The Portland daily press., 1888-02-11
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.
BaIfour upholds Coercion as Admin
Istered In Ireland.
Mr.. Gladstone Denies that He Has
Changed His Course.
canada's New Governor General te
Begin Next Month.

LONDON, TtU. lO.-lH buC NVhihioho, eHAo
evening Right Hon. Sir james Ferguson,
parliamentary secretary for the foreign office
referring to England's position towards the
European powers, said that no agreement
pledging material action by the country had
been entered into with any power. By ma
terial action, he meant military response
bility.
Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, chief secretary
for Ireland, continuing the debate on the adj
dress lin reply to the Queens speech, com
mented on the changed tone Of Gladstone as
manifested in his speech last evening.
Where, he asked, was the impassioned ora
tor who used all the resources of rhetoric to
inflame the public mind against law and
against policemen?
Mr.. Gladstone here interrupted the speaker
saying there was not an atom of foundation
for such assertions.
Nj. Balfour, continuing, recalled the incit-
ing language in Gladstone's Nottingham
speech and said he did not complain of, but
rather congratulated Mr.. Gladstone, on his
change of tone and would have liked it if all
the speakers of the opposition had followed
Gladstone's example. He would have liked
IL still better if they had retained from at
tending meetings of the Irish tenants, and
cOnniying at violence against the officers OF
the law. Grave reflections had been cast
upon resident magistrates in Ireland. 1t
was true that that they were dependent for
their appointment upon the executive gov
ernment, but out Of total of 70 magistrates
whom Earl Spencer appointed, he approved,
sixty when he revised the list.
Referring to statistics, he said the num-
ber of persons tried under the crimes act
was $50, of whom 229 were acquitted. In
1886, the number of agrarian offences reached
2,197. In 1887, there were only 1887. The
total number of cases OF ordinary crime
reached 1868 in 1886 while in 1887 1t was 1868.
The number of agrarian soffences for the six
months ending in January, 1887, was 405, and
for the same period ending in January. 1888,
it was 364, decrease of thirty per cent.
The statistics of boycotting especially
showed the striking result OF the crimes act
The number of persons boycotted at the end
of January, 1887, was S70 Now 1t was only
20S. The governments efforts to protect per-
sons from b0ycotters were notably success
full in the counties OF Clare and Kerry where
the National League had been suppressed
People now travelling in Ireland declare
the condition of the country greatly i'm
proved, and the judges charges confirm this
opinion. The government was engaged In
an old struggle. Never before had any gov
ernment arrayed against It the forces recog-
nized by opposition. fCheers from, Irish
members.l He reprobated the mendaeious
vituperatfon resorted to by certain members
of the opposition. 1t was blemlsh on po-
litical life and ought to help no cause: lie
claimed the figures adduced justified coer-
cion and proved the governments policy to
have been successful (Cheers.l
Mr.. John Morley said the House would in
fer from Mr.. BalfOur's speech the temper in
which he administered coercion. lParnell.
ite cheers.l Regarding the Irish criminal
statistics. he said the period showing de-
in oriuaa inaludQd ciY months Of calm
during which eviction notices could not be
executed. The dimInution of boyc0tting
was due, not to coercion, but to the entirely
changed state of feeling and the deeper
sense of responsibility toward the Liberal
members, who were co-w0rkers with the
Irish to obtain justice for Ireland. [Cries of
hear, hear.l The Irish party was now
assured that it would ultimately realize its
aspirations. Ifit should ever be deprived OF
that hope, the effects of coercion in aggra-
waiting social disorders would become pain
fully apparent.
Mr.. Edward Harrington, member for West
Kerry, Nationalist, called Balfour's speech,
"a choice example of his mendacity."
The Speaker called upon Harrington to
withdraw his expression. Harrington ac-
quiesced, but said he did so only under COM
mand. Continuing, he said the government
had manipulated the figures relating to
crime. Everybody conyersant with the af-
fairs of Ireland knew that the magistrates
VINO tQmlulSttTtu tut CIlllto dCt, uIu ali
they could to irritate the people. Balfour's
regime oppressed the people, and he had
tried to suppress those vindicating the peo-
ple's rights, but the principles OF liberty
would be fought for until they triumphed.
Mr.. Parnell moved the adjournment of
debate and the motion was agreed to.
Jenny Lind's Bequests.
The will of Madame Otto Geldschmit
Jenny Lind, bequeaths to her grandson, the
cabinet of books presented to her by the
New York Fire Company. The Freehold
estate purchased out of the 100000 which
an American settled on her at marriage is be-
queathed to her husband. A legacy of $4,000
Swedish crowns is bequeathed to the uni
versity at Upsala, Sweden. for the mainten-
ance of poor students. The university at
Lund Sweden, receives $4,000 crowns to. be
applied to the aid of poor students who pur-
pose entering the ministry of the Protestant
church. The personal property OF the dead
singer is valued at 240,630.
Some official Changes.
The Marquis of Lansdowne will leave
Canada in March. Lord Stanley has been
instructed to enter upon his duties as gov
ernor general, the same month.
Sir Michael Hicks Beach will probably re-
enter the cabinet as president OF the Board
of Trade.
Foreign Notes.
A circular emanating from the heads of
the Parnell party has been privately circu-.
lated among the Nationalist members OF
Parliament requesting them to observe the
greatest caution in introducing strangers In
Parliament. 1t is reported that In conse--
quence of revelations made in the recent
trial of dynamiterS the speakersls consider
ing rule to make members responsible for
the conduct of strangers whom they intro
duce.
A despatch from Rome says that the Ital-
ian government has virtually decided to
withdraw from Egypt all Italians now there,
except such as are absolutely necessary to
hold the position at Massowah and places in
that vicinity.
Information has been received by leading
newspaper in Vienna that Russia and France
are about to conclude treaty of alliance
like TO that between Austria and Germany.
j. ID. Pyne, member for West Waterford,
Ireland, nationalist, was arrested on alight-
ing from cab outside of the House Of Com
mons in London yesterday. He is the gen.
tleman who shut himself up in his castle at
Waterford and defied the police to arrest
him, and who afterwards eluded the Irish
authorities and escaped to England.
The committee of the House, on the Read
ing strike, began its labors yesterday. Rep
resentativa Rrumm of Pennsylvania. testi-