The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-24 00:00:00

PPUT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Times remarks that when the time shall arrive for
the historian to describe the real working of our Constitu-
tion he will have to devote a chapter to the representatives
of big towns. No class in the House of Commons has
snore distinctly marked characteristics, and no class has
such a principle of increase within it, threatening to
swallow up less distinctly marked varieties of members of
Parliament. The representative of a big town has,
indeed, something in common with the- county
member, but their differences are clear and un-
mistakable. The county member has generally
been governing all his life. He is put in the
commission of the peace as soon as be becomes of age ; he
attends sessions, is a member of the financial committee,
a visiting justice, perhaps a chairman, besides presiding
at the board of guardians in his own neighbourhood.
The town representative probably possesses as touch natural
ability, but he has unfortunately, become a ruler of men
only late in. life. Hence his most striking peculiarities. He
is a singular mixture of strength arel weakness. Hellas been
in business from his youth, and is intimatelyacquain ted with
its details, but has never had time to reflect on its princi•
pies, and blunders in and out of economic truth and error
with happy innocence. He is a Liberal, of course, but has
a very faint notion of the basis of Liberalism, and is con-
tent fur his own l sit with accepting what most people
think. Ignorant of the history of the past, of the experi-
ence of contemporary nations, and*of the precious results
of political study, he Is like a giant stronglimbed but un-
trained to use his strength; with good intentions, yet
wanting the means to direct his efforts ; possessing native
sense, yet liable to be beguiled by the first catching phrase,
the first plausible suggestion that arrests his notice.
The Standard observes that there have been many dis-
putes as to which has been the auwisest act of the present
Government. There can be none as to which has been
the wisest. The Prime Minister performed it on Tuesday
night when substantially he cancelled the scheme for
fixing the law courts in Howard-street, and left the ques-
tion to the adjudication of a select committee. To Mr.
Lowe in his horror at the commissioners, and all that
concerned them, it seemed an infinitesimal thing to throw
away everything that ten weary years had been preparing
for us, and propose beginning the whole affair de noro on
a worse site. We may accept the recantation of Tuesday
night as the admission of the most competent of autho-
rities that the House is wiser than its present leaders.
It amounts to a double testimony—as much now from
Ministers as formerly from their censors—that Par-
liament cannot follow a wiser principle than the one it
.coepted when me declined to leave the erection of the new
law courts to the unassisted responsibility of the Govern-
ment of the day. The important point is, whether the
Embankment site, with its two facades on the river and
Strand, offers the better spot for a fine building. It is
possible, perhaps, whatever the probabilities may be, to
spend nearly the same amcunt of money and timein either
situation if we intend to be prodigal, and it is not much
worth contesting, if the Strand be thrown open equally to
Loth, what amount of superiority either may have as to
facility of approach or proximity of situation. The real
question will be found to be—Does the Embankment offer
such an advantage as a building site that we may incur
the large scale of expenditure and relinquish all the ad-
vantages of the old investment in order to secure it? Io
the opinion of the Standard there is no such superiority.
The Post observes that the House of Lords was on Tuesday
night led by Lord Rosins- into a discussion upon the
manners observed during its debates, the discussion of
which, if it had no other result, slimed how difficult it is
to lay down and toprocure the observance of any inflexible
rule in such matters, and bow necessary it is to allow a
degree of latitude varying with varying circumstances.
Lord Salisbury suggested that the Peers "should abate
somewhat of that jealousy which they manifest with
regard to the noble and learned lord on the woolsack, and
should place in his hands the power
,of keeping order"
throughout the House. Lord Iledesdale, however, and
the Lord Chancellor himself, both pointed out that the
position of the Chancellor, who is neither elected by
the members of the House over which he presides, nor
can be assumed to be impartial as between them,
precludes the grant to him of the same absolute authority
as is exercised by the Speaker of the Commons. Finally,
Lord Beauchamp cited an instance to shew that even the
subordinate officers of the House whose peculiar duty it is
supposed to be to keep order are themselves sometimes
even greater offenders than either the Peers or the
strangers. Thus, as it appears that there is no authority
that can be trusted to rule, and no executive that could be
trusted to enforce its decrees, it may be that it will be
better to leave the matter much as it is left now, to the
good sense and good taste of all those who are concerned;
and we trust that the result will be that the Peers will
indulge in less of the "general conversation," and the
gallery in less of that " applause," which are so depre-
cated, though we confess we should look with greater
complacency upon irregularity in the gallery than upon
irregularity among the Peers themselves, for the one is
never provoked but by a good, while the other arises from
a bad, speech.
The Daily News declares that Lord Cairns is too stiff
and formal for the smaller business of parliamentary
leadership ; he bas not tho intuitive and penetrating
sagacity which would make him equal to its greater exi-
gencies. On the first testing occasion ho has been found
signally wanting. He has neither judgment which his
followers can trust, nor the eager impulse which sways
them. Coldly to echo their passion, and to give logical
shape to their prejudice, is his office. In other words,
Lord Cairns is essentially a follower, and not a leader.
There is only one man in the House of Lords who
can rule and lead the Conservative party, and he is
the Marquis of Salisbury. His endowments present
such a blending of extrinsic and personal gifts, of
merits and of faults, of qualities which place him on a
level with his party and of qualities which give him
ascendancy over it, as marks out its possessor as the
natural representative and chief of Conservatism in the
house of Lords. But while Mr. Disraeli is at the head
of the party, Lord Salisbury would probably feel some
scruple at assuming the second place, and acting in concert
with and subordination to his old colleague, and his older
and newer enemy.. Mr. Disraeli may be on with the
young Marquis as soon as he in off with the old Earl.
Ire may acquire an influence over Lord Salisbury equal to
his influence over Lord Derby. He is essentially a tamer
of men. By. subduing Lord Salisbury he may heal the
discord- of the Conservative party ; but lie will scarcely
achieve this result on easier terms.

The Herald examines the return moved for by Sir
Thomas Bateson respecting agrarian crime in Ireland, and
diStinctly chai-geOlr. Gladstone and' hiS colleagues, but
Mr. Gladstone in the first place and: chiefly, with these
"excesses." To them and to him,-and mostly-to him, is
due sixty per cent. of the "other agrarian outrages " com-
mitted in Ireland since the Ist of last December. To
them and to him, and mostly to him, is due one hundred
and sixty per cent. of the threatening letters sent during
the same period. And, finally, to them and
,to him, and
mostly to him, is due nearly five hundred per cent. of the
agrarian murders, or five times as many as but for their policy
and his would have been committed during the last eleven
months. Ever since the spring of laSt year Ireland has bad
the advantage of Mr. Gladstone's conciliatory programme,
and this has been Ireland's reply. He has applied his
soporific, and these ghastly nightmares—only unhappily
too real--lave been the result. In plain language, Mr.
Gladstone has played the part of an agent provocateur,
and the result_ of. his provocations is to be read in the (his.
tracting, and perturbing figures we have-cited. _lle has
conjured up demons he will find it impossible to lay or to
quell. He has shaken the foundations of • law, authority,
reverence, and property ; being, in' Burke's 'words, aptly
quoted in the debate, an admirable architect of ruin.
The cheers of his friends, and the excitement of power,
may for a time buoy him up in his work of iconoclasm ;
but the time will come when, even if Ida own reawakene,l
judgment have not already pronounced against him, his•
tory will visit his insane career with the severest con
demnation.

The Telegraph says.that twenty years ago such a Meet;
ing as that which was held in Exeter Hall on Wednesday,
to support the Trades Union Bill which is now before
Parliament, would have been almost a social and political
impossibility. At that time masters stood aloof from
their workmen. Each class regarded the other as its
natural enemy. Nothing was more marked than the tone
of moderation which characterised the speeches of unionists
like Mr. Newton, employers like Mr. Morley and Mr.
Mundt:lLl, and members of Parliament like Mr. Hughes.
In frank and manly words Mr. Morley told the unionists
that Rome of their societies had been guilty of much folly,
and hal done much mischief. It is importa,t that snch
language should be spoken, and spoken in the face
,f the working people, by men who sympathise
with their endeavours to repeal the legal dis,
abilities horn which the operative class suffers. Already
the trades unionists wield a mighty power, and to
particular branches of industry they may do irreparable
injury by insisting upon impracticable conditions. Strikes,
sometimes be neces.ary. If, as Mr.
are appaals to brute force, so are wars
Let,teen nations; and .Len r:a3,:u fails to rq-oilitce its
frrit-1 such appaal3 may lie unavoidable. But hitherto we
have not giveo reas,)ii p!:.y. Mr. Mnndella stow I for.
ward at Exeter Hall as the champion of the organised
c:mciliation, which, thanks to his untiring efforts, has been
practised-in-some manufacturing towns with signal success.

..~i:~ilt, .131:11

111.11

tiow that the shackles of the combination laws are about
to te struck off the arms of labour, and that. the working
classes will gain more freedom, it is more imperative than
ever that, so far as possible, courts of conciliation shout('
do the work heretofore clumsily and cruelly dime by
strikes. Such was the sentiment that animated the meet.
hug of Wednesday night, and it cannot fail to excri.ls.! 9
caul ilifiueiite- 611 the del}' •atioxl 9f rarligilmit,

THE JUDGE, THE COMMA AND Tile

WITNESS.

In the Probate Court on Wednesday rather an amusing
scene was witnessed. The will of one Eleanor Gearing was
in dispute, and her brother, John Jones, who was a legatee,
was examined as a witness. From the first it was evident
that some merriment would arise from his evidence, and
the result was fully equal to the anticipations. The
witness answered most of the questions put to him in a
most impertinent and contemptuous manner, and was
thrice threatened with committal by Lord Penzance.
The following are some of the questions and answers :
Dr. Spinks : Was your sister fond of drink ? Witness :
No more than you are. How do I know ?—The Judge :
Answer the question.—Witness (bowing to his lordship) :
I'll answer you, but they want to rob me.—Dr. Spinks:
Where did your sister live? Witness : You'd better find
out. It won't do tocatch Spinks: Did she live at
Te.ttenharn ? Witness : Scotland, no ; you ought to know
better than that.—The Judge : I shall be compelled to
commit you. Don't fancy this place is an exhibition.
Witness : All right, sir ; hot they want to rob me, the
thieves.— Cross-examined by Mr. Gibbons.: Did you ever
strike your sister ? Witness : What .?—The learned
counsel repeated tile • question. Witness.; • ; God
Almighty gtruck her.--The Judge : I really shall corn-
o& yotu—Mr. Gibbons : Did you ever knock. some of
your sister's teeth out? Witness (putting on a most
nt scowl) : ; She struck herself. (Pointing to
the counsel) That does you.'—The Judge: This is the last
warning. You will find yourself in custody.—Witness:
All right, my lord. answer, but they must not try it
on with me.—He was then further examined, and con-
ducted himself in a most unbecoming manner ; but, for-
tunately, he had Lord Penzance, and not some of the
other judges, presiding over the court. Of course the wit-
ness's conduct evoked much laughter