The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-04 00:00:00

COMMENTS ON CURRENT THINGS.
I4UCILLA DUDLEY, the demented fanatic who shot
down O'Donovan Ilossa in the streets of New York,
has been acquitted on the ground of insanito. It
is as well so. The worthless fellow at whose life
she struck seems to have recovered. We t ust no
more will be heard of the attempted assassin, nor of
the sedition monger who evoked her crazy wrath.
An atmosphere of notoriety is genial to the weak-
minded and to the unscrupulous agitator. The Press
will best serve the intere4ts of humanity and order
by allowing them to sink into obscurity. Sympathy
with either is impossible to a judieiat mind; and
publicity only evokes a morbid sympathy and un-
healthy interest among those who see things but on
, the surface. Let us cease to as.sist by advertise -
ment those who live by treason and plots against
life.

KaroLE-PARK, one of the loveliest spots in Eng-
land's garden, fair Kent county, figured in the
tJuurt of Queen's Bench the other day. From time
out of mind this palatial belonging of the dormant
dukedom of Dorset has, until recent years, been free
for the inspection of all corners. both as regards the
interior and the splendid specimen of ancient do-
mestic architecture which stands in the centre of
the demesne, and also with respect to the spacious
park, with its giant beeches, its old oaks, and its
bracken and deer. The inhabitants of the lirtle
township founded by Sir William Sevenoake in the
old time when the merchant venturers of London
were as princes in the land, have never had any
real right to roam in the park, only to use a public
foot way which crosses it. But before the present
life tenant of the estate (Baron Sackville) came in-
to possession, so much liberty had been allowed to
Sevenoaks inhabitants and visitors to wander at
will, and even ride in Knole park, and to irspect the
treasures and aniiquities of Knob e House, that the
whole place came to be regarded much in the light
of public property. Seven° ks, beatifol in itself,
esteem al Knole as its chief attraction. Lord Sack-
vine, who, though he holds it his desire to deal
liberally with his humbler neighbours, never seems
to have been in touch with them, resented the
'promiscuous galloping's" end unta strieted walking
of strangers over his estate. He so reconstructed
the entrances to the park that horses might not
enter, and directed those who desired.to stroll in the
leafy avenues of Knob eto keep to the footpaths.
This incensed the inhabitants. Public feeling ran
high. Sevenoaks mourned fir the passing away of
the days when the fative picnicker came down in
droves to its houses of entertainment for man and
least, chiefly because of the free adjoining park.
They met together, and agreed that they had the
right to continue the enjo)mi.nt of favours ex-
tench din the past. Acting on the heat enaendered
in the conclave, thy pr receded at night i full
force, pulled up the posts fixt'd by the baron to de-
fend his holding, and deposited them straightway,
with much demonstration and uproar, at his front
door. Hence the proceedings at law, Baron Sack-
ville has shewn that the Sevenoaks folk can only
quit the public footway that runs through Knob e on
sulieranc.., and the leaders of the popular party
against him have all had to pay nominal damages
of 1:5 each for trespass. Now that the position of
the townsfolk and that of his lordship has been
clearly established, we trust that a better feeling
will ensue. Liberality on the one hand, and re-
spect for right and gratitude for favour on the
other, are what are wanted; then, mayhap, Seven-
oaks may see a return of the time of its owe great
popularity as a ia sort of the seekers alter scenie
beauty. Such rare times, perhaps, as it had when
the lia.n Duke would stay year by year for months
together at one of its roomy hostels; or when her
Majesty was domiciled with her mother within sight
of the stately house at Knowle.

Now that lie has accepted office as 1.1nd«.,r -Secre-
tary for India, Lord Harris will probably have little
time lor the consideration of cricket questions. His
action on unfair bowling can scarcely be supported,
however. He was wrong on several points. The
two Lancashi• e professionals, Crossland and Nash,
may or may not-be at times unfair bowlers. Lord
Harris says they arP, and the Kent County Com-
mittee support his contention. The Lancashire
captain and the Lancashire ex-cutive say they are
not, and their opnion is very strong; but they are
constitutionil in their attitude wuile Kent is not.
The first false step taken by the representatives of
the southern county was when Lord Harris, and not
the club committee, wrote in strong terms to the
Lancashire secretary, threatening to advise his
fellow executors to aband n the match with the
county Palatine if Crossland and Nash were not
Niitndrawn. The County Committee, not an indi-
vidual member, should have officially conducted any
necessary correspondence. The committee, how •
over, afterwards endorsed the ,letter of the captain
of their club, which had meanwtiile, been sent for
publication to all the news:Japers. To this further
advance, Lancashire replied, defining their own
pisition, and very properly deoying the right of
Lord Harris or Kent county to dictate to them the

choice of players. The umpires, according to cricket
law, are the judges of fairness or otherwise. Lan—
casaire will, while denying the unfairness of any of
its bowlers, abide by their decision, or any decision
of the makers of cricket law, the Parliament of the
game. Their position is thus unassailable. and
Kent are clearly in the wrong. In the midst of ad
tnis heartbm fling the M.C.C. have disqualified the
chief offender, Crossland, for quite another matter
than his bowling, from playing fox Lancashire, and
so the bone of contention is being snatched away.

THE "Ambassadors of Commerce," the com-
mercial travellers of England, speakingof them col-
lectively, seem to be at fault with their charity, or
rather conspicuous for their freedom from in.inl-
gence in the practical demonstrations of the larger
heart and kind:ier hand. How is it if this no not so,
that but one-sixth of those "on the road" in
the country subscribe to the support of the
schools intended for the children they may leave
unprovided for? There are thirty-five thousand
commercial travellers in the Kingdom, and though
Mr. Hughes, the treasurer of the schools, has ma le
the handsome offer of a donation of a thousand
gunic3s to the fund, provided a like number of ne
aonuai subsenbers wore forthcoming, the result,
after much strivi4;, is that only haif that numbers
CALI be persuaded into a little self-sacrifice for
cswt et chaiity's sake." Up, commercial.," and
'lear yourelves from this reproach.