when the great news reached the House of Commons. The Tory members fled in deep and silent disgust to their clubs— anywhere, in fact, beyond the sound of the jubilating Liberals, and tbe Ministers rushed to their private rooms, there to hide their mortification from the Giadstonians, and to take counsel with each other in their sore distress.