Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-25
Red-Hot Debate ca the ParneNi Cogn1nis-
sion BIZ Last Night

Red-Hof Debate cn the ParneN Coynlnis.
| sion BE, Last Night.
LONDON, July oath I'm the Common, to.
night Laboucheie resumed the debate on
| the Commission bill. No three Judges. Ss
said, could so well adsudicate these atres-
tions as the House of Commons. The
Commission had power to indemnify any
ruffian who would criminate himself, pro-
vided he was accom- odating enoughto in
criminate someone else 1t was fishing.
The Commission intended to avoid the
real issue to be deciGed Eagan and
OBrien, for instance, ccNld not appear,
yet in their absence the Commission was
to investigate their condDct and listen to
charges against them. Matthews had said
that wide scope of inquiry might reveal
some undiscovered murder. Did that
mean that the men against whom the bill
was directed were murdererS2 Would the
House tolerate these vague insinuations? (?
Never was the effrontery of the Govern
ment so complete as when they said the
Commission was granted at the request Of
the Parnellites, while in the meantime the
Government was arranging with the Times
as to what sort of commission should be
proposed, and what ought to be the scope
OF the inquiry. The opposition wanted an
inquiry into the conduct of the Govern
ment. They wanted to know about the
murders at Mitchelltown. and about the
murder of Vaudeville. Hear hear i
CHAMBERLAIN WEAK ARGUMENT.
Chamberlain, on arising said he himself
had formed an opinion of Parnell's charac-
ter which would make him slow to accept
the charges against him. The only thing
that shook his confidence was Parnells re-
luctanoe to face the charges. [Cheers, and
shouts of Nor 1t was surprising if
Parnell could not trust an English jury to
do justice. This was an extraordinary
judicial proceeding. If it was restricted it
might be used to shield guilty parties.
However was Parnell going to show him
self and friends innocent unless the in
quiry covered the relations between men,
bors and persons outside, who were ac-
cusedlof crime? The Parnellites Cham
berlain added, ought not grudge pro-
longed inquiry to bring out the truth. He
did not believe they thought the Govern
ment party to the accusations of the
Times [Cries of "Ohl oh ~
SIR HAasogET SCORES THE GOVERNMENT.
Sir William Harcourt said the Govern
ment evaded the question in regard to these
letters and tried, under cover of an inquiry,
to make an attack upon its political or
ponents. If Attorney General Webster be-
lieved one single charge he had tried to fix
upon Parlell, as counsel for the Times, it
was his duty, as attorney for the Crown. to
indict Parnell. Proof that he did not be-
lieve the charges was found in the fact that
he had not advised the Government to risk
prosecution. The Attorney Generals ex-
traordinary and unjustfable course was
entirely contrary to the traditions of the
bar. The real object was to blast the
tofi nf tho TriSh Nafinnal
Was Mr.. Smith prepared to answer the
charges that he had had a personal inter.
view with the proprietor of the Times and
arranged the charges against the Parnell-
ties, and agreed to the appointment of a
Commission TO be worked as a subsidiary
agent to the coercion Act? AS now framed,
the bill was q violation of every form of
judicial inquiry. 1t was thoroughly unfair
TO the accused, and it must be amended in
committee.
T. NJ. Healy denounced Attorney-Gen-
eral Webster for making series of infam-
GUS charges and failing to prove them.
WEBsTER's DENIAL.
Attorney General Webster, arising. said
he was content to leave his conduct TO the
judgment of those who had the experience
of him in his profession. Every step he
had taken had been after consultation with
and with the tull concurrence OF Sir Henry
James. Webster denied that he had used
the information obtained as counsel for the
Times to institute a prosecution in his Off
cial capacity.
ParneH asked if the House was to under
stand that Information was put in the hands
of the learned gentleman (Webster) as
counsel for the Times which is not available
for the purposes of public justice.
Webster said this observation had no
bearing on the matter.
The bill passed the second reading with
out division. The committee stage was
fixed for Monday