The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-20 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Most of the morning papers devote a leader to the
Irish Reform Bill. The Times remarks that the principle
of rating as the basis of representation, having always
been recognised in Ireland, can easily be maintained, and
the Government desires that another of the cardinal prin.
riples of Tory Reform shall be satisfied by the issue of a
Boundary Commission. It is painful to add that a third of
these invaluable canons, paraded with such pomp by Mr.
Disraeli, has been ruthlessly set aside by Mr. Disraeli's
Administration. Instead of carefully guarding every
misting centre of representation; the Ministry proposes to
disfranchise altogether six boroughs, and its proposal is
advanced in such a manner that it will be difficult to pre-
vent the process of disfranchisement from going further.
The explanation of the apparent !inconsistency involved
in this proposal is to be found in the fact that the
" principle " of preserving every existing centre of repre-
sentation conflicts with the more important " principle "
3f adding to the representation of counties. Lord Mayo
Proved last night, by figures of a character sufficiently
familiar to us in English precedents, that the counties
3f Ireland are insufficiently represented, and as there are
no small boroughs in Ireland endowed with two mem-
bers, it is plain that if the counties are to receive more
members some boroughs must disappear. The plan
pursued by the Ministry has apparently been to
pick out the most populous counties, to ascertain
the smallest borough in each of them, and to pro-
pose that the county should be enriched at the expense
Df that borough. It is plain that such a Reform Bill must
be regarded as little more than a provisional scheme for
the reform of Irish representation. Mr. Lawson perti-
nently asked why the proposed three-cornered counties
should be divided instead of being brought, like Dublin
cmder the principle of the representation of minorities, and
there is absolutely no reason to be given in defence of the
anomaly. The English counties which have been sub.
divided have been cut up into divisions returning two
members each, just as it is proposed Cork shall be
bisected, and the influence of ancient custom may be
pleaded in favour of the operation. To permit the three-
^ornered counties to be subdivided will be to follow an
evil example without its excuse, and the proposal ought
not to be adopted in Ireland, or, indeed, in Scotland, with-
nut, a struggle. The more patent fault in the Irish
Reform Bill is, however-, the slight extent to which it
Seals with the small boroughs of Ireland. There are
thirteen Irish boroughs below the line of 8,000 popula-
tion, the bill affects only five of them, and the five
selected are chosen for the capricious reason that
they happen to lie in the most populous counties of the
island. Thus Bandon is sacrificed because it is in Cork,
while Athlone, with a smaller population is spared. Ennis-
killen, smaller than either of them, is promised longer life,
while Cashel is merged in Tipperary. Mallow, smaller
than any we have named, is exempt from the stroke of
fate, though it is in the county of Cork, and might have
been called upon to yield up its member insteali of the
bigger Bandon, with its full 6,000 inhabitants. The truth
is, none of these places can long be allowed to retain their
privileges, and the Administration can only wait the assist-
ance of the House of Commons considerably to modify, if
not to abolish, their anomalous powers. The Queen's
University, which was promised a member by the bill of
Lord Russell's Government, may fairly ask to have the
right of representation accorded to it by the present
Ministry. Antrim appears to deserve a third member at
!east as well as Tipperary or Tyrone, and there are other
3onstitu€ncies in Ireland the representation of which it
would be wise to increase rather than to maintain unaltered
the privileges of the crowd of small boroughs now return-
ng members to the Legislature.

The argument of the Post is that the Irish do not for a
moment care for such a measure of Parliamentary Reform
is this. The only aspect in which Parliamentary Reform
has been regarded in Ireland has been one which con-
templated the repeal of the legislative union. As to the
Government Bill, it is so meagre, that its condemnation
would be certain if the unenfranchised Irish cared about
!lectoral privileges. No justification could be offered for
making the qualification in Irish counties the same as in
those of England. The virtual disfranchisement of five
boroughs, and the unquestionable disfranchisement of at
!Rut one—namely, Portsrlington—offers a singular com-
mentary on Mr. Disraeli's celebrated speech in Edinburgh,
Ind still more celebrated letter published ten days since.
Dne of the great fundamental principles which he had im-
pressed on the conscience and conviction of his party was
that no place should be totally disfranchised. Education on
Irish affairs probably rests on different bases, and hence
has arisen what the uninitiated might possibly regard as a
trifling inconsistency.

It will be seen, says the Daily News, that in Ireland
the Government entirely throws overboard its principle of
lot extinguishing any existing centres of representation.
Lord Mayo attempted to palliate the contrast between the
?roposed extinction of small boroughs in Ireland and the
7efusal to extinguish them in England, by urging that
the representatives taken from them would be given to
livisions of counties in which they are situa' ed. But this
!net offers no benefit to the inhabitants of the borough 3:
The counties chosen for additional enfranchisement appear
to have been capriciously selected. It is absurd that
:owes which are not thought worthy of being represented
Erectly should determine the counties which are to receive
;al additional member. The refusal tolhe Queen's Univer-
dty of the privilege of representation conceded to the
University of London and to the Scotch Universities is
siso remarkable. Territorial authority is likely to be
flight in a Liberal university; and -the clerical influence
which rules Trinity College is not to be found in its
younger rival. Is this the reason why that rival's claims
have been overlooked? Lord Mayo is bound to explain
the grounds on which the principles and precedents of re.
3istribution adopted in England and proposed in Scotland
have been reversed in Ireland.

The bill will, of course, observes the Flerald, meet with
a certain opposition from the boroughs which it dooms to
iisfranchisement ; and Mr. Gladstone, as he gave suffi-
ciently to understand last night, wit do what he can to
3iseredit if he dare not directly oppose it. On the other
hand, it is eminently a bill which, as Lord Mayo said,
will bear criticism, and we have every confidence that it
will find favour in Ireland itself, and gain the cordial
support of all who will give it a fair and honest con-
sideration.

Neither the Standard, Star, nor Telegraph offer any
opinion on the bill.

The Standard closes an article on Charlotte Wingfield,
who was convicted at Lewes Assizes of cruelty to 'William
Tugwood, with the following observations :—Human nature
sickens and shudders at the contemplation of conduct so
%bhorrent, not only to moral sentiment, but to animal in-
tinct, that one would fain believe a woman who could be
guilty of it was not responsible for her actions. Of this,
however, there was not the slightest indication. Her per-
'ect appreciation of the facts sworn to was shewn by her
..ontinual contradiction of the witnesses, such contradic-
ions being emphatic exactly in proportion as their state-
ments were damaging. We fear that the only solution of
er inhumanity is to be found in that " wanton and
-.laced lust of cruelty, that morbid, unnatural, and
half-insane pleasure which some derive from inflicting
gin upon others," that "delight in tyranny am'
•:ruelty exercised towards the unoffending and the
helpless," of which Sir Alexander Cockburn spoke
in his eloquent and impressive a,idress to the jury,
►when directing them to consider their verdict. Their
deliberations were short, and their decision was the only
tine at which reasonable men could have arrived. Th:•v
'ound, her guilty, and then the prisoner seemed fully
!ensible of her situation. She rose from her• seat. mingling
33-6-ter:cal appeals for mercy with whining protestations u,
amocence, and hypocritical professions of love for the pool
boy whom she had so horribly maltreated. Solemn imleei.
was the scene when the Lord Chief Justice proceeded
pass sentence, characterising her crime in terms of the
severest reprehension, and only curtailing his address
secause the conduct of the convict proved that any appeal
lo her better feelings would be thrown away. Amidst
applause which the efforts of the officers could not wholly
repress, she was condemned to fifteen years' penal servi-
tude ; and surely no sentence was ever more thoroughly
well deserved than that by which the law has thus
avenged the barbarities practised upon poor little William
Tagwood.

SIR JOHN ROLT.—We learn with much satisfac-
tion that the health of Sir John Itolt continues steadily
ing at Clifton ;
;o improve. Sir John is at present stay
Ind there is every probability that, in a comparatively
short space of time, the country will have the benefit of
lis long and varied experience as a member of her Majesty's
Privy Council.

WINDING-UP OF A BANK.—The liquidation of
he Western Bank of Scotland, commenced in 1859, is
till not yet completed, although it has been very nearly
Tought to a close. The. total salaries paid during the
°lmo of the liquidation from 1359 to 18G3 amount to

the law e.

durin7 the

ins :q

am Period have

E 15,020 ; and the (AL

LILT eNr

13,! total expenses of the liquidation t

£;5,475 ; making
is date, £145,198.

TfIE MURDER OF A BOY BY HIS FATHER.--ALL
'aiquest has been held at the King's Head, Essex-road,
Islington, on the body of Thomas G. Woolcott, who it was
alleged had been drowned by his father, Richard W.Wool-
:ott, who has been remanded' by the magistrate to the
Rouse of Detention on the charge. The evidence at the
present inquiry was similar to that given before the magis-
trate ; but the inquest was adjourned for the production of
:he accused, the jury having expressed a wish that he
should be present. It is, however, doubtful whether the
will producciktg pri§mer,