The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-02 00:00:00

£HE BOULTON AND PARK CASE.

In the Court of Queen's Bench yesterday afternoon, the
Attorney-General said he believed that an application had
been made to the Court to postpone this case for some
time. He wished to state, as there had been a great deal
of misapprehension about the matter, that the Crown
was ready and most anxious to try the case at the Old
Bailey last summer. It was, however, removed by cer-
tiorari by the defendants into the Court of Queen's
Bench, and it became the duty of the Crown to enter the
case for trial last term. They did not enter it, however,
as it became quite clear that it could not have been
reached. This term they entered it at the earliest oppor-
tunity; and as there remained now only about twenty
cases—some of which would not occupy much time—
before it, he hoped it might be reached in time to be tried
this term. Mr. Justice Blackburn said the application
made by the defendants was not to delay, but to fix a day
for the trial of the cause, on the ground that they had to
bring a number of witnesses from Scotland and other
places, which would be attended with much greUter ex-
pense if they were kept waiting day after day in the court.
He thought the application reasonable, but he did not wish
to make any order until he had heard the other side.
As there appeared to him to be little chance of the case beinv
tried this term, it occurred to him that the case might be
set down for trial on the first of tho six days after the
Easter Term, usually set apart for common jury cases.
It was ultimately arranged that the fixing the day of trial
should be postponed until it was seen how the business
before the Court progressed during the present week.

MEETING AT MANCHESTER IN SUPPORT
OF THE GOVERNMENT.

(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.)

Last night a meeting in support of Mr. Gladstone's
Government and non-intervention was held in the Free
Trade Hall, Manchester, under the I: auspices of the Na-
tional Reform Union, two or three hundred branches of
which were represented by deputations. Mr. U. Mason,
of Ashton-under-Lyne, presided, and letters of apology
for absence, and expressing approval of the objects of the
meeting, were read from Sir T. Bazley, M. P.,Mr. Leatham,
M.P., M. Dixon, M.P., Mr. Peter Rylands, M.P., Mr. G.
Hadfield, M.P., and others. Mr. Leatham in his letter
deprecated in the strongest manner the interference of
England in the affairs of foreign nations. Amongst those
on the platform were Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P., Mr.
Henry Richard, M.P., and Sir Wilfrid Lawson, M.P.
After the speakers had taken their seats the "Dead
March in Saul " was played on the grand organ in
honour of the memory of the late Mr. George Wilson,
president of the Union. The chairman, in opening
the proceedings, said the Radical party had recently
lost one of their great chiefs from the Cabinet, and if
their other great chief there chose to recruit
his Ministry from worn-out Whigs and mem-
bers of the great aristocratic families it would be a fatal
mistake. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P., moved the following resolu-
tion :—" That this meeting heartily commends the Go-
vernment for passing through Parliament those great
measures of justice to Ireland, the disestablishment of the
State Church, and the bill for the reform of the Land
Laws, and expresses its earnest hope that it will
in the ensuing session vigorously promote mea-
sures for securing a thorough revision of the
laws relating to the sale of intoxicating liquors, vote
by ballot in parliamentary and municipal elections, the
equalisation of the suffrage in boroughs and counties, and
the abolition of university tests, and pledges. itself to
render to the Government all the support in its power for
the carrying of these and similar measures of reform."
Mr. Bright, in supporting the resolution, referred to the
marriage of the Princess Louise, and expressed his regret
that in some constituencies great objections had been
made to a dowry being granted to her. This objection
certainly did not arise from any feeling of hostility to the
Princess; her character forbad any such supposition.
Though little could be known of one so young, it was
admitted she had a warm sympathy with the education of
the people, and took an especial interest in the
educational efforts intended to improve the character
of her own sex in every position of life. The objection to
the vote certainly did not arise from any prejudice against
the family into which she was going to marry, for there
was no member of the House of Peers more laborious in
his public duties than the Duke of Argyll, and no member
of the Cabinet who during the last two years had more
conscientiously seconded the efforts of Mr. Gladstone to
pass liberal measures. He believed the opposition must
arise from an economical fit, but he held that the man was a
shallow politician who began to economise at this point.
There were millions of pounds misspent in this country
in reference to which economy might well be exercised.
For his own part he would not join those who strained at
the gnat and swallowed a camel. The resolution was
passed.

Sir Wilfrid Lawson, M.P., moved " That this meeting
is of opinion that her Majesty's Ministers have by their
policy of non-intervention earned the confidence of the
country, and that by pursuing the same course they will
be enabled to reduce the military expenditure of the
country without impairing the efficiency of the service.
Mr. Richard, M.P., supported the resolution. He should
like the Government to go to the newspaper offices and search
out the men who wrote brimstone articles. He would
also give them permission to go upon the platform of St.
James's Hall, and take hold of the gentlemen who made
loud speeches there, as to the duty of England to inter-
fere, and send them to the war. He hoped the day
would soon come when England would advocate a system
of international arbitration. The resolution was adopted
with only a few dissentients.