The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-09 00:00:00

THE TRIAL OF BOULTON AND PARK.

The trial of Boulton and Park is not a subject on which
we wish to write more than can be helped. But there
are things of greater importance than superficial pro-
priety, and, as it seems not unlikely that an effort will be
made to induce the Government to overlook this fact, it
is well to assure them that in disregarding these persuasions
they will have the support of all the really decent public.
If the Government is resolved• to see this business out, it
must do so at the cost of much suffering to people in great
position. That Lord Arthur Clinton must be tried as
soon as he is caught is clear from what has already
come to light, and it is understood that the
evidence in possession of the Government in-
volves at least one person whose title is more than one
of courtesy. A scandal of this magnitude is certain
to enlist a variety of influence on the side of hushing it
up, and when to direct entreaty is added the natural dis-
like of the Government to disgrace England in the estima-
tion of the world by exhibiting the highest classes of
society infected with vices which in modern times, at
any rate, have been conveniently assumed to be
only found in combination with the most degrad-
ed and brutal ruffianism, it will easily be understood
that it may need some resolution on the part of the
Government to stand by their righteous purpose. We
certainly do not wish to pass judgment on the particular
cases which stand for trial this week. Boulton and Park
may be, for anything that we or the public at large know
to the contrary, unjustly accused. They may be
mere reckless offenders against manly feeling ;
they may be the unwilling accomplices or scape-
goats of other men's crimes. But whatever character
may be assigned to these two performers it is impossible
to doubt that the Government have at last laid their
finger upon a serious and extensive conspiracy against
public morals. We call it a conspiracy because, when a
number of men are found associated in a common practice
of going about to public places in women's clothes, as to
some of whom there is hardly any room for question
that they make the disguise which this dress affords
them a cloak for the vilest iniquity, their acts
have precisely that character of organisation and concert
to which the term properly applies. The existence of
this conspiracy has been suspected for some time. It
has looked on the universities as natural feeding ground,
and it has not been the fault of some at least in authority
there that so few obstacles have hitherto been offered to
its development. Under these circumstances we are jus•
tified in saying that there are considerations in-
volved of more importance than superficial propriety.
Indeed, whatever injury that has received it has received
already. There is comparatively little fear of the reports
of any future trial being read by anyone who has not a
fairly accurate knowledge of the sort of entertainment
which he or she is about to enjoy. Enough has been said
and written on the subject to make every modest
woman avoid, as by instinct, any reference
to that part of the newspaper. The annoyance
having been inflicted, and the antidote being already at
work, any dislike of publicity which can at all interfere
with the complete success of this and subsequent prosecu-
tions is altogether out of place. Up to this time the Go-
vernment have done their work well. They have shewn
themselves thoroughly alive to the magnitude of the evil
with which they have to cope. It is a thankless task
to undertake, and we do not doubt that much legal
eloquence will be spent during the next few
days in proving that in conducting such pro-
secution at all the Government are exceeding their
duty and pressing hardly upon two innocent imprudents.
We hope and believe that they will continue to merit
these denunciations, that not one winding of this filthy
business will be left unexplored, nor one of those con-
cerned in it be left unexposed or unpunished. Now that
we have got our hand on the cockatrice den it is of the
utmost moment that we should not take it away until
we have cleared out its last recesses and subjected every
one of its inmates to the just penalty of his guilt.—Pall
llfall Gazette.

The " silver mines" in Linlithgowshire are (says
the North British Mail) not altogether the hoax they
were at first pronounced. On Monday, contiguous to
the old workings, a rich vein of silver and lead, from 18
to 20 inches thick, was unexpectedly laid bare, and the
is said to be of a good quality.

Mr. John George Child, only surviving son of Mr.
Smith Child, M.P., for West Staffordshire, was driving
through Fenton, near Stoke-on-Trent, on Monday even-
ing, when his horse took fright at a kite which a boy was
flying, and started off at a gallop. Mr. Child either
jumped out or was thrown out, and was dragged along
the road some distance by the reins, in which he had got
entangled, and received such severe injuries as to occasion
his death.

A father and mother named Watkins at Maccles-
field, left their home on Tuesday to attend the funeral of one
of their children. They left in the house a little child of
two under the care of a brother ten years of age. This
lad, taking advantage of his parents absence, fetched
down a horse pistol to play with, and on putting a lighted
match to the nipple the pistol exploded and shot his
brother dead instantly. The pistol had been borrowed,
it seems, by a neighbour for pigeon-shooting.

Mr. Dent and Sir H. Johnstone, the members for
Scarborough, addressed their constituents on Tuesday.
Both gentlemen confined their remarks to the education
question. Mr. Dent said he would be no party to the
exclusion of the Bible, but thought the conscience clause
might be improved. Lie was strongly in favour of
attendance being made compulsory. Sir H. Johnstone
was in favour of a national, unsectarian, compulsory, and
free system of education.

Lord Houghton on Tuesday, addressed, a meeting
of the members of the Pontefract Mechanics Institute,
and spoke on the subject of education. He expressed
his belief that the Government bill would soon be the
law of the land. There was so much common sense, he
said, in the reformed Parliament, that the extreme men
on both sides would be led to combine with the moderates,
with the view of carrying some measure which would
meet the wants of the country. He did not think the time
had come in this country for a purely secular system of
education.