The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-11 00:00:00

ME SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 11, 1870.

them, by offering them such desirable appointment:
as a bishopric on the West Coast of Africa.

BY the return of the Fenian convict, O'DoNovAN
RossA, the House of Commons was confronted with
a novel though by no means difficult question, affect-
ing the rights of constituencies. Though no con-
tingency of this precise kind ever presented itself
before, yet there could not be the slightest doubt,
except in the mind of Mr. MooRE, as to the proper
course for the House to take. It is clear, after
careful inquiry, that the nice distinctions of attainder
and the like, which were drawn at first, were too
refined ; the simple fact that the Fenian had
been convicted of felony was sufficient to bar
his entry to the House of Commons.
It was not the " attainder" which is held
to be the consequence of such a conviction, but
merely the conviction itself, that rendered him
ineligible. Ho was not a legal candidate. In
fact, the Tipperary contest was in a legal
sense a complete fiction, and Mr. HERON was the only
true candidate. Had that gentleman claimed the seat,
it must, in due course, have been accorded to him. It
seems to be a matter of doubt whether the sheriff
would have been justified in refusing to make the
return; and, on the whole, the presumption is
against such a course, since it would be dangerous
to give local functionaries the power of deciding
who may or may not be candidates for Parliamen-
tary honours. But that it was within the competence of
the House of Commons to refuse to admit a felon,
as well as a minor or other ineligible person, there
could not be the slightest question whatever. It is
remarkable, amid the various political turmoils of late
years, that no similar case has occurred. Con-
stituencies have frequently expressed their ill-
will by returning obnoxious persons to Par-
liament, but we have never before had "aught like
this." The case of WILEEs was quite a different one.
He was several times elected without opposition,
and expelled from the House on the ground of a
conviction for libel. When an opposing candidate
was beaten on the fourth occasion, Parliament altered
the return and gave the scat to the unsuccessful
aspirant. It is obvious, however, that such an
extreme course was altogether in excess of the deserts
of a libel conviction, and the House itself rescinded
its decision. JAMES SADLEIR was charged with
frauds upon a bank, and was summoned to
appear before the House, but " fleeing from
justice" he was expelled after an interval of
several months. If Parliament were acting
within its powers on this occasion—and the justice
of its verdict has not been questioned—its right to
expel a felon actually convicted is at least
as sure. Still more analagous is the case
of SMITH O'BRIEN, who was declared incapable
of keeping his seat for Limerick on conviction for
high treason in 1848. None of these are precise pre-
cedents, but they go to establish the general principle
that though the privilege of constituencies must be
left as untrammelled as possible, they cannot be
allowed to seat the enemies of law and the State in
the Legislature.

HEALTH OF MR. DISRAELI.
It was stated in the House of Commons last night that
Mr. Disraeli was suffering from slight indisposition.

ML:t;
tc,

LITERATURE.

7h eDulce's Honour. 3 Vols. By Edward Wilber-
force, Author of " Social Life in Munich."
This is a very original story, and introduces us
to scenes and characters not frequently to be met
with in the ordinary three-volume novel. Some
of the characters are capitally described, among
others, the crafty detective, a worthy companion to
the immortal Bucket, who pursues his man through
the intricate labyrinths of passport-office references,
and smiles with superior scorn at the imaginary
knowledge and fancied security of the foreign offi-
cials. A very striking and sensational scene, one
that would tell well upon the stage, occurs when
Madame Villars, at last summoning courage for her
" grand coup," as she calls it, lays before the Duke,
in order to dispose of tuem at a goodly price, cer-
tain letters of his father's,which very nearly concerns
the title of the book—the honour of the Duke.
It is difficult to decide who of the two actors of
this scene is the more bewildered and amazed.
The Duke, when he beholds these documents, which
bear evidence of his father's hand, or the lady,
when the Duke, retiring to his desk, exhibits to her
letters identical with her own, which he has already
purchased from another halid. 'The Duke's acting
throughout this scene is perfect. Madame Villars
is also, ou her side, no mean actress. She is indeed
accustomed to act a double part. Believing,
like Milton, that "a low voice is an excellent
thing in woman," she speaks in elegant lan-
guage and modulated tones when iu society,
but when alone, with her equally diplomatic
niece, she occasionally indulges in coarse words,
delivered iu a harsh and high-toned key. So dif-
ferent is this from her ordinary conversation, that
a visitor constantly accustomed to converse with
her in the saloon, accidentally hearing her up-stairs
discourse,wonders who the strange speaker can be !
The scene is not entirely laid abroad. We have
glimpses of English life in a country parish,
and a capital description of the conflicting
emotions called into play by a fancy fair for
religious purposes. One clergyman, very straight-
forward and outspoken, falls into great disfavour
with his fair parishioners by denouncing the labour
at which they are toiling so assiduously, and bidding
them give for the erection of the Church a subscrip-
tion in money equal in amount to what they are
expending upon their fancy work and frippery.
Great is the indignation of the zealous devotees,
and the warning admonition is unheeded. The
fancy fair is held with the usual amount of energy
and excitement, followed by the usual reaction,
and in this instance a certain amount of repent-
ance also when the advice of the admonisher
is more than justified by the result. Among the
fair labourers at this fancy fair is Annie, the most
charming heroine of the tale, a true-hearted, loyal
damsel, whose hero is, save perhaps in his repent-
ance, quite unworthy of her. The character of
this hero, a young clergyman, is very cleverly de-
scribed. Unstable as water, fettered by promises
he is unable to perform, and choosing at last, as such
a character must inevitably be disposed to
choose, the fatal expedient of doing evil that good
may come, Charles listens to the whispers of a
Machiavellian adviser. We must not betray fur-
ther the secrets of the tale. We have perhaps said
too much already, and assuredly more than suffi-
cient to justify our opinion as to the original ehilt-
iacter of Mr. Wilberforce's novel.

IMPERIAL PARMA ,NIEN

HOUSE OF LORDS.—THURSDAY•
The Lont, CHANCELLOR took his seat on the vrooleacic
five o'clock, and the sitting was occupied by
Lord ItEDESDALE drawing the attention of theittortt
ships to the subject of street tramways.
Lord KIMBERLEY, on behalf of the Goverrment, un-
dertook to communicate with the Board of trade on the
subject, and promised that th) suggestion should receive
full consideration.
The sitting only occupied half an hoar.