The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-24 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

In the opinion of the Times, Mr. Disraeli and Mr.
Ayrton have done their best between them to destroy the
poor remains of reputation possessed by the expiring
House of Commons. It would probably be erroneous to
pretend that they were confederates, but by different
ways, and independently of each other, they have worked
together to the same end. Much of doubtful propriety
has been clone within the last eighteen months, but our
contemporary remembers nothing so little creditable in
the conduct of public business as the way in which the
CDv ernment contrived to persuade the House of
Commons to reverse a decision adopted after mature
deliberation by a twice -repeated verdict of the
House. The provision added to the Corrupt Practices
Bill by the committee on Saturday last, after having been
on the notice-book ever sinee the bill was introduced, was
yesterday struck out again, in consequence not so much of
the strenuous exertions as of what it is charitable to call
the adroit management of the Ministry. But Mr. Ayrton
had his revenge in the evening, by moving a count-out of
the House, whereby the Cattle Markets Bill is again
postroned. The Times cannot, however, suppose that
anything will result from Mr. Ayrton's bold manceuvre,
except the postponement of the prorogation from Thursday
to Saturday of next week. It may cause certain incon-
venience to many members of both Houses, but the course
of legislation will probably be unaffected. There is, indeed,
a certain fitness in the events of these last days of the pre-
sent House of Commons. The arts of management by
which it has been guided have had their influence on the
morality of the Assembly ; and the events of yesterday
may be a fitting end to a reign of audicity and chicane.

The Herald thinks the vote must be taken not as a
refusal of the House to put upon the constituencies the
charges of elections, with the proper guarantees for the
prevention of absurd contests, but as a declaration that
the proposal does not legitimately come within the scope
of a bill dealing with corrupt practices at elections.

The Daily News looks upon the event as only one more
in that series of petty victories with which the Govern-
ment is bringing the session to a close. It is, however,
more than doubtful whether it is a victory on which
the more astute occupants of the Treasury Bench
will see reason to congratulate one another. Not
only does it reverse a decision which was received
with universal satisfaction in the country, but it
reverses it by one of those suspicious and untimely changes
of policy which suggest to unsophisticated minds the idea
of government by intrigue. Mr. Disraeli has had enough
of yielding, and explaining, and apologising ; he is tired
of consulting the opinion of the House, and now that an
opportunity has arisen of getting his own way, and en-
forcing his own opinion, he has yielded to the temptation
without counting the cost.

Speaking of the remarks made by Mr. Gladstone on
the Irish Church, the Herald asserts that the leader of
the Opposition knows perfectly well that the remedy he
proposes, instead of bringing concord and unity, will only
envenom the quarrel ; but in his mad plunge at the
Treasury Bench he is careless of the consequences, and
seeks to delude the country with expressions of hope and
confidence in the future as sanguine as they are unwar•
ranted. The impatience with which his ill-timed attempt
to impose upon his hearers was received at Romsey
should serve to teach him
_that the country is too
thoroughly alive to the issues involved to tolerate any
longer the sophistries beneath which he strives to veil
their real significance.

Referring to the address presented to the subscribers of
the Jamaica Committee, the Post believes that they
originally undertook what they conceived to be a great
public duty ; but, unfortunately, they addressed them-
selves to their self-appointed functions in a frame of mind
which prevented them perceiving when it was that they
passed from the position of public prosecutors into that of
private persecutors. When the Shropshire bench re-
fused to commit Mr. Eyre, and when the London grand
jury threw out the bills against General Nelson and
Lieutenant Brand, they ought to have taken their present
step. They never at any time enlisted sympathy, but .if
they had then avowed that their task was completed they
would have fairly entitled themselves to respect.

The Standard looks upon the address as a somewhat
anxious defence of the conduct of the committee. But with all
their daring they are obliged to draw back when the
general voice condemns their wild crotchets ; and nothing
but the respect which Mr. Mill's literary reputation
deservedly commands could have saved him or his aaso•
ciates in the Jamaica Committee from a severer visitation
of public indignation than they have yet had to en.
counter. Mr. Mill shews signs that he is laying to heart
the lesson that even a great philosopher cannot quite
dispense with judgment and discretion when he eaters
political life.

The report of the select committee on Mr. Lefevre's
Women's Rights Bill furnishes a peg upon which the Star
hangs a leader. No practical result of Mr. Lefevre's
efforts, of course, was possible during the present year,
and as much as could reasonably Lave been hoped for has
been gained by placing upon record the recommenda-
tions of the select committee. The question is expressly
and a ecessarily submitted for further consideration
to the near Parliament, and there it is certain
to be considered in a spirit more generous and liberal
than is common among the members of the old House of
Commons. Not, indeed, that there is any reason to com-
plain of the tone in which the committee has dealt with
the right of married women to be relieved from the injus-
tice under which they at present labour, hut the Star fears
that the committee is far from representing the tone or
the ideas of the average member of Parliament on this
subject ; so that perhaps, after all, it is the best policy to
wait.

The nines does not regret that the subject is put off for
a short time. It is so large, and legislation upon it will
need so much care, that there is no reason to regret such
a delay. If the promoters of the bill will employ the
recess in devising, with the help of competent lawyers, a
satisfactory measure, the task of the House and of its com-
mittee next year may be materially lightened.

The capture of Mackay for the Norton Folgate murder
gives the Telegraph an opportunity of saying a word in
favour of the scientific art. The suspected murderer was
taken entirely through the production of a photograph,
which, in the opinion of our contemporary, is very satis-
factory, as showing that scientific discovery, on the whole,
tells acfainst those who war against social order and out-
iim-lanity. The electric wire is an agent of swift
itirn, and the photograph is a sure detective; and
Kph is glad to find that both agencies are so wel'
employed.

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