The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-09 00:00:00

Mr. Lowe and Mr. Gladttone.

The following letter is addressed to the Times:—
Sir,—On the 12th of March last Mr. Gladstone
introduced into the House of Commons the Electoral
Franchise Bill. He tells us " that we are not at
all sufficiently aware of the importance of the issues
which it involves." He says that for years to come
the Liberal party will derive its colour, tendencies,
and fortunes from the course of progress with
regard to this important measure. I agree with
him, and, if he will allow me to fill up the outline
he has traced, I believe the colour will be red, the
fortunes calamitous, and the tendencies downward.
He gave no reason for this measure on its intro-
duction. He says he was " dry and dull," and it
is not for me to contradict him. " His study
was to abstain from any topic which could, by any
possibility, give a particle of offence. He was de-
termined that if angry controversy was to arise it
should not be in consequence of what was done by
him." In the course of the debate which followed I
gave the reasons which induced me to disapprove the
measure. Mr. Gladstone had the right of reply, but,
in pursuance, I suppose, of his inoffensive policy, he
declined to exercise it. Whatever were the fallacies,
whatever the offences against truth or good taste
which my speech contained, he did not see fit to
expose them. I have no right to complain of his
moderation. But this I think I have a right to say,
that from the Leader of the House of Commons an
answer to my speech should have been given in the
House of Commons, or not at all. It is not to be
expected that on a momentous occasion like that
of the coming debate on the Franchise Bill
the house will listen patiently to an answer
made by a private member like myself to
strictures and censures delivered elsewhere.
I therefore request permission to defend myself
in your columns against a personal attack which
there was every opportunity for making in my pre-
sence, but which the leader of the House of Com-
mons has thought it more becoming to make before
a party exclusively of his own friends in my absence.
Instead of quoting what I did say in the house, where
he would have been liable to correction had he mis-
quoted it, he avoids committing himself to my words,
but says I was understood in the House of Commons
to have delivered this opinion, " that the labouring
classes were totally unfit to be entrusted to
any greater extent than at present with the electoral
franchise. Those of the labouring classes who now
possess the franchise were conspicuous for four re-
markable virtues—ignorance, drunkenness, venality,
and violence." Had Mr. Gladstone quoted these
words in my presence I should have contradicted
him in the hearing of an audience which could have
judged by its own recollection whether I was right
or wrong. Had he quoted the report of my speech,
it would itself have contradicted his assertion. But
he does neither, but shelters himself behind the
vague assertion that I was " understood " to say
such things, and then proceeds to argue as if I had
actually said them.
He had before him my answer to the protest of
some of my constituents, in which I pointed, out
that I was speaking of abuses notoriously existing
in many constituencies, and not levelling an indis-
crimate censure at a whole class. Yet he puts this
aside, and insists upon it that I was speaking of
" the labouring classes who now possess the fran-
chise, " that is, of all those who who now possess it.
Into the arguments Mr. Gladstone draws from
my answer to some of my constituents I shall not
enter. My answer was, at any rate, intelligible ;
to me at least his arguments are not. Possibly
there are some errors in the report. But I cannot
help regretting that Mr. Gladstone did not adhere
to his resolution against branding his fellow-coun-
trymen who do not support his bill with contumely
or approval, or that, if that resolution was to be
flung to the winds, that he did not choose for the
place of sacrifice the floor of the House of Commons
instead of the Philharmonic Hall at Liverpool. It
may be quite right to tell me that " I have a kind of
mania on this subject." It may be quite right to
express an opinion approving the protest of some
of my constituents, including, I presume, its tone
and manner ; it may be right to imply that I " utter
sentiments more violent than the Opposition are
ready to give utterance to ;" it may be right to say
that Mr. Gladstone " honoured me for my
courage till he had read my letter." Had
these or similar things been. said in the
course of debate, I, or some one else on my be-
half, might have replied to them, and I am too well
used to Parliamentary conflicts to cavil at every hard
word that may be uttered. But these attacks on
character, conduct, and abilities of a member of Par-
ment for words spoken in Parliament ought not to
be made by the leader of the house elsewhere than
in Parliament itself. It is unworthy of the posi-
tion of Mr. Gladstone to retail second hand mire re_
presentation after it has been for weeks circulated
by that portion of the press which advocates his
views, espeeially when supported by the ignoble arts
of omitting what I did say, or interpolating what
I did not.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,

ROBERT LOWE.

34, Lowndes -square, April 0.

Liverpool Cotton Market. —This Day.

The market opens quiet. Prices are 1 lower than
last week. Sales will probably foot up about 6,000
bales.

RUMOURED ROYAL MARRIAGE.—It is stated
that a matrimonial alliance is arranged to take place be-
tween her Royal Highness Princess Mary, youngest
daughter of the late Duke of Cambridge, and his Royal
Highness Prince Teck, of Austria. Prince Teck is at pre-
sent staying at the Cottage, Kew, on a visit to their Royal
Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess
Mary.
THE HANGING COMMITTEE OF THE ROYAL
ACADEMY for the forthcoming Exhibition will be composed
of Messrs. Cope, Horsley, and T. Faed, who, together with
Mr. J. F. Lewis, form the Council of the year. The Pre-
sident and Secretary are cx officio of the Council.
LONDON SCOTTISH V. ST. GEORGE'S VOLUNTEERS.
—On Saturday a match took place between these corps at
Wimbledon. There were 10 , officers, 10 non-commis-
sioned officers, and 20 privates on each side, and the Lon-
don Scottish were the winners by 127 points..

-
THE ONCE NOTORIOUS RIGOLBOCHE is dead. A
few short years ago Rigolboche's attitudes were as much
the rage in Paris as ara Theresa's songs now. She died
last week in the ward of a public hospital, and was buried
in the fosse commune.
. _ _

THE REFORM BILL.—A. requisition is now in
course of signature to the Lord Mayor calling upon him to
convene a public meeting of the citizens on an early day to
afford them an opportunity of expressing their sentiments
in reference to the Reform Bill.
FRIGHTFUL CATASTROPHE NEAR BRIGHTON.—
Yesterday afternoon a frightful accident occurred on the
Rottingdean Cliffs, near Brighton, to a gentleman named
William Willett. In the afternoon the unfortunate gentle-
man left his residence, West House, Eastern-road, accom-
panied by his son Charles, both being on horseback. They
had proceeded some distance along the green sward sur-
mounting these lofty and well-known cliffs, and were re-
turning towards Brighton, when the horse which Mr. Wil-
iam Willett was riding shied at something, this he repeated
a second time, and Mr. Willett endbavoured to check the
animal, but in vain, for the animal shied again, and, swerv-
ing towards the edge of the cliff, went over with its rider
on to the beach, where the cliffs stand at a height of about
60ft. A coastguardsman stationed near the tollgate where
the sad catastrophe took place witnessed the acciadtehnth,oarnse
immediately ran down to the spot, and found
andand riderprese presenting
athfleighhetafdalosfp3eferta.
spectacle. The
being
wasbba tte
imme-
diatelydi neoncsvai6reltra.ih:deceb°uoplatocothnestarobaled,
picked up, and, with the as
who also witnessed the accident,
conveyed to his residence
where it was placed in a fly and
o f thhee mostshock
h eto
r ttrhe e
di wifeg andin Eastern-road, Brighton. The
family of the decease .
cha-
racter. The deceased was well known as the proprietor of
the Rock Brewery, and was a man of considerable wealth
and property, and generally respected by all classes. He
had for many years acted as a borough magistrate, and,
although not in an active capacity, his loss will be severely
felt.
AkADVERTISEMENT.I Holloway's Ointment. Throat
ections.—All the varieties of these distressing com-
plaints may be readily and effectively treated by rubbing
this ointment twice a day upon the neck and chest, and
supporting the strength by suitable nourishment. By this
simple means diptheria, ulcerated and relaxed throat, irri-
tation of the windpipe, quinsey, and all other glandular
enlargements will have their progress arrested, and the
destruction they have caused repaired. Holloway's oint-
ment is the most trustworthy remedy for all internal and
external throat ailments, and may be safely and effectively
employed in every case without regard to sex, age, or con-
stitution. It is highly extolled for its ready cures of spas-
modic coughs, chronic hoarseness, and all disagreeable dis-
'charges from the throat and nose.

APOETING INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

VICTORIA CLUB BETTING—TiIIs DAY.

CITY AND SUBURBAN.
2to 1 agst Delight (taken)
100 to 12 agst Mephistopheles (taken)
9to 1 agst Vandervelde (taken)
12 to 1 agst Out-and-Outer (taken)
15 to 1 agst Copenhagen (taken)
16 to 1 agst Ostregor (taken)
25 to 1 agst Morris Dancer (taken)
30 to 1 agst Effervescence (taken)
33 to 1 agst Shrapnell (taken)
METROPOLITAN STAKES.
sto 2 agst Eakring (taken)
sto 1 agst Treasure Trove (taken)
Bto 1 agst Lucifer (taken)
CHESTER CUP.
10 to 1 agst Delight (taken)
15 to 1 agst Treasure Trove (taken)
40 to 1 agst Sandal (taken)
100 to 7 agst Salpinctes (offered)
40 to 1 agst Saladin (offered)
TWO THOUSAND.
Evens Lord Lyon
100 to 8 agst Young Melbourne can
10 to 1 agst Janitor (taken)
23 to 1 Knight of the Crescent (taken)

THE DERBY.
sto 1 agst Rustic (taken)
22 to 1 agst Stabber (taken)
50 to 1 agst Strathconan (taken)
50 to 1 agst Delight (taken)
66 to 1 agst Young Melbourne colt

DOG SHOWS.

These may truly be said to be " dog days."
Hardly a week passes but there is some exhibition,
or letters relative to the breeding, rearing, breaking,
ormanagement of sporting dogs.
Letters there certainly are. Some in anything but
a sportsmanlike or friendly spirit—to what good,
purpose an angry paper-war can lead, I am at a lass
to discover. One thing is very evident ; that it is
impossible for all exhibitors tpFin
jvrizps. •
No doubt, when a dog is sent up to show, his
owner fondly imagines that he deserves to be placed
at the top of the list ; but he should not be down-
hearted and show temper because he has been ho-
nourably defeated ; the old maxim should be re-
membered that, " there are as good fish in the sea
as ever came out of it."

It cannot be denied that there are an immense
number of animals sent for exhibition that have no
more right there than I have to be a bishop (Nolo
episcopari) and their exhibitors should not be
' offended at the superior knowledge and judgment
of the judges. The only ,motto should be, Palintm
qui meruit feral.
' I believe that the gentlemen who have on most
occasions been selected to adjudicate on the merits
of the different animals are known to be properly
qualified, or they would not have been chosen to fill
such an onerous or unthankful office ; but that if,
on any occasion, a prize has been awarded to an in-
ferior animal, it has been an error of judgment, not
of one man alone, but of three, or a majority of
three.

Many dogs are merely sent for the purpose of
selling them, and the unwary and ignorant are
often tempted to purchase a good-looking animal,
solely because of his looks.
There are few really good breeders of dogs in
England (I am not alluding to hounds), and those
gentlemen who do possess good dogs are very chary
of parting ,with them, and if they do, it is only
large prices that will tempt them.
It must not be supposed that because a man
breeds from good blood on both sides that all their
progeny are to be prize-takers, any more than that
the gentleman who breeds race-horses should
imagine that he must win the Derby, or the stake
he starts for. You may have very many litters of
pups before you can obtain one show-dog--but the
chances are ten thousand to one more in your favour
by breeding with care and judgment than they
would be by not giving sufficient attention to the
subject.
I know a gentleman who has spent thousands on
breeding, and rearing and running greyhounds—
and though he has won good stakes has never yet
been lucky enough to pull off the " Waterloo Cup,"
which I imagine to be the acme of the courser's
ambition.

Many dogs are reared for the express purpose of
exhibiting ; breed and pedigree are discarded—
colour, coat, size, are alone sought for : of what use
are such animals ? You have probably given a
large price for one, with the idea that you now pos-
sess something quite invaluable. Such visionary
ideas are soon dispelled. On arriving at your
shooting ground, the famous high-priced dog you
set such store by, is told to "hold up"—he may, or
may not do this—perhaps he goes off beating and
quartering his ground beautifully—" There," you
exclaim in your ecstacy, " that is the finest thing I
have seen for many a long day." The birds aro
found—he is pretty steady at his point—up they go
—bang, bang—right and left with your new breech-
loader—a brace down—but where is your dog, is he
" down too" in the turnips) The pleasant dream
is over—you are recalled to your senses by the voice
of your keeper, exclaiming, " Well, awm bloomed,
measter, if he ain't a hooking it through the tur-
nips like blazes."
It is an unwelcome truth, but there he is, with his
tail between his legs, bolting away as if he had been
hit instead of the birds, and on reaching home an
hour or two afterwards, you find him cowering in
his kennel ; the dog is useless. On inquiry it is
found that he was bred for show. •

All this might be obviated by judicious manage-
ment on the part of the committee of shows—more,
much more, stringent rules and regulations must be
laid down before any good end can be obtained.
A gentleman should be very careful how he mixes
himself up in dog shows—of course Ido not allude
to Birmingham, or others of that class ; but I was
asked by a Mr. Guppy last year to be ono of the
judges at Brighton. I foolishly consented, and not
only were the judges of the first division not paid
their expenses, but the awards were never forth-
coming, and Mr. Guppy, on being applied for them,
could not pay, and had taken the benefit of the Act.
--OLD CALABAR IN " LAND AND WATER."

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.—Messrs. Hurst and
Blackett announce the following works for early
publication :—The second and concluding volume of Miss
Meteyard's "Life of Wedgwood," with 200 illustrations.
" The Memoirs and Correspondence of Field Marshal Vis-
count Combermere," two vols. " Garibaldi at Home :
Notes of a Visit to Caprera," by Sir Charles R. M‘Grigor,
Bart., one vol. " Sport and Sportsmen : a Book of Recol-
lections," by Charles Stratton, Esq., one vol. " Prison
Characters drawn from Life," by a Prison Matron, two
vols. " The Sportsman and Naturalist in Canada," by
one vol. "Sir Owen Fair_
Major W. Ross King, one vol., with nunlelfrorrEilliulies,traaitiitohnosr.
" The Beautiful in Nature and Art," by
of "The Women of England,"
fax," by Lady Emily Ponseekr, three vols. "Bound to
tlhveifWe,,,hkeee.l,,"thbiy.ooJoyholns-
THE LAjoiNG SEASON IN NORFOLK.—There has Saunders, author of " Abel Drake's
been a great fall of lambs this season in Norfolk, and they
have also done well. Keep for sheep is abundant in the
county; and, upon the Whole, grazing prospects have
improved during
e nih the
to
b laste
desired
three or four weeks,
d
they still le
WRONGFUL DISMISSAL OF AN EXETER NEWS-
rAPYR EDITOR.—Mr. Ward, late sub-editor of the Exeter
Gazette, was,
adietzbiodue decidedly
on Friday, at the Bristol assi • zes, awarded
£5O damages against Mr. Wescomb, proprietor of that
paper, for having been
.peremptorily dismissed from his
employ. The defence was that the defendant was incom-
petent to discharge the duties of his position.
THE LATE MR. TURNBULL.—The remains of the
late John R. Turnbull, Esq., many years the emi-
nent architect at Windsor Castle, who died at his residence
in the Upper Foundation on the 2d inst., on his birthday,
at the age of 59 years, were, by command of her Majesty
the Queen, interred in the catacombs of St. George's Chapel
on Saturday last. The funeral service was performed by
the Hon. and Very Rev. the Dean of Windsor, and the
funeral cortege consisted of the relatives and friends of the
deceased and a-large number of the Royal tradespeople and
artisans employed at the Castle, by whom he was beloved
and esteemed.
ROYAL BOTANICAL SOCIETY.—The Second Spring
fete of this society took place on Saturday at the Royal
Horticultural Gardens, and, notwithstanding the unsettled
weather, attracted a numerous and fashionable assemblage
of visitors. The show of flowers was very good ; the
azaleas especially were remarkably fine, and of rhododen-
drons the collection was very satisfactory. Of heaths,
cinerarias, and pelargoniums there were also some excel-
lent specimens, and the prizes awarded to the successful
exhibitors were meritoriously gained.