New-York tribune., 1881-03-29

were ever inflicted in proportion to the CRIME
and TO other crimes--which they seldom are
such an act as this would be rewarded WIN
something like twenty years imprisonment
at the very least. In malice and cool premedlta-
ton it surpasses many murder for whlch
hanging has been done.
The failure of the jury in the lawson
Labouchere case to agree on verdict leaves
the grave question as to what constitutes u
"dscrace to journalism " still undecided. 1t
is not surprising that the British juryman
should have recoiled from assuming this tre-
mendous responsibility. The trial has at least
demonstrated the ability OF Journalist 10
conduct his own case, without legal training
while the proceedings have also served 10
crafty British curiosity as to the inner man
aeement of great newspaper. Such are per
haps the only public results of feud wDich
has occupied the attention of London for
many months. The defeat so far as there
is one, is with the plaintiff, lawson VINO
failed to win his cause, and retires oauy
damaged by the revelations Mr.. Labouchere
succeeded in making respecting the char"cter TO
of the influences which have governed 1"e
TelegrGpR, in matters both OF business anu
politics.
The strength of the public sentiment I'D
suDport of the admirable work of tie Stlte
Charities Aid Association is indicated by the
signatures obtained to the petition whlch tne
friends of the Association have been circula-
ting, This petition asks for the passage OF
the bill now before the Legislature 10 confer
on the Association the power of inspecln,
sf,,3to md -lOIlEpS
generally. The list of signatures includes the
names most honOred IN the community III Is
hard to see how there can be 3ny reasonable
excuse for hesitation i'll passing the prOposeu
act. No argument of weight has been pre-
septed against it. Public charities cannot have
too careful supervision. The State Boad OIL
Charities has sometimes shown tendency TO
insist too much on red tape and to interest
itself too strongly in officialism. The disin-
terested and earnest laboTs of the State
Charities Aid Association are just what Is
needed to check such tendency.
Mr. Mahon0 defended himself yesterday
against the attacks of the Democrats oil the
Senate. His speech is Il demonstration that
man can weigh only Dinety pounds and stlii
be capable Of taking care of himself, even IN
the Senate Of the United States. The tele-
graph has transmitted little of what he said
concerning the Virginia debt question: and
that little is not new. TIE TRIBUNE has not
altered its views upon this subject, and they
are quite as we'll known as Mr.. mahone's.
But the most uucompromising enemy OF repu-
diation in all its forms, whether called re-
adjustment or not musG admit that the Vir-
einia Senator exposed with conspicuous ability
the hypocrisy of the Democrats who had
assailed him. The Repre- sentatiyes of States
which reduced their debts from $24S, ,OOO,oOO
to $4,000, coo " were the last men in the
world to preach honesty and denounce " re
pudiators." The portion of the speech IN
which Mr.. Malone challenges unquestlching
admiration is that in which he demands equal
rig.ts for the black voter of the South, the
chance 10 east his vote and have it counted
and for the whole South an emancipation from
che political slavery which, like the old slav-
cry. poisons its whole system and checks its
growth. Here every patriotic citizen who can
lift his head above the little horizon OF dense
psltisanship win say. Amen.