New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-06-30

The Star to-day commenting on the reported de-
parture from New-York of Col Ryan's expedition for
Cuba, brings the circumstances to bear upon the
question Of the claims now pending between the
limited States and Great Britain. 1t says: We are
interested in the conduct of the United States Gov
eminent in this matter. America now stands in re-
laton to Cuba exactly as England did in relation to
the Southern ConfederacY. Her neutrality laws
unst be thoroughly and effectively enforced, she
will lose the hold she has gained public opinion
which insures the fair consideration of the Alabama
claims The Alabama escaped unarmed, with an or
binary merchantmans board, and We arc
Justly held to have incurred high degree of respon
slblty for the consequences. The departure of n
party of 500 men from New-YOrk harbor, far
can be judged from present accounts of the affair."
appears to be an infraction of neutrality just fla
grant as the escape of the Alabama, and one which
could have been much more easily prevented.
GREAT MEETING TO URGE THE RELEASE OF
FENIAN PRISONERS.
DUBLIN. Tuesday, June %, 1869.
A meeting was held in this city last night to urge
upon the Government the release of the Fenian pris-
oners. Nearly 1900 people were present Mr.. Butt
prominent lawyer, made speech, in the course of
which he said the motto of all true Irishmen ought
to be- " Bide your time put your trust in God and
keep your powder dry If the British Government
persisted in keeping these incarcorated all its
professions of Cancellation would be useless. Mr.
Williams of Dungarvon made an imprisoned
speech He declared that the Fenan prisoners would
not accept mercy They demanded justice from the
ministers II the latter refused it, let the blood be
upon their own heads. He would not, however, adj
yocatc a resort to the sword, for that doctrine
now out of time.
TIE LORDS DEBATE-MR. BRIGHT'S LETTER.
DERBY'S FAILURE
lFROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE
LONDON, June ID do not know what other
men think, but think the retreat of the Lords
calamity. Had they hut followed Lord Derby's
counsel there would have been a collision between
them and the people to have resulted to the adj
vantage of the latter The discussion has done much
good. II has reminded the Lords of their essential
weakness in politics 1t has set people to thinking
how they might be got rid Of 1t has recalled the
memories of 'S2 and of 48, when they Stunned the
actual shock as they have Stunned it But that
Is a slight advantage comparedI to what might have
been. The greatest victory yet won by the people
in England is the gradual rise of the Commons to
absolute supremacy political power. greater
remains to be won by breaking down the tyranny of
privilege annullinR the traditions of hereditary
legislation, and making all classes OF men
equal before the law. To have defeated the
lords in a pitched battle would have accelerated
immensely the progress of this sole reform which is
really worth fighting for, and to which all other
measures of reform only incidental and ancillary
1t is something to see the Lords refuse the challenge
and march off the field of battle with cOlors furled
and reversed but it is not the decisive victory
we hoped for. 1t is not decisive victory for
the Irish Church BILL which would have been in fact
absolutely certain of becoming law as it stands had
not the Lords passed it to second reading, with the
two-fold object of emascuatng it in committee, and
of eluding such conflict with the Commons as
would have revealed even plainly the decay OF
their authority,
No doubt MI Bright's letter had great Influence
ON the decision. The menace which lay hid in that
could not be explained away by Lord Granvle's abb
ject apologies nor neutralized by the playful yet
manly answer made by Mr.. Gladstone. If the letter
induced any tmorous Lord, doubt not it did, to
vote for the BILL who otherwise would have voted
against it, am sorry it was written. The Immediate
effect on the public scarcely be so great as It's
immediate effect on such haf-minded Peers as were
frightened by it into accepting measure they de-
test. hope shall not be misunderstood. think
the letter most admirable, and if Mr..
Bright wanted the bill to pass the sec
Ond reading in the Lords, 1T was
perfectly adapted to that end. There
is nothing IN it which Mr. Bright has not said be-
fore and nothing which genuine reformer can help
approving. As to Lord Granvillels speech about it,
not much need be said. He undertook to express in
Mr. Brights behalf kind Of regretfulness and even
of apology, which, you do not neeu 10 De tOlu' MT
Bright never authorized and never felt 1t is the
fault of Lord Granville to incline too much to con-
Citation and 1t is his misfortune to be one of the
very class which he thought ought to be concIiated
1t is no wonder he said good deal which you cannot
by any effort of imagination conceive Mr.. Bright as
saving What is more depOrable is the tone of fun
keysm in which the letter has been discussed in pr
vate and in public. Liberal journals which ought to
know better have criticised il iueverent or per
haps they say disrespectful while they mean the
other There is one favorable exception. The Spec
tqor which Justly describes it as moderate state
ment Of the opinions Mr. Bright has long been known
10 hold and as infinitely less offensive In language
and in tone than the speeches made by many OF the
Lords themselves about Mr.. Bright, Mr.. Gladstone,
and the Liberal party in general
Lord Derbys last effort at leadership of the Lords
has proved failure. The majority of 80 against
him. and for the second reading OF the Irish Church
bill might tempt him TO exclaim that IN politics the
days Of chiyalry are gone No longer majority to
follow the reckless Rupert. The sentiment OF pru-
dence has triumphed over the sentiment OF PRIDE
No doubt the Lords care much for the Church in Ire
land but on the whole they care more for the Peers
in England They put aside Lord Derby and followed
Lord Salisbury The truth is, Lord Derby has
want0ny flung away, worn ont the controlling
influence lie has 80 long exercised. 1t descended TO
him by beauest from the Duke Of Wellington, as
well a. by inheritance Of the great name and reve-
nues of the SanIeys There letter exant from the
Duke TO Lord Derby written in 1876 in the midst OF the
Corn Law conflict sngularly pertnentto the present.
issue 1t is so good statement OF what Lord Derby
crobt to bavo done lint aid not and of the reasons