The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-18 00:00:00

A FIGHT WITH TUB OFFICERS OF THE SYIEIT OF
LAW.

A day or two since Mr. Hinder, a sheriff's officer,
accompanied by an assistant, presented himself at the
residence of Captain Hunt, of Boyton House, Wilts,
under the authority of a writ of capias against Captain
Hunt for a sum of about MO. The butler said his master
was not at home, but Mr. Hinder went into the house and
up stairs, leavinghis man below. He found Captain Hunt
and told him the cause of his visit, whereupon the Captain
ordered him from the house. Mr. Hinder said he could
not leave, as the writ ho held was against the captain's
person, and ho trusted they would be able to settle
the affair quietly. Captain Hunt, however, armed him-
self with apoker and aimed a terrible blow at Mr. Hinder,
who escaped it, but the poker coming in contact with the
wall, was broken into two pieces. Mr. Hinder then called
out for assistance, and his man and several servants in the
house were quickly in the room where the fight was going
on. By this time the captain had armed himself with the
tongs, and with them dealt the sheriff's officer a heavy
blow across the bridge of his nose, giving him a black eye,
and causing the blood to gush freely from his mouth and
nostrils. Mr. Hinder and his man then attempted tosecure
the captain, who, seizing a revolver, declared he would blow
out their brains. He presented the revolver at the head
of the officer's man, and fired. The man dashed his hand
up and at the same moment dropped on the floor unin-

jured. Captain Hunt then presented a revolver at the
head of the sheriff's officer, but the butler caught it from
his hand. A struggle ensued, during which the sheriff's
officer and his man were roughly handled and ultimately
turned out of the house. The matter was immediately
reported to the sheriff, and warrants were issued for the
apprehension of Captain Hunt (who has left Boyton) and
also against a servant who took part in the fight.

IRELAND.

The Daily New correspondent is still pursuing his

investigations into the agrarian outrages in Ireland. His
Latest communication is from Mullinabone. He has

already given the opinions of the landlords, the land
agents, the lawyers, the magistracy, &c. They all pointed
in the same way—that while the products raised from
land may be bought and sold in the best market, the
letting of land must be done on other principles. The
view of the tenant farmer is precisely the same. The

correspondent tells the following story :—" A man living
near Mullinahone purchased a seven or ten years lease of
farm, for which he gave £7OO. On going to the
landlord for a renewed lease of the farm, the
;andlord asked for £7OO and an increased rent of 10s.
an acre. The man hesitated ; he probably thought
that a hard bargain was being driven with him.

But the upshot was somebody else offered higher terms to
the landlord, and got the farm. It is possible that the
case may be differently stated, for I heard two or three
versions. One was that the landlord asked possession,
which was at once given, under the impression that the
occupier would get the renewal of the lease.; but, posses-
sion being once yielded, the land was handed over to
another. I do not vouch for the correctness of
the particulars, which I have given only from
hearsay, though I took the trouble to inquire as
near the spot as my time would allow. It was treated
amongst landlords as a hard case. But, as I have remarked
more than once, I do not see how the landlord is to
blame on the doctrines that are rreached and practised.
A man buys a lease for £700; when he did soi it is to be
presumed that the lease was worth that money ; when it
fell in the landlord asked another .£7OO and an increase of
10s. an acre. Meanwhile, another man, not in occupation,
offered a higher sum and got the farm. If land is a com-
modity like every other, subject to the variations of supply
and demand, why should a landlord be stigmatised for
taking the highest price, any more than the farmer who sells
the cattle and the sheep off the farm to thehighest bidder?"
This view of the case the writer set before a tenant farmer,
asking him if the question was not one of simple contract,
and if the owner and tenant stand on equal grounds.
'He gave me a look of astonishment that I shall not
easily forget, and answered my question by an apostrophe
—` You know very well they do not. You might as well
say that one man armed with a revolver and another with
bow and arrow are fighting a duel on equal terms.
The landlord possessing the elements whereby I live
has me at a disadvantage.' Then you would not
be satisfied with a measure like that of Lord Clanricarde's
which provides the means of carrying out contracts
freely made between landlord and tenant? It would make
hinge worse than they are.' " A visit to a released Fenian
prisoner is described. " I found Mr. Kickham in a small
house looking towards a dismantled and ivy-covered
castle, the walls of wMeli were of unusual thickness.
After a few words of introduction, he told me that
the English of Mullinalione was the Mill of St. John ;'
that the origin of the castle was lost in the darkness of
time ; that in 1798 a Croppy's head was lim; upon
it as a warning to all rebels, but that the book
from which it was suspended was sent to the Chicago
Fenian fair two years ago, and sold as a relic for the
benefit of the Fenian war treasury. I told him the object
of my coining to Ireland. I was surprised by his ready
• nsw•er—though he spoke through an interpreter with his
nger;, being wholly deaf—' Wherever the Fenians went
hey discouraged individual assassination.' " And taking
own a book of poems he sheaved the vow made by
Fenians against that way of relieving Ireland of landlords.
Mr. Kickham made no allusion to his connection with
Fenianism, but he complained, not so touch in
• nger as in bitterness, of the treatment he received in
prison. It is a disgrace,' he said, to the British
Government. I cannot think the officials would have
acted as they did if they had not received orders from their
luperiors. It is a shame to make political prisoners the
•ompanions of the most debased and depraved felons.' I
could well understand the feeling in Mr. Kickham's case,
for I perceived that I was talking to a man of very refined
mind and of a gentle nature. In different circumstances
neither the felon's dock nor the prison's cell would have
been Mr. Kickham's place. Whatever his political senti-
ments, his moral principles and his gentle Manly demeanour
were unfitted for a gaol life, and, as he said, ' If I had not
been liberated, I would have been dead now.'"
Cork seems to be quiet just now. Mr. Murphy, brewer,
who was nominated by the moderate Liberals as the suc-
cessor to Mr. O'Sullivan, has, for business reasons,
declined to accept the mayoralty of that city. The more
advanced section of the party is anxious to secure the
election of Mr. D. A. Nagle, who is the proprietor of one
of the Cork newspapers, but it is stated that the general
feeling is in favour of Sir John Arnott:, who has already
filled the office for three years. The election takes place
on Friday.
Up to a very recent period Kerry has been remarkably
free from crimes of an agrarian character ; but lately the
spirit of lawlessness has exhibited itself. A land agent,
Mr. Hussey, who found it necessary to serve some
notices of ejectment on tenants, had some turf
and hay destroyed by an incendiary. A couple
of days afterwards Mr. Hussey received a threat.
ening letter, bearing the Castle Island post-mark.
" I am sending you these few lines," the letter
said, " warning you to take care of yourself, for you are
doomed. Don't you think it enough of harm that was
done last Wednesday night (meaning the malicious fire).
If the Lord spares us our health, there will be grass
groWing over your head before many months." This
epistle was read before the magistrates at Tralee Pre-
sentment Sessions, when Mr. Hussey applied for, and was
granted, the bum of £66, as compensation for the property
destroyed.
Archbishop Leahy has issued a long and eloquent
pastoral on the outrages in Tipperary. He expresses his
horror of the crimes, exhorts the people to forbearance, and
laments that a few desperadoes, acting singly and without
accomplices, should tarnish the fame of gallant
Tipperary. He attributes the antipathy of tenant
against landlord to the long protracted settle.
ment of the land question. He emplia,tical'y
denies the existence of an agrarian conspiracy,
It could not exist without the knowledge of the
Catholic clergy, and they have no knowledge of any such
thing. He denies that promises of any change in the land
laws by Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Bright have had anything
to do with the murders. He thinks the expectations of a
settlement, so far from increasing, would diminish them.
He bids the tenant to look for hope to the Imperial Legis-
lature, and points out the danger of the people of England
J- being disgusted and estranged by these outrages.
!er,

VELOCIPEDE RACING.—On Monday four profes-
sional velocipedeans bad a race en two wheel bycicles for
n, sweepstakes of £lO, at Streatham Common, over a mile
of ground well adapted for the trial. The competitors
were Messrs. Richards, Joyce, Ansct, and Freuti. At the
start the pace was made by Asset, who maintained the
lead fur half a mile, when Freuti leaded his opponents
and increased the speed, and, after a sharp contest, came
in first by four lengths. Asset second ; the others tied for
third place. The last portion of the road was on the descent,
and the mile was accomplished in s:\ minutes.
VELOCIPEDE ACCIDENT.-011 Saturday afternoon
a gentleman was proceeding down Key-bill, Birmingham,
on a bycicie, at a moderately quick pace, and at the
bottom of the hill a brougham cargo at ordinary speed
along Icknield-street. The velocipede and the brougham
almost met, and the rider of the former endeavoured to
cross in front of the carriage. Just at that moment the
L velocipede turned completely over, and the wheel of the
brougham went over the rider's shoulder, inflicting serious
injuries. The injured man was conveyed to the General
Hospital. During the week several persons have been
injured by falls and bruises sustained while riding on
DY*l9.Nt .

TEE PUBLIC JOURNALS,

The Tines says that there are two parties who are
prone to exaggerate the prevalence and intensity of revo-
lutionary sentiments in Ireland. With the most diverse

motives and the most conflicting aims, both the advocates•

of anarchy and the advocates of vigorous repression find
here a common ground of agreement, and vie with each
other in magnifying the expectations of the labourers and

small tenants in Ireland. Lord Derby, for instance,
stated in the House of Lords what the Fenian

press will probably hail with acclamation—that upon
and around his own estate persons of this class
are looking forward to a total remission of rent
after the year 1870. The difference is that, while Lord

Derby goes on to urge the expediency of silencing these
wild hopes by decisive proofs of a resolution to maintain
the rights of property, disloyal agitators represent them
as just demands, to be enforced by rebellion in the last
resort, since the British Parliament will never satisfy
them. Now, the mischief that may be dune by overstating

the degree of agrarian discontent in Ireland is not to be

easily measured. The question is whether the Irish people,
or any considerable body of them, do actually claim or
expect, as Lord Derby alleges, "some great measure for
the redistribution of land in Ireland, which shall give
back to the occupier what he thinks his right to the soil of
which the landlord has deprived him, and which shall

remove the Protestant and absentee landlord from the pro-

perty." If it be so, the further question arises, whether
uncompromising resistance or such remedial legislation
as the bills of Mr. Fortescue and Lord Mayo is the most
effectual mode of checking these extravagant notions. If

it be not so, the less currency that is given to these ex-
travagant notions the better for the interests of Irish land-
lords as well as of Irish tenants. There may be good par-
liamentary reasons, as we have been obliged unwillingly
to acknowledge, for deferring legislation this session; but
a definite pledge should be given that Irish Land Tenure
shall take in 1870 the same place which the Irish Church
has taken in 1869. In the meantime, all classes in Ireland
should be made to feel that it will be treated on principles
of true statesmanship—a statesmanship at once superior
to lawyer-like prejudices and to menacing importunity, to
purely English conceptions of proprietary rights and to
conceptions which have no justification but the imperious
instinct of rapacity.

The Standard says that the cotton operatives of the
North have not been unmindful of the debt they owe to
Richard Oastler. The statue they have raised at Brad-
ford, the centre of the movement in behalf of the Ten
Hours Bill, is the memorial of a life of earnest labour and
heroic devotion in one of the noblest labours which marl
ever did for man. Everywhere are to be found the "real
friends of the working man," from Bright downwards, but
for real, substantial work, represented by plain and
tangible results, it will be difficult to parallel the task to
which Richard Oastler set himself, and which, with the
aid of men of like aims and sympathies with himself, he
was privileged to bring to fruition. The world is richlY
stored with amiable philanthropists who are bursting with
plans for the redress of every evil which afflicts humanitlt
from the ratepaying qualification for the franchise dote
to Pickford's waggons and German bands, and the end of
their labours is usually to be found in the waste-pa Per„
baskets of the two Houses of Parliament. Richard
Oastler saw in the condition of the factory operatives of
the North a cruel and hideous anomaly which cried aloud
for redress, and he gave up his life to fight and
conquer it. Fitly, therefore, is his work of love core'
memorated in the statue which has been reared to his
memory at Bradford, and mainly at the expense of
the class to whose welfare he gave all the activities
of his life. It was well that the operatives of Lancasbir°
and Yorkshire should bear the chief part in raising this
memorial of the man to whom they owe so much, and tiesb
they should assemble in such overwhelming numbers to
do honour to the occasion of unveiling it on Saturday if,
they are now self-respecting, independent, well-nurtured
working men, if their hours of toil are reasonable
and
their rate of wage fair and liberal, if their wives
and
children are no longer forced into the labour market, 11
their toil is no longer slavery, and if their lives are 11°
longer fraught with degradation and misery, they O;
well afford to pay grateful homage to the memory
Richard Oastler.
The Telegraph, declares that Liberals have recantea.
their errors as heartily as Tories have confessed their
faults ; the factory legislation and the Free Trade AO
stand side by side on our statutes, noble, useful, never
to be repealed. Nor do the Factory Acts urged on
Oastler stand alone. The measures which he promote
n
are but the first in a long series that have since bee,
passed, with fresh additions every year, enforcing delis
nt'
end judicious interference between purchaser and sell'f:
oetween employer and employed. Every year sees sonl:
new legislation lightening the toil and improving the c°s.
lition of the hard-worked poor ; and public opinion 14
growing stronger every day in favour of the right of tllB
body politic to interfere with individuals in tae final Al's,l;
permanent in terest of all. The legislation that has restrictu
the owners of factories lia.s served, instead of injurin,g,Briti!t
trade : a generation of young men has grown up liealth,lblee
because Oastler's work was crowned with success. ~
economist of a somewhat bygone school may ask, " Wbenie
will yondraw the line?" But the question is cot merely c't
of experimental advantage— there is a distinct principle 4:
the root of this legislation. Its purpose is, while seourl,./Ijo
the amplest liberty to each individual in the pursuit of' 5
own special branch, at the same time, by regulatiOof
which keep any class from encroaching on the rights „.
another, to bring about the equal and harmonious devel""a
inent of the general resources. Alarmist orators
writers may tell us that, if we go much further in VW/tie
ing trade from doing what it likes, we shall play int°,o-0
hands of the trades unions. On the contrary, we be'it- 0,
that the more humane and generous are our general le
eo
the less need will there be for the tver-nice and die
particular protection which the unions throw ore! a'-of
ndividual workman. Oastler's laws constitute aWI
rade union in themselves, based on humanity and COpra"

sense. of
The Daily News thinks that the result of the hearilli'r
the petition against the return for Stafford is highly c-et,
ditable to the Liberal party in that town. It is, 3u:ideas
a mortification to Mr. Pochin and his supporters thP if
election so purely won should be declared void; but;o3e
anything could soften the annoyance, it is the Otiret-io
mildness of the offence on which the judge acted, arPAI,
very high compliment he passed on the unseated raeltiove
and, by implication, on the party which supported ity
Another opportunity is afforded to Stafford Of
:els
dicating for itself a claim to share in the b°r°,,,-;0
representation of the country. We trust ;tce
the Conservative party, whose one great P°sito
legislative achievement in this century has beenh
lj
base the constitution of the country on bouge";
suffrage, will see the folly, from their own point a
of seeking to seat a member here and there bYPerraAnftY
degrading the people to whom they have committe-
-4"
national destiny. The duty of the Liberals i 5 'lOO
They have established a reputation for purity ;wisdom
keep it untarnished. Let unity be secured by A ole
and
forbearance in the choice of their candidates, 51110
no weapon but a fair and manly one be resorted OP 1140/
no effort is spared to secure victory. We are cow' 00
that in this way they will secure the result, that
stagnant quagmire of electoral corruption which the S 0"
has presented will give place to a healthy and 118.°
growth of intelligent and earnest Liberalism. to ll°
The Star observes that the American people seew tho
surprised at the discussion which has taken place °lic•pst:
side of Mr. Sumner's speech. As they did not 31:'")to,
any action by the Government or by Congress, theY 0411
it for granted that we would regard Mr. Sumnerl4fPorg°
with the same coolness as themselves. But WY 'doer
that Mr. Sumner's speech was the first Amerieot;
ante of importance after the rejection of the te'',:js
was the exposition, as it were, of the Senate's gr°l-tot+ll
refusal. The American people can no (I°llllti, c
a more just estimate than we can of the signi'Lc-tlsselle;
the speeches of their orators, and it is belt by
questions of great gravity are discussed "
prominen'; politicians of the two countrie° Theli
nothing be advanced which is not seriously xnelitople tro
speeches create a public opinion, and if the P"' 001
America be taught to believe that we ought t 0
PtoOed
ev
fabulous amount, what chance have they of beirlg
with a treaty which shall lay down a fair and ja,,,00,7
basis of settlement? We know very well that'd
r. t poP.
is not the Government, but he is a very iillP°,,rt3:t,
titian of the republican army ; and President
presume, is as likely to listen to Mr. Surane,r,st:rll44,;:
Ileverdy Johnson when he returns home. ei,„ nf
which some of the journals cxpress at our m 0,.. -
cussing the speech is therefore a little out cf I)lsce.

__—
The wealthy thCit
eessptitn‘cliaatlelyofhtishechlairaatcivteersofofSh.B• Joomsebplaty.A., rtnootlnll:sitiit;
casteireb etaorodrebaciolsloott-titr
,e
haveven -llnl e d
resolved j i it.s, iictesiti. tiootet
oautreferenee tioes
scholarship, to name, iu the Vulva.
Bombay.
og rilile,
AN ENGLISUMAN IN TILOUBLE IN FLIAI4---* tio-
Imperial Court at Rouen has just bad under censideoo.oo,
a sentencel,. pronounced in August 1867, by the C° rod
tional 'Tribunal of Dieppe, on an Englishman, li‘ of
P6ig3oo.t, for robbing a money changer, named Lefebilep'ed
The accused was tried by default, and contle°Sof
to five years' imprisonment and five years' surveillance. 'tiog
long since a man was arrested at the Saint
S.
for picking pockets, and sentenced to two years' ihrlPfPoil
inept. The police, having some that he Nv°ll,ltil
personth who bad committed the theft at Dieppe, t°°ooll
ere, and he was immediately identified, The cour:sieel
confirmed the judgment of the lower tribunal, but o
tho two terms of confinement to be ocurrent,