The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-28
The Ian otrY Scandal.

LONDON, July 21-Three divorce suits are
threated as the result of the Langtry scandal
Efforts are being made to settle matters without
further publicity, but in one Of the cases in
which the name OF a high parsonage has been
unpleasantly associated with the respondent the
applicant is stated to have refused all overtures
to stop proceedings The pressure brought to
bear is. however of such character that it is
highly improbable that anything further will be
heard Of the action. The law courts of Great
Britain are peculiarly susceptible to high in1u
ences. The stories of Mrs. Langtrys introduc
ton to the Prince of Wales, of the meetings at
the town residence of member Of Parliament,
of the garden scene at Marlborough House, where
Mrs Langtry is said to have poured ice down the
Princes back, and the final exclusion of MRS.
Langtry from the princely circle, now revived
and floating about society, are calculated to have
bad effect upon public opinion, which nothing
but a thorough clearing up in the light of day
can dssipate.
The Langtry scandal, following so quickly on
the heels of the Pail Mall Gazette disclosures
has deepened the disgust felt by the general
public at the surrender of the Gazette to the
pressure brought to bear for private investiga
tiOn forever shielding those high in authority,
whose example is chiefly responsible for the de
plorable state of things shown to exist. If the
Gazette had forced matters to public trial the
true sources of depth of social degradation not
even suspected now must inevitably have come
to light. The reference of the whole subject to
private committee has simply diverted the in
0ury out of the right channel and screened the
chief offenders 1t is pretended that the truth
is too hideous to be publicly revealed. 1t is ad-
mitted that if the whole facts were made known
in all their naked responsiveness confidence in
public men must be shattered and none have
the courage to go that length. Law
proceedings properly pressed, would have
brought into clear relief evidence that
statesmen, noblemen and commoners, to
whose hands are confded the destinies of this
nation, openly defy all moral laws in their daily
lives are given over to habits most repugnant to
the masses of the people, and vice which the most
degraded habtues of the vilest slums in de-
bauchery, gilded with Partisan refinement In
fact most of the establishments of the noble
houses of Great Britain now located in
France, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany.
All this is a matter of common notoriety with
in the houses of Parliament so common, indeed
as to cease to be topic Of interest, except when
such an affair as the Lansdale- Chetwynd fight
stirs up the offensive puddle The question with
right thinking is, has the time come to strike
at the root of these evils and let in the light of
day, or does public morality call for continued
conceament of the truth2 The revelations of
the recent Irish trials, in which high officials
were convicted of the vilest and most incredible
crimes against decency and virtue afford but a
faint idea of what is known absolutely and could
be proved of some Of the so called greatest men
now on the rounds Of the political ladder Lon
don would be all the better just for few
fearless patriots OF the Irish stamp