Dublin Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 28, 29 April 1892, Page 21

Dublin Notes.

("From the National Papers )

QsT Monday, February 29, the Government were defeated by a majority of two on the London Tramways Bill. Liter on, in a division on the Education Bill, their maj was only twenty-three. Look out for the dissolution I In the Sunday Sun Mr T. P. O'Connor, M.P., enlarges upon the sorrows of Mr Balfour. No doubt can now be entertained that as Leader of the House Mr Balfour is a conspicaons failure. When a philosopher and ft literary man has even to suffer correction on his grammar it is time for him to look for a soft place to fall npon. The question arises, What will the Tories do with him ? Let ns hope they will not send him back to Ireland, for if Jackson is King Log Balfour was King Stork. The blunders which have characterised the first Lord of the Treasury's tenure of office, and the admirable skill displayed by the hon Member for West Belfast in extricatiog the House from their consequences, have given rise to the query, " Who is the Loader of the Honse of Commons, Mr Balfour or Mr Sexton 1 " Students of Parliamentary procedure during the present session will, however, have no difficulty in deciding which of the two is, at any rate, the better qualified for the position. The Standard is in a pitiable condition regarding Mr Balfonr's palpable and pitiable failure as Leader in the House of Commons. The Standard and Lord Randolph declared against each other war to the knife. The Standard knows that as Mr Balfour goes down Lord Randolph must come up. Hence its perturbation. The Standard, however, awkwardly damns its protege with faint praise and ineffective defence. Here is a sample of the best it can say for the " leader " who, a fortnight ago, was a heaven-sent statesman :—: — 11 Everyone will allow that the Government ought to have been better informed about the Scotch Equivalent Grant Bill. Bat the error was not exclusively Mr Balfour's." On Monday night, February 29, Sir Wm Harcourt delivered one of those brilliant, slashing speeches which put new heart into his followers and send a cold shiver down the back of his opponents. It would be impossible to summarise the good things the speech contained. The pudding was all plums. He ridiculed the dissolving Government with rollicking humour. " Never," be said, " had the twin leadership of a double-faced party gone to pieces with more delightful alacrity." The Local Government Bill, he declared, need not be included in the slaughter of the innocents, for it was already dead. It " had been strangled in the moment of its birth by the author of its being. " His speech throughout was punctuated with laughter and applause. Sir William Harcourt's speech means very many votes for the Home Bule candidate. On Saturday evening, February 27, the naval reserve armoury just outside this town was broken into and its contents, consisting of 23 Martini Henry rifles and 17 cutlasses, were stolen. For many yean these arms were stored in the police barracks, but recently they were removed to the armoury. No guard was kept at this place, and the door was fastened by an ordinary padlock which could be picked with little difficulty. The police have been scouring the country-side since the robbery was discovered but the thieves have not yet been traced. One of the cutlasses, however, and a ramrod have been found on a road leading to the shore of the bay, and it is conjectured that the robbers crossed ie a boat from County Clare and made their escape with their booty in that way. To-day H.M. cutter Fly conveyed a party of police across the bay to County Clare to join in the search. Is the fate of the Russian politisal prisoner, as described in Mr Kennan's remarkable book, says the Daily News, worse than that of the political prisoner in English gaols ? Mr Alfred Webb, uf Dublin, put the question to the late Mr Boyle O'Beilly and Mr Michael Davitt, who, speaking from no slight experience — at least of the English system — declare their conviction that the Siberian settlements are decidedly preferable. Mr O'Beilly 's chief reason was that the Bussian system compels political prisoners to mingle only with their own kind and allows them to associate and converse. Mr Davitt expresses similar views. He admits that the crowded and insanitary condition of the Bussian " kameras" has no parallel in the Dine English prisons to which his experience ex tends; but he expresses a decided conviction that the solitary-cell system of Eoglish penal servitude, together with the forced association of the criminal element, as applied to political prisoners, represents far keener mental suffering. A most praiseworthy and philanthropic effort is being made by Lady Zetland to found an hospital for consumptive patients in Ireland and among those who have promised pecuniary assistance are Lord Iveagh, who figures for £1000, and the Earl of Belmore, Sir Henry Cochrane, Sir Edward Harland. and Sir Edward Eiaahan , who will give £100 each. Lord Zetland has also promised to con* tiibute £500 on condition that the sum necessary for starting the

hospital (£10,000) is contributed within the next six months ; and other promises amounting to over £2000, have been already received by the executive committee. The subject was referred to at the recent meeting held at the College of Physicians. Lady Zetland invites the co-operation uf the generous Irish public on behalf of this deserving charity. What a charming class the landlords of Ireland are as a class r how truthful and honourable in their dealing} ! Colonel Vandelenr has proved himself worthy of the- beat traditions of his order. The tenants struck against the Colonel's rents and he at first answered them with Mr Bilfour's weapon, the battering-ram, and tumbled their bouses in all directions. Later on he thought better of it, and agreed to submit the matters in dispute to the arbitration of Sir Charles Russell, M.P., whose award completely established the justice of the tenants' claims. Now when he faDciea he see* a chance the gallant colonel attempts to rash through the Mward. iOno of the conditions of the award was that in certain caiea the tenant* were to have compensation, to be assessed by Mr Oonaidine, for the injuries done to their homes and crop*. This condition Colonel Vandeleur ha« succeeded in upsetting. A tenant named Higgins and a number of others claimed to be allowed the compensation they were entitled to noder the award. They were met by a refusal, and a process was issued for the entire rent. Mr Justice O'Brien, who is to be trying, county councils later on, " bad not the slightest doubt on his mind that the award was bad, and that the landlord was entitled to everything be claimed ." It is a glorious triumph for the landlord ; but the tenant's tnro may come again. No wonder that hilarity and cheery confidence prevailed at the House dinner in the National Liberal Club, when Mr Lambert, M.Pc, the victor of bouth Molton, and Mr Madan, M. P. , the victor of Bossemdale, were the guests of the evening and Mr Campbell B&nnerman presided. As the chairman said, they had got a good caoae and the I greatest leader of ancient and modern times, and they were on the brink of a contest in which their victory was assured. The speeches were full of verve and brilliancy. The chairman's contrast between the vigour of the young-old man who leads the Liberals and the incompetence cf the old -young man who leads the Coercionists in the House of Commons was worthy of Sir William. Harcourt at his best. It was a happy suggestion of Mr Lambert that " two judges '< might reasonably be set in motion to try the mental competency of the men wbo suggested "the pu^-'em-in- the -dock clause" to the judgment of the House of Commons. The anoonncement made by Mr Sheehy, M.P., at the meeting of the Central Branch of the National Federation on Wednesday! February 24, will be gratifying to all true Nationalists throughou | the country. The fact that within the past fortnight amm of nearly Ll5O has been subscribed by the Federation branches, and that several new branches have been formed, is proof that the organisation of the people is growing apace, and that the ttatus quo of October, 189), ia being gradually restored, only in a more satisfactory manner. Mr Davitt, wbo presided at the Central Branch meeting for the first time on Wednesday, alluded to the great cause there was for congratulation at the rapid progress of the Federation since its foundation twelve months ago. After a year of unparalleled anxiety and trouble, the Federation can now claim more branches in Ireland than the National League had in its palmiest days. No doubt the Federation has made a good iecord, but there is no reason why, within the next year, the number of branches should not be doubled or even trebled. Never before was there so much need for organisation amongst the Irish people. Mr James J. M'Mabon, one of Savannah's well-known citicer who died on the 23rd January, from an attack of pneumonia, sap „' induced by the grip, had a varied career. He was born in 18? 4 j tt Moynalty, County Westmsath, went to America in 1849, and j w years later took up his residence in Savannah. During tbr _ M'Mahon biavely Berved the Confederacy in the ranks of ka r_- , Jasper Greens. At the time of his death he was the tair j oldest member of the corps. M' Mabo 1 had quite an exciting: tim 9i m 9 or - :«. while in Ireland. He was a member of the Young Irak , 0( j party and, taking an active part in the uprising of 1848, ha w*i compelled to flee to this America for safety. From Ireland ha t»bnt to Liverpool, where he took passage for America with 600 0 then on the Ocean Monarch. When the vessel was about sixty miles from the shore fire broke out and all on board, with. thf. exception of thirty, perished either by tbe flames or in the. water. M'Mahon floated ab^ut on a spar for eight hours, and was finally picked no in an exhausted condition by the royal yacht of Prince Albert husband of Qneen Victoria. He was taken back to Liverpool and shortly afterwards took passage on anotbtr vessel and landed in Boston.