The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-03-03 00:00:00

TELE EGYPTIAN MEDAL.

Mr. Yorke asked the Secretary to the Admiralty why the
',,Pptian War Medal had not yet been distributed to Her
41-ajesty's Naval forces, who were present at the bombard-
Plent of Alexandria and elsewhere in Egypt during the
late war ; and who was responsible for the delay which
had occurred.

Campbell-Bannerman: The issue of the Egyptian War
Medal to the Navy has now commenced, and will be carried
'3ll with as little interruption as possible. The delay has
!trisen from the fact that, under the arrangements hitherto
1,I? force medals were supplied to the Admiralty by-the War
"ince, and thus the Army obtained precedence in the issue.
in future the Royal Mint will furnish medals directly to the
drairalty, so that this complication will be avoided.
MR. PARNELL'S AMENDMENT TO THE ADDRES.

, The adjourned debate on the Address was resumed by Mr,
'arnell, who moved to add, at the end of the twelfth para-
Zarsh, the following words :—" And humbly to assure her
lealesty that the manner in which the exceptional
e,..tuslation known as the Crimes Act has been ana is
t`eteißed by the officials of the Crown in Ireland is
reannical and unjust ; that gross licence of oppres-
n is granted to persons and classes bitterly
ostile to the mass of the Irish people ; that con-
Stitutional agitation is despotically impeded and perse-
exited ' • that justice is administered in a most partial and
prejudiced spirit, and the confidence of the people in the
application of the law is destroyed by a system of jury-
packing, which has already led to many iniquitous sen-
tences and the execution of innocent persons, while it is
Practically impossible to obtain justice or protection for
the masses of the people from the present administrators
of the law; and that unless the Irish Executive abandon
Unconstitutional and tyrannical courses, and depend upon
the constitutional administration of the ordinary law, the
result may be prejudicial in an extreme degree to the
cause of peace and order in Ireland." (Irish cheers.) This
lkir Parnell said, was the first opportunity for calling atten-
tion to the manner in which the Act had been worked, and
the Irish members were not to be deterred by any outside
remarks from doing their duty. After a description of the
principal clauses of the Act, he gave details of particular
eases in which the curfew, Press, and other clauses had
been, in his opinion, oppressively worked, and repeated the
often-urged complaints against packed juries and political
Judges. There was, in fact, no such thing as trial by
jerY in Ireland now, and Lord Spencer was just as
absolute over the lives of his subjects as the Czar of
the only difference between them being that in
the case of the Czar a larger proportion of the population
Were in favour of his rule. In July last there was a
hope of enlisting the people of Ireland on the side of law,
but the stupid and criminal manner in which the Crimes
Act was administered destroyed this chance. At one time
lt would have been possible to govern Ireland without
coercion, but now the sole cause for the diminution of the
outrages was the stringent enforcement of the Crimes
Act. Therefore, as usual, when Ireland had been
crushed into apparent tranquility, Parliament no longer
thought it necessary to pay attention to Irish griev-
ances. But what, he asked, was to be done to
reconcile the two countries when the Crimes Act
expired? If the Government were wise, they would take
advantage of this season of quiet to proceed' at once with
the reform of the Land Act and other remedial measures,
Putting aside such matters as bankruptcy, Municipal
Reform, ecc. That the policy of reconciliation must ulti
rnately triumph he predicted, because the Irish vote was
necessary for the Liberal party and because the Irish millions
In America had for the first time enlisted in the national
cause,
-

The Attorney-General for Ireland, contrasting the lan-
Mtge of Mr. Parnell's amendment with the speech by,
which it had been supported, pointed out that no evi-
dence whatever had been offered in support of its
Strongest classes and that its grave charges had
dwindled to a mere grumble. He defended at length the
Manner in which the Juries at the recent trial were
'truck, vindicated Judge Lawson and the other Judges
attacked, and, in reply to Mr. Parnell's inquiry what was
to be done to reconcile Ireland to England, he would
l'ePly to the hon. member's question in these words :
Cease to abuse every person connected with autho-
rity and law ; cease from agitation ; cease from encourag-
ing, or, at any rate, not discouraging, a state of
society which must necessarily lead to crime, and let
the Land Act and other remedial measures have time to
Produce the results anticipated from them." If that advice
were followed the present discontent would vanish much
sooner than the hon. member expected, and thin the people
t Ireland would realise how anxious the House was to
legislate for the substantial good of their country. (Hear,
hear.)
The discussion was continued by Mr. Kenny, who animad-
verted at great length on the administration of the Crimes
Act.

---
Mr. O'Sullivan complainEd of the cost of additional
Dolice force being imposed on districts which were free from
crime.

Mr. Commins, Colonel Dawnay, and Mr. Arnold also took
Part in the debate.
Mr. 0. Morgan, having been present at one of the trials in
bUblin, bore testimony to its perfect fairness and im-
Partiality.
Mr. Plunket, Mr. O'Brien, Mr. Chaplin, Mr. T. D. Sullivan
and Mr. Callan having also spoken, the House divided—For
the amendment, 15; against, 133; majority, 118.
After some further discussion, the debate, on the motion
of Mr. Justin M`Carthy, was again adjourned.
The House adjourned at twenty-five minutes past one
o'clock.

In the HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 27, Lord Lansdowne post-
Doned from the 2nd to the sth of March his motion for a
Royal Commission on the subject of the purchase of their
holdings by Irish tenant-farmers.
The remainder oit the sitting was devoted to a discussion
01 Lord Galloway% Bill to amend the procedure at elections
01 Representative Peers for Scotland, which was eventually
tead a first time.
On the motion of Lord Belmore, it was ordered that the
return of the Landed Estates Court (Ireland) be cobtinued
so as lBB2 to include the sales for the year ending December 31,
.Their Lordships adjourned at twei.ty minutes past live
o clock.

THE COMMITTEE OF SELECTION.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, upwards of three hours was
"clipied with a discussion upon Sir J. Mowbray's proposal
40 nominate the Committee of Selection and enlarge its
number from five to seven members.
Sir John Mowbray moved, in the first place, that it con-
sist of seven members, instead of five, and nominated the
following members :—Mr. Cubitt, Sir C. Forster, Mr. M.
Henry, Mr. Orr-Ewing, Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Illingworth, and
Sir H. Wolff, the two last being new members.
Mr. Dillwyy seconded the amendment; Mr. Rylands pro.
Dosed that the number should be ten: Mr. Sclatter•Boot h
Mr. Whitbread, and Mr. Cubitt supported the smaller
°limber.
Mr. Ralkes repeated his complaint that no proposal had
been made to frame a code of procedure for the Grand Com.
rnittees, and Mr. Norwood agreed with him, but Mr. Cubitt
'thought that the initiative should be left to the Chairmen's
Panel or to the Grand Committees themselves.
Mr. O'Donnell, Mr. Parnell, Mr. Leamy, and Mr. A.
O'Connor complained that no Irish member belonging to
their section had been placed on the committee; but Lord.
aartington pointed out that the committee was not sup-
Dosed to have any representative character, but was corn-
Dosed of men who had had considerable Parliamentary ex-
perience and acquaintance with members.
_ On a division Mr. Ryland's amendment was negatived by
Zia to 64, and the number was fixed at seven.
Mr. Parnell then took exception to Mr. Mitchell Henry's
!lame, and proposed to subatitute3fr. hisCartny!s ; .but aftor
a Short conversation, the nomination was confirmed by a

majority of 157 to 22. The other names were agreed to with-
out dispute.

Sir ti. Northcote gave notice that he would renew his re-
quest for a night to discuss his motion on the Kilmainham
treaty on Monday, and would address it to the Prime
Minister, if he were in his place.