New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-19
THE NEWS IN LONDON.
WAR WITHOUT QUARTER BEGUN AGAINST
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE.

ENGLISH LIBERALS EMBARRAssED-THE LEAGUE
READY FOR THE rRAY-THE ROYAL FAM
lily AT oDDs-MATTHEw ARNOLD ON
GENERAL GRANT-PERsoNAL
AND LITERARY.
.pY CABLE TO TIE rRIBUSE
LONDON. Dec. 1s--The Government have at last
struck and struck hard. Their Liberal oppon-
ents in England describe the arrest of Messrs
Dillon and OBrien as a real blow, and believe
Messrs. Dillon and O'Brien arc OF the same opin
ion English Liberals have once more to choose
between disagreeable alternatives. They have
been taunting the Government with want OF
courage of their opinions they now find it awk
ward to condemn them for doing what they. the
liberals have said they were bound to do. "1he
DAILY News" gets out Of the difficulty by an artl-
Gle OF which the first half is for the maintenance
OF law and the second half defence of the
League. But Mr. Gladstonc's tardy hint has not
gone UNDECIDED Sober Liberals shrink from re-
sistancc to the tribunals. no matter what justice
and equity may be the side Of those who come
into collision with the forces Of order The Eng
lish constituencies cannot yet be made to under
stand the doctrine on which the "plan OF cam
pagn- is based caution is the watchword OF
Liberal journalists and orators.
"Now that war has been declared in Ireland .
says the mouthpiecc of the Tory Ministry, "it is
to be waged unrelcntingly all along the line
This is something than rhetorical flourish
and means that the active party in the Cabinet
hoe pI no 1av hp MpSSrS.
and O'Brien at Loughrca made in pursuance
OF a resolution taken before Mr.. Dillons prosecu-
ton was begun in the Queens Bench. The Gov
ernmcnt are really going TO try conclusions with
the League They have been told that they
sbranx from jury trials, and they respond by
issuing summonscs against six leaders OF the
"pan of campaign" for conspiracy. These pro
ccedngs must end in q regular trial and verdict
The League seems quite ready for the contest. i'll
spite of Mr.. O'Brien's rather equivOcal remark
that his friends "dont mean to put their heads
into the lions mouth l presume this signifies
that in the legal contest they don't mean to throw
away any legal advantage The presence III
Dublin Of Mr. Jenlxnson. the head of the Grim
inal Investigation Department in London, implies
o great deal.
"The ran Mall Gazette" has another insulting
attack Oh Mr. Gladstone. Quoting the story that
MIR Gladstone is engaged in writing book about
Oympian religion. it says lie is SO busy snalyzn-
the subtle theological significance of the amours
Of Zeus that he cannot spare thought TO the
fate of thousands of poor tenants in Ireland who
believe he has been overflowing with passionate
sympathy. Mr. Stead's public utterances are too
often governed by private animosidcs. He has
never forgiven Mr.. Gladstone for rejecting his ap-
peal to support him in publishing the Infamous
l"Maidcn Tribute articles. Mr. Gladstone not
only refused, but when Mr., Stead pressed it
caused him to be informed that he had given
orders that "Ihe Pail Mall Gazette should not
be allowed to enter his house. With this clcw
you can follow a great number of Mr. Steads
continuing attacks on people and papers.
The French Ministerial crisis has come and
gone for the present without raising ripple on
the surface of English opinion. The newspai ers
have published the usual obligatory articles. but
the public cares not straw whether NJ de Frey
cinet or NJ. Goblet be the nominal ruler of Franco
NJ Goblet is completely unknown outside OF
France and so are most of his Cabinet except
the irrepressible General Boulanger. The best
known man in it to-day is precisely the one who
last week was the least known. NJ. Flourcns. and
this is simply because his political obscurity was
30 complete that unusual efforts were made 10
throw light on it and him. Nj. Blowitz contrib
uted his share in an interview where more than
fbe usual space was conceded to NJ. Flourens and
less than usual to NJ. Blowitz. The attitude of
France toward the Egyptian question remains the
same Whether NJ de Freycinet's complaints had
anything to do with the movements OF the Eng
isl. troops down the Nile is an open question
The Saxe-C Coburg candidature for the Bulgarian
throne makes no headway. Russia ridicules it,
and Berlin will have nothing to say till Russia
approyes of it, The Bulgarian delegates now in
l,erlin are told in plain terms that they must
make their peace with Russia before they can ex-
pect anything beyond civilty from Germany.
Complaints continue TO come from Russian
partisans that Prince Alexander is styled in The
Court Circular Prince Alexander Of Bulgaria.
Remonstlances from high quarters are without
effect On the Queen. who with her own hand
wrote in the words "of Bulgaria" which were
wanting in the manuscript presented TO her.
Family discussions arising out of the Queens
partiality for the Battenbcrgs have not been ap
peascd The pOstponcment until to-day Of the
christening of Princess Bcatrice's boy has been
due to the difficulty of finding sponsors for him
The Prince OF Wales. who makes no secret OF his
dislike for Prince Henry and his brother pos
itivcly refuses to in spite of something very
like a royal command from his mother.