New-York tribune., 1868-01-04


that of cOurse is Ireland Mr. Gladstone spoke with
considerable courage for Irish reform III sPite Oh
Feniansm, and dared 10 assert that Ireland hlS rs
good right to be decently governed rs Scotland AS
to specific measures he was somewhat vague. -.
Mr. Hughes also has been addressing bis constilu-
ents at Lambeth, and the Iishrnan takes possession
of his speech too. he takes possession OF every
body in these doubtful and gloomy weeks. IN one
Of the excellent letters which Mr. hughes uSeu 10
write y0u, he protested, if Iecoeet rightly. againss
the notion that Ireland had any such soild grlevaces
as gave her q right TO be restless ana dlScOh-
tented. He objected at any rate pretty strongly 70 .
the common American views on thls ques.io4 Il, Dut
find him now reported as saying that at times lie
thinks il impossible that the two countries cOuu go
on in union. and suggesting that England ana ire
land should stand III the same reiati9hsllp 1s NOT NOT
way and Sweden, which are governed by the same
sovereign Pending that revolution, the time Tor
which he thinks not yet come. Mr.. Hughes would
settle the land question by rearrangelncnt similar
to that of Bengal under Lord Cornwallls.
There, so long as the tenant paid his rent,
he had nothing TO fear; he and hls successors
might remain the land for CencIatlOns but II the
rent were not paid the landlord might eject by snm-
mary proceedings. This might be great revolution
ary change might be called contiscaton and robbery,
but something ike 1t must be done II England were
10 keep her place among the nations OF the earth:
The Irish Church. he agreed also, must be abolished
and its revenues distributed as the lrsh people might
desire As there remains but other Irish question,
that of education MIR Hughess address may be taken
as an indication that evenhe reluctant BbeTals have
found themselves compelled by their sense of Justice
and fidelity TO conviction 10 take long stlde tOWaIu
q comprehensive TefOrn in Ireland.
Much pleasanteT than any political harnngue was
another scene in which Mir. Thomas hughes was the
principal figure last night Tom Brown is a man who
has a good many irons IN the fire and keeps them all
pretty hot. He is Chancery barriser III large prac-
tice a busy member of Parliament with a numerous
and eXactng constituency; chairman Of the crystal
Palace Company a Royal Commissioner on, Trades
Unions. an active Director of the London Working
mems College. an author who still uses his pen (hc
has published two magazine articles within two
months and is writing History of King AliTcdl ana
is beside known ali over England as a friend of the
in m wi no occupations,
finds time 10 give unpaid to their interests anu neeus
He is also Colonel of the 18th MiddeseX Rifle Nolun.
teeTs. crack volunteer corps OF the metropolis III
he Will paruOn the quOtaiion-
A tran-hand captain exc Is he
OF Offarnous London town
and very capital officer he makes. His regiment
has reputation quite exceptional among volunteer
bands Last night took place presentation OF
plizes TO the members who during the year, have
been successful in various shooting matches The
ceremony was i'll Westminster Eall-the " great hall
of William Rufus" whose " gray old walls We're hung
with scarlet in Macaulay's picture OF the Warren
Hastings trial, and which is memorable for so many
other events that catalogue Of them would fll TINS
column If dwell for moment on the hall, IL IS
only because it has OF late been degraded into sort
Of outer entry to the Parliament houses, and many
a huTrying visitor may have gone through 1T almost
uh&waye believe sat 6 last ng lust %nere eohs Tro Of
purple velvet, lined with ernine, on rich cloth OF
state with the gold scepter in one hand the Bible,
richly gilt and bOssed in the other, and his sword at
his side" The volunteers were drawn mp on either
side crowd Of citizens filled the center and on the
platform, between tables that eliteTed with prizes
of silver and gold were officers and friends of the reg
iment and Mrs. Hughes. There was music and an evo-
luton or two then a speech from Col Hughcsan easy
sensible, practical speech, telling the men plainly
what they had DONE and ought To have done, and
delivered much more fuently than four speeches out
of six in the House of Commons The men cheered
so heartily that there was no mlstaklng the goOd
feeling between them and their Colonel Even here,
the inevitable Feniau had TO come in, Tom Brown
informing his that he had just got himself sworn
i'm as special constable and advising them TO do tho
eam addresses
giving away OF prizes by Ars. Hughes, who was
ia lee5ed in the coors OF the regiment scarlet ana
gray and was gracious as Duchess, WITH a tact
and faculty of accompanying her gltts with bright,
kind words that several Duchesses might envy,
The libel suit against The Times, which ended yes
terday IN a verdict for the defendant, is another
step and an important one, in the struggle OF the
press for freedom to publish news. Most people VIII
be surprised 10 learn that IL Is still question
whether "A newspaper may print reports OF the de-
bates in Parliament without being liable in damages
for whatever uttered by the speakers. In either
House the words are privileged, but whether thc
privilege extended to the printing OF them next
morning. nobody could say with certainty. Mr.
Rigby WasOn is the public benefactor who has
brought this question TO an issue. Thirty years ago.
Mr.. Kelly, and was beaten Mr.. Kelly, then a rising
barrister became subsequently Sir fitzrOy
Kelly, Attorney General, =, and is now Lord Lord
judicial Office in the United Kingdom. Shortly
after his appointment, his old antagonist,
Mr. Wason, presented to the House of Lords through
had been guilty 30 years before, OF piedglng ms
honor as gentleman to a statement which was false,
and praying for his TeGva be oy b 70 ME-
Mr. Kelly had promptly challenged him Tor IT, ana
Mr. Wason took refuge from duel IN the protection
of the police. The bringing forward OF the accusa-
zion after this lapse of time provoked debate IN
the Lords in which Mr.. Was0ns charge was proved
to be wholly groundless, and in which he was pretty
roughly dealt with by the Lord Chancellor, LORD
Derby. and Lord Russell himself Next, morning
The lines as matter of course, contained report
of the debate. Mr.. Wasons evaporation at the fail
ure of his long-chershed attack on his old enemy
was SO extreme as 10 lead him to attempt criminal
proceedings against The Times for publishing the de-
bate and for article commenting on III. Ills ap-
plication at Guildhall for warrant was Summarlly
refused. and he then commenced the civil action
which was tried this week.
The case seems preposterOus enough on this state
ment of it, yet il is plain, from the charge when inc
lord Chief.Justice of the Queens Bench delivered
to the jury that the right of The Times to publish us
report stood in need of judicial affirmation. Ills
0rdshp discusses the subject at length hnds II ln-
possible to doubt Indeed there evidence TO
prove the contrary that the report was fair one,
and says: That being 30, | am prepared TO direct
YOU in point of law that it was privileged puDIica-
lion and one which cannot be the subject OF an
action believe that this question now pre-
sents tself for the first time for adjudication IN that
Dlan and simple form which IL now takes" lie adds
that there may be dictd to be found III the books
which have a different tendency; but with the
larger and more enlightened views as to the law on
libel which have gradually made Their way, tne
proposition have stated to you may now be taken
to be law: = and, although do not know that
any case has gone the length of establishing the view
of the law which have laid down, find none which
eOntradcts it," .
This exposition of the law is itself only the nisi
prus opinion of a single Judge and is, OF course, sub,
eet to rsvsion and to be oyerthrown & 6y the 0t in
but he must be a very obstinate and very sangulne
man to suppose that there is chance of persuading
the associates of the Lord Chief Justice TO overruie
him on point so clear and 80 manifesty just as this
An article on The Trade of journalism. which ap,
peared recently in an English magazine, estimated
the income of frst-clas5 writer at from INV 10