The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-20 00:00:00

UNITED KINGDOM ALLIANCE.

A very crowded and enthusiastic meeting of the mem-
bers and friends of this large body was held last night at
the St. James's Hall, under the presidency of Lord
Claud Hamilton,
M.P. Amongst those on the platform
were Mr. Hugh Birley, M.P., Mr. M. Dalway, M.P.,
Sir W. Lawson, M.P., Sir D. Wedderburn, M.P., B.
Whitworth, Esq., J.P., J. H. Raper, Esq., the Baboo
Reshub Chunder Sen. ,

The CHAIRMAN, who was received with much applause,
said that he was not a volunteer for the post he occupied
that night, for he had accepted the office of chairman at
the solicitation of the committee. In the county which
he had the honour to represent (Tyrone) there was
a district covering 61 square miles, which worked very
successfully under the permissive system. (Hear, hear.)
It was riot necessary from him to enter into a detailed
account of the evils arising from the present system for. the
sale of intoxicating liquors. He would draw the attention
of the meeting to one point which he thought influenced
the question to a great degree, and that was the condition
of the homes of the humbler classes. It was necessary to
provide comfortable homes for the poor, because the want
of comfort at home 'oftentimes drove them to the public-
house. The noble chairman concluded by stating his
perfect confidence in the ultimate success of the movement.
(Loud cheers.)
Dr. Lusx proposed the first resolution, and spoke of the
question from a medical point of view. It ran as follows :
—" That this meeting deeply laments the prevalence of
intemperance throughout the nation, and recognising that
it produces a large prop,:7,,,Ttion of the pauperism and crime
of the country, with their consequent taxation, calls upon
the Legislature to enact a law to protect the people from
the evils which originate in the present system of tempta-
tion presented by the liquor traffic."
Mr. BIRLEY, M.P., seconded the resolution, and spoke
of the feeling in the north on the question, a feeling which
he said was very much in favour of the object of the
Alliance.

Sir WILFRED LAWSON, who was greeted with a perfect
hurricane of applause, supported the motion, and in the
course of doing so remarked upon the two remedial mea-
sures which have been put forward for poverty, viz..
education and emigration. With regard to the former,
he was of opinion that there would be very little room for
compulsory education if drunkenness was stopped, as it
was invariably the drunken parent who neglected the
education of his child. (Hear, hear.) As to emigration,
he thought it would be a good thing if the Government
would make a grant for the removal of the 130,000
publicans in the kingdom. (Laughter and cheers.) The
hon. baronet then proceeded to notice the measure which
he had presented to the House of Commons, which he
said he was ready to withdraw in favour of a better one,
should it appear. He concluded an able and lengthy
speech by expressing his confidence in the satisfactory
settlement of the question.
• The next resolution, proposed by Dr. Mackenzie,
the provost of Inverness, was to the following effect
—"'That this meeting expresses its strong disapproba-
tion of any system of legislation, whether administered
in the United Kingdom- or British India, by which the
sale of intoxicating liquors is maintained for purposes of
revenue, in opposition to the social and moral
interests of the community ; and this meet-
ing earnestly hopes that statesmen of all parties
will give proofs of an enlightened and Christian
spirit, by opposing themselves in word and deed to a sys-
tem so inherently corrupt and productive of the most
deplorable results."
BABOO RESHUB CHANDER SEN, who met with a most
enthusiastic reception in rising to support the motion,
said that he had always admitted that India had much to
thank England for, out the British Government were
responsible for the harm they had done by introducing to
India the sale of intoxicating liquors, which, he argued,
was done for the purpose of drawing a large revenue.
The effect of intoxicating liquors in India was dreadful,
and raised cries and lamentations from thousands of
widows and orphans. He strongly advocated the pro-
posed measure. ' (Loud and long-continued cheering.)
The resolution was unanimously adopted. ,
Mr. DALWAY. M.P., . proposed the third resolution,
viz. : " That this meeting rejoices • that Sir Wilfrid
Lawson has introduced his Permissive Prohibitory Liquor
Bill, and as this measure proposes to prevent the
licensing authority from granting licenses for the sale of
liquors in parishes or districts where a large majority
of the ratepayer desire to be free from the liquor
traffic, with its disastrous results, this meet-
ing recognises that measure as a just extension
of local protection, and pledges itself to use every legiti-
mate effort to secure its adoption by Parliament, and
hereby respectfully.requests'the members for the Metro-
politan constituencies and counties to give their earnest
support to the bill. In doing so the honourable gentle-
man said he should continue to support Sir Wilfrid
Lawson's bill in the House of Commons. (Hear, hear.)
The resolution was . seconded by Mr. CARTER, M.P.,
who said that if earnestness and goodwill were required
to obtain the desired reform, Yorkshire might be relied

on. (Cheers.)
J. H. RAPER, Esq., proposed the fourth resolution,
which was—" That the following petition to the House
of Commons be adopted, and that copies of the
foregoing resolutions be forwarded by the Chair-
man to the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary, and
to the members for the Metropolitan constituencies and
counties." Mr. Raper having read the petition,
which embodied the views of the Alliance,
contended that the Legislature could and should deal with
the question this year, by introducing a bill at the eud of
the session and carrying it through promptly. (Cheers.)
The resolution was unanimously carried:
The proceedings, which were marked throughout with
the greatest enthusiasm, terminated with a vote of thanks
to the noble chairman.

The Earl of Stair; arthe Lord High Commissioner,
opened the General AsiemblS, of the Church of Scotland
yesterday.

The select committee upon the Public Prosecutors
Bill commenced its labours to day, and was occupied all
the afternoon in examining and discussing the clauses
seriatim, No evidence is required to be given before the
committee, which will, therefore, sit with closed doors

ORTII PCEDIC HOSPITAL.—The annual dinner of
the Royal Orthopo3dic hospital was held last evening, at
Willis's Rooms. 'fbe Rev. Mr. Wright, senior vice-presi-
dent, was, in the absence of Lord Shaftesbury, the chairman

'fhe Prince of Waha has consented to preside at
a public meeting iu aid of St. George's Hospital, which is
to ho held at the Hanover-square Rooms on Thursday next,
the 26th instant. Amongst the speakers will be the Earl
of Derby, the Earl Granville, the Earl of Carnarvon, the
Ma quis of Westminster, the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, M P.,
and Mr. W. H. Smith, M.P.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—The great flower show of the
season takes place to-morrow (Saturday). The entries are
very numerous' particularly in the most attractive classes,
the orchids and azaleas. new feature' introduced in
the show last year of an international bouquet competition
will be repeated in to-morrow's exhibition on an. increased
scale. Several entries have already been received fr.. m
Parisian bouquetists; and altogether the show promises to
be more than usually beautiful and interesting. The band
of the Coldsb earn Guards and the company's orchestral
baud will perform, separately and united, during the day.
The gardens of Rochhills will be open for promenade
during the afternoon.
THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH ON THE METROPO-
LITAN RAILWAY.—An inquest was hold yesterday in Pad-
dington on the body of Mr Joseph Holmes, aged 33, wt•
was found mutilated and in a dying state on the embank-
ment of the Metropolitan Railway between the Latimtr-
road and Notting-hill stations ou the morning of. March
28th last. In the hospital the deceased said that h was
travelling by the railway on the revious evening, and while
leaning against the earriago door it flew open and ho fell
out upon the line. The jury returned averdlet of accidental
death.

SINGULAR CHARGE OF ROBBERY.—Y est et day a
young woman, named Selina Skelsey, was given into ouc-
tody. at Leamington, charged with stealing gold, notes, and
securities of the value of .£l,4oo,>belonging to her uncle,
Thomas Holmes, with whom she had been living in Rus-
sell-terrace. The case presents a singular
.feature. After
Skelsey was arrested, the police searched Holmes' house,
but could find no trace of the missing •properry. Subse-
quently they found the cash-box• and contents i❑ the coal-
cellar, where it had been placed after the first search. Skid-
say has been bailed to appear before the magistrates to-day.

SPIT-ZIT 01,'

PERMISSIVE TENANT RIGHT.
The Times cannot but regret that the Cabinet should
have opposed the adoption of permissive tenant right. We
freely allow, indeed, that the bill remains a good billsh
,
Tri
and promises to remove the worst characteristics of
tenures, but an opportunity of greatly improving it ha*
been lost. There is another reason compelling us to eon
sea,
demn as a grave error the rejection of the plans discu
There are twenty-three counties in Ireland ous .
tsir
Ulster, and representatives of twenty-two a th
signed a declaration approving the principle ft
these plans, and urging the Government ti;
accept it. The organs of opinion of all Par no
in Ireland united in asking for it. Why wag it
favourable answer given to their representations ? '13,110
be doubted that if a similar array of opinion had been
manifested in Scotland its demands would have b
granted? It is upon this consideration that the attiteurna
of file Government is most to be regretted. The Lthhise
English members followed the Government, as theY I'i/4
done throughout the progress of this bill, abnega, „,
their own opinions on a question in which their consr7o,
encies are little instructed and less interested• it is ist
incidents like this that the strength of the Nationa
sentiment in Ireland is derived : and it is because wejpei
pudiate as fatal to the welfare of both countries the Furry
of separation that we deprecate the neglect of -4114.,
opinion which may give it even a shadow of
tion. • lit the
The Daily News declares that on Thursday lug— Ile
House of Commons practically did its last bit of vit:bi,
upon the Irish Land Bill. Some stages have Ye
passed through, but the measure has now assumed deLeesv
tive and final shape. If the House of Lords should
itself less prudent than is reasonably expected, thee autclitlia
rns
may echo with the controversies which have disturbed re.
spring. But an assembly of landlords is likely t alVon,
crate the inconvenience of keeping open a land clu,oslia
and it will be as sensible of the desirability (4, no,
an Irish controversy before it becomes an Engns'
The rapid passage of the •measure, in spite of soniestaa
straits and shoals, on which at one time it seemed
to be wrecked, is clue in great part to the skill and coutvae
of its authors and parliamentary advocates. The burster
of the bill fell upon Mr. Gladstone. The Prime 1"-'1-ana
had worked himself as thoroughly into its spirit hick
details as is his practice with the legislative plans
he propounds. Whatever may be said for the arne „a
ments of Sir John Gray and Mr. Morrison taken
for themselves, they are in antagonism with the prinelE,t,
and details of the measure. Their introduction
the Irish Land Bill would supply it witthey
self-repealing machinery. In proportion as o the
were brought into operation, they would t1.11„d ,cnich
labour of the Ministers and of Parliament. AWu 14; po'
secures the tenant from arbitrary eviction by theN hick
sition of a heavy fine on the ejecting landlord ; is
affords facilities to the farmer for becoming the ogre,
en-
fee simple of the land he cultivates ; and
said Atic,„ do
courages the practice of long leases, cannot beand
only a little for him. The wisdom of the politicians
tenant
os
economists who would once more set the Irish hint to
the wild quest of fixity of tenure, and teach
'9
discharge the security which is offered him, is ' thSrs-
doubtful character. The House of Commons disturb a
day night expressed the determination not to into
half-accomplished settlement, and throw things bac'
chaos.

THE EDMUNDS SCANDAL. the'
• The Standard protests against the course pursueel
ease of Mr. Edmunds, and points out that while na 3 ttbe
is pending, raising, for the first time before a jury,
issue between Mr. Edmunds and the TreasurYi
Government issues a writ against the person 0' tibfie
Edmunds, under the pretence of securing for the X the
the sum of money declared to be due from him, miticlt
arbitrators. Mr. Lowe defends this procedure? 0' I,' peal
he rather boasts, on the ground that there is 140 appeal
to
from the judgment of the arbitrators. We are. akai boe•
be compelled to describe this statement of the rig' has
gentleman as a wretched quibble. Mr. Lew° 0
had, as one of several defendants, to plead 3 ire
action for libel, brought by Mr. Edmunds, and taTi the
tended arrest of Mr. Edmunds wears therefore boo
appearance of a device, legitimate enough, as we
_edit.
alablloewteod,tfboer
membersa certain class of eoe
Government,but tomosotoroclipseelt
Edmunds to abandon his action. Mr. Lowe "
his hand," but Mr. Lowe will at least know by tins rode'
that the course he has taken is not approved by- an.Y„ DIP
pendent man. The seeming attempt to slielle'of the
Edmunds is worthy of the worst Government...ld oce,
worst times of despotism. The Treasury shew;
waited the trial of file action for libel, illeue-nosl,
seeking to shut Mr. Edmunds's mouth and • tlO
the action by imprisoning him. The plain fact 'alp of
Mr. Edmunds has taken the only chance offered, to has
impeaching the judgment of the arbitrators ; deei'
inn ct, although not in form, appealed against thre'vsq
sio ; and that being the case, the conduct of ora
and the Treasury, in seeking to give effect to the a pre'
by an imprisonment calculated to prevent him frovad 85 0
ceeding with the action, must be generally hel,ierest,
paltry piece of sharp practice deserving of the se'tolo
censure. The question is not now one of Mr. Edtaublie
rights or wrongs, but of the conduct of a great P
,department and a leading Minister of State.
THE LORDS AND THE DECEASED WIFE'S SISTER RILL.
The Post remarks that irrespective of the merits of ist.llo;
measure a constitutional question of some importallistef
raised by the discussion of the Deceased Wife's cioo
Bill in the Lords. The Commons had on other eel" the
assented to a bill similar to that laid on the table od
de
House of Lords, and on each occasion the Peers ha that
dined to endorse sit. But when, time after time, be
Chamber which is composed, not of the hereditaa
the elective representatives of the nation? ironed
dared its desire that a certain Inca"— tbeair
should be effected in the existing law'. rig'however, unnecessary or impolitic such modificatoofolli,
seem to the Peers, it is their duty to consider ealliotO
that which appears to be the expression of the ne'''.evt
will, and to determine whether their objections, 110; 00
conscientiously entertained, ought to weigh actin" tbe
manifest inconvenience of obstinately thwartni,aiiit'
wishes of the Commons. Those who take even the face
est interest in a bill enabling a man to marrY,hl:ctioll,`;s
in-law must constitute an infinitesimally smali,te facto
the community ; but, however small it may be, ',coc, t
not the less indisputable that its members have a-oils
in satisfying the majority of the House of Contll3l-cireero
they have a grievance which ought to be' r,e
It was in this light that the House 4:4 osti°;
might have done well to regard the ton
before it. Whether it is likely on the viho'Lltio,it
prodctive of evil or good to place a wife in the Pfl,, eve'it
regarding her sister as her possible successor L't'be ?3°l
of her death, is a matter necessarily deservini terlooeeo
anxious consideration ; but when it is always conpet 4
in one way by those who are at all events as c`i it ra-,d
as the Peers to express an opinion on the subiec,' of ei`til
not unnaturally be assumed that the prospreset"he trt.o,
cannot be very apparent or very alarming. rejettO
were told, we believe that the acceptance or t'-``' "•elibwio
of the bill would have no sensible effect on the lbaps?
of family life throughout the kingdom, save.? Peri row •e"
a very few exceptional cases. That it, would
apple of discord into otherwise happy and unite:ol3ft
no impartial person can for a moment believe. ee °
jealousy is rarely excited by the possible occurrell

remote contingency.
THE GREEK GOVERNMENT AND THE MAS.,- eu-
it
Three English subjects, says the Telegraph, ettll, o 0
cruelly murdered on Greek territory. If that sve'. worlily
may be doubted whether the English GovernroVilitettio
have any right to interfere ; for no principle
tional jurisprudence is more generally recogalsi'dera,
that which declares every Sovereign State to h.eal pOilW 03a
dent of every other in the exercise of its judic, 9,0 ttiO
There are certain exceptions to the rule, slic."-~hr
compacts by which the resident Consuls a A,,Dijo
Powers in Turkey, the Barbary States, apd otheir 0103
medan countries, exercise a certain civil an"trate,o4
jurisdiction, to the exclusion of the local =We; sill eat
tribunals. But, subject to these and scill'A-pveo-14
State
the rule is, that each 1,,11"„051,„ft
State has sole authority to punish all °L`eierriTtie,
whomsoever committed, within its own iitha" Ali'
This rule is laid down by Wheaton and other gi me
in almost identical terms ; and it is dictated, ne fag 1000
trary authority, but by- absolute necessity pelf ao,
never could undertake absolutely to protect A,
!Ind property. of all her subjects wandering abre'stree'are'
Englishman is knocked down or robbed in tl3. all egl
Paris, he must be content with such vindicatie
paration as the French law and the Frenoll P. 0,105 9,10
give him. A British citizen, so long as he „reeatootoliii
foreign country, is generally subject to its juu.',e,""o essipia
must be regarded as hazing voluntarily elect eu to 04
lot with the native inhabitants of the coun .firp'ffect
has neyer at any time undertaken to give flu', -late $
Civis Rontanus theory ; and, though tae.,opooe to)
Palmerston adopted that theory for the piC.
Parliamentary debate, he was a politici°'-iaon
experienced to attempt its application in cae... orcl3l;o3'
tice. But the case now before us is not that ofri,iio 05,
crime committed abroad upon the persons of nretios.,
We have, first of all, the fact that one of the tiei% 00S
a diplomatic servant, and, therefore, by th',,,,ote,,e,,te;
agreement of nations, peculiarly entitled te o,rost P;cte:,
and inviolability ; while, secondly, we learn tp.colliliort,
rial circumstance—that the crime was lo serious" e t"
with political machinations. If this most bers o
can be made out—if it can be shewn that rnel:edirectlfo tft
Greek Government or Legislature have beattoplieo
to
plicated—it becomes manifest that the eatl,
rs ; Sts
moved from the category of ordinary march,je the
assumes the character of a crime for ~r
itself is, or may be, held responsible. Sti
ft.ot;it
NEW AUSTRALIAN BISHOPRIC.----A- Ile rise 1).1 00
Bishopric is about to be formed. It will coinPiscas-
the present diocese of Melbourne, and the eP '4O
will be at Balarat. Pe r
__lt AP, fo,
THE .INSPECTION OF LONDON CADS. VAI „l?:
that Mr. Bruce did not precisely select Derl,,oooB‘o,
the inspection of the London cabs. There are 7,
cote:
to be inspected, and to perform this dutY .011
inspectors and six assistants. The inspeovtelrult.he
mence on the Ist of June, and will extend. eed .10 re;
in accordance with the instructions contain . ore,
notice. A copy of this notice has been sents attZ.oo
prietor, who can suit his own convenience a 0' of 0'
on any day during the month for the purP°'
fod,
his cabs inspected. was.e iia
, irin
THE SPORTING BISHOP.—A. biSUOPWith attests
of shooting, in one of his excursions met
ins
gamekeeper, whom he sharply reproved 0. to are
toto heihsurrelgi,
andous drueatdiesh,isexhßiobritein.
mood, responded : " Why, I do read mY 131,.i5s goka
I don't find in it any mention of the tyf
shooting." " No, my good man, you are ri, gAne, 0Q
bishop, " the shooting was very bad iiiO-
wont flohinis inoteal" hTunhesktreeenpuer.otili9,:iir.:;.:lo