New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-29
THE DYNAMITE LAW.
WHAT 1T Is AND HOW IT WAS PASSED.

WHAT 1T IS AND HOW IT WAS PASSED.
| IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT TRIBUSE.l
| LONDON. April 10
| Pr obably no such sitting of both Houses OF Par
| lament has been known as that of yesterday. in
which the Explosives bill was passed. The crcum-
| stances under which they met without prece-
| dent The spirit in which they did their work, if
| not without precedent, was, with exception to
be presently mentioned suited 10 the gravity OF the
| OCCASION Certainly it is characteristic of English
temper that the known urgency of the danger to lie
| met did not induce either House to de-
| part from its usual forms. In the House of Com
mons at the opening petitions were presented and
| questions asked each in rather unusual numbers
then pursuant to notice the orders of the day were
postponed The Home Secretary rose at once to
| state the provisions Of his new measure. At the
end Of his speech he moved for leave TO bring in the
bill. The Home Secretary under the late Govern
ment Sir Richard Cross, spoke briefly, with just 80
much criticism an Opposition leader feels bound
TO make. The House then agreed TO the motion for
bringing the bill. which was at once read first
time and Immediately after second time, upon which
motion was made ana carried that the Speaker leave
the chair and the House went into committee.
Each clause was separately agreed to IN committee.
two or three of them elicitng brief comment but no
real opposition. The whole bill, without amend
ment of any kind was then ordered 10 be reported
TO the House. the Speaker resumed the chair, and
the bill was at once read third time and passed.
The time occupied in these proceedings was under
an hour and half. There Is 10 modern precedent
for such celenty except IN the case OF
| the suspension of the Habeas Corpus act in
/ SOC, nor thai act passed so quickly as this.
Sir William Harcourt went 10 the other chamber
where il had not been intended to take the Ex-
plosyes bill till to-day, and privately urged the
| importance of its immediate passage. The Lords
were then engaged in debate on India. and the de-
bate ran its course. Upon its conclusion. Lord
| Kimberley moved the suspension of the standing
orders of the House. Three or four fve-minute
| speeches were made on that motion; il was agreed
TO. the bill was read first and second time com
mittee was dispensed with, the third reading fol-
lowed. and the bill was passed and ready TO receive
the royal assent which will be given at noon
to-day.
What is the bill Undoubtedly one Of the most
stringent measures ever framed to prevent a par
tIcular crime. IL is a measure of considerable
length fills a column OF print, and bears marks of
rapid composition, # grammatical errors in Parii-
amentary act be deemed marks OF haste III
which case il must be inferred that great many
acts are prepared in haste. Sir William Harcourt's
speech in introducing the bill may be commended
to the student of forensic cr legislative oratory as
remark able example Of terse. clear impressive, and
even decisive statement 1t contains not word Of
defamation, not sentence that could be construed
as an appeal to passion; is throughout diGnifed
and penetrated with spirit Of just sternnesS Not
many men are now a mood Tor tritling; least Of
all the men on whon more than any other, rests
the responsibility OF protecting society against Irish
assassins and Irish agents Of Wholesale destruction
There is an act in existence known as the EXpO-
syes Act of 1875. and il is under this act that tho
men already arrested-W htehead, Gallagher and
others-have been charged and under this alone that
they can be punished. 1t not framed or passed
with any view TO such state of things as now ex-
lists. It's main object was TO provide against the
careless handling and accumulation of dangerous
explosives 1t did not anticipate-nObOdy then an
tcipated-the use of dynamite on great scale for
great crimes The definitions of the act Of 1875 are
so various that anybody under it may. with little
easy caution, commit crime with impunity. Its
penalties are ludlcrously inadequate. The posses
sion of OK posves with intent TO commit felony is
misdemeanor, punishable by two years imprison-
mept and that is all Whitehead and his accompliccs
can be awarded, unless they be convicted
of conspiracy also. For all future purposes that
act may be put aside. and this new one becomes law
in its stead
The new law creates three grades Of offences
First any person who maciously causes an exDlo-
sion likely TO endanger life serious injury
10 property is declared guilty Of felony, and punish
able by penal seryIude for life, whether life be lost
or property injured or not Secondly, any person
doing any act or being in possession of any explo-
sIye with intent to cause an explosion. whether the
explosion occur or not. may be punished by penal
servitude for twenty years Third, any person
found in possession Of an explosive under circum-
stances of reasonable suspicion is liable to penal
seryitude for fourteen years.
These are the three classes of offences
aud of punishments. But the act does
not stop there. 1t goes on to provide
means not only of Furnishing. but of detecting and
preventing crimes Of this hideous character. IL
makes every man. should premise. who supplies
or solicits money for such purposes. or who coun-
sels aids or abets in tho commission Of the crime
guilty of felony and liable to exactly the same pun
ishment as the principal. Tho machinery for de-
tecting criminals is borrowed In part from the
Crimes Act for Ireland-the same under which the
Phoenix Park murders have been traced. Ii gives
power to order an inquiry-what the Parnellites
call an nQuIsiton-compelling witnesses to attend
and testify, examining them in private taking
depositions, arresting those about 10 abscond And
there are very wide and comprehensive sections
with reference To search to what shall be deemed
explosives and to the power of masters of vessels to
break open suspicious packages.
Some OF Sir William Harcourts observa-
lions are Of hardly less interest than the
bill itself The tribute to the police Is
echoed by everybody. The police in this business
have shown an intelligence, zeal and courage Tor
which they can hardly be too mnch praised. They
have redeemed its detective department nom re-
proach only too well deserved On some previous &C.