The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-23
WEBSTER ON THE GOALS.
HARCOURP BREAKS A LANCE
WITH HIM IN THE COMMONS.

COu4Ou SCauu NTOSS- S-EAaHllndbAOi
Webster Refuses to Answer.
LONDON, March 22--In the House of
Commons to-day Sir William Vernon Har-
court, resuming the discussion regarding
tine Parnell commission, declared that At
torpey General Webster's Identification
with the commission had destroyed the inn
preston that the government would be i'm
partial and has added weight to the Times
charges. II the attorney general had not
advised the government, parliament should
not vote salary for services he had not
performed. He condemned the attorney
generals apology for Pigott's foreeries as
mean, contemplate and disgraceful, and
expressed the hope that he would make a
better apology.
wEBsTER's REPLY.
Attorney General Webster replied that
but for the duty he owed those who trusted
him he would not have noticed the charges
made by Sir Harcourt If he were capa-
BILE of the conduct imputed to him he would
be disgrace to the English bar. He was
private counsel for the Times. 1t was inn
material whether he had been right o.
vr ng in assuming that position, although
it was doubtful whether he had been pru-
dent.
QUESTION DIRECT.
Sir William Vernon Harcort wanted to
know whether the attorney general had a
letter in which Pigott admitted his inabil-
ity to stand GROSS exa nination. IL Mr..
Soames had that letter aud kept it from
the knowledge of the attorney general @
| (Sir Harcourt had no hesitation in saving
that the name Of Soames ought to be struck
off the rolls. The attorney general would
doubtless now tell the II use when be first
learned of Pigott's character, and whether
| he was informed When Houston burned
| Pigo is CORE spondelce.
FRACTIONAL FEELING.
In the course of the attorney generals
reply the chairman called upon Xavier
! OBrien to ire, for interrup'ing. Mr..
| O'Brien denied that he had opened his
mouth. The chairman repeating the order
to retire, Mr.. Pinkerton corrouorated Mr..
! O'Bren, declaring that he hal been silent
T. =. O'Connor thereupon protested
against the chairman's putting the lie to an
no orable membe- without a inquiry.
The chairman accepted the dlsclaim er,
| adding that Mr. O'Brien could not deny
having repeatedly interrupted loudly, and
warning him not to repeat such conduct.
WEBSTER DECLINES TO ANSWER.
The attorney general, continuing, de-
| clined absolutely to say whether he had
advised the cover 1ment on any point.
| None knew better than Sir Harcourt that
he could not answer such question. But
he had never vouched to tie government
for he autt enticity of the letters. Sir
| Harcourt ought to know no counsel vouched
| for the truth of what he proposed to prove
| by evidence. Sir HarcOurps argument that
counsel ought to satisfy himself of the ac-
| curacy of the statement a witness would
make was preposterous.
SUGGESTIONS TURNED INTO ACCUSATIONS.
He accused Sir Harcourt of asking the
| questions in this manner because he knew
that a certain portion of the press was only
too ready to turn suggestions into accuse
tions. For instance, t.ere was bis question
| as to whether the attorney general suggested
hat Pgott should see DAILY. He never
heard Of the visit till two nights ago.
| Regarding Pigott, the at orney general
argued that he had ne right
to keep him from the witness box because
| he said he could not stand cross-examina-
ito. He had Informed the commission,
and had put Pigott's letter in Sir Charles
| Russells bands five days before Pigott went
into the box. Loud ministerial cheers.
| Would the committee believe that Sir
| Charles Russell had asked that the letter
should not be read till Pigott went into the
box: [Laughter.l
THE AUTHOR OF THE APOLOGY.
He protested strongly against Sir Will
Jams reference to Mr.. Soames, who vas
not there to answer charges. In reference
to Sir Williams statement that the Times
apology could only have been written by a
pettif gging, cozening knave, taat knave
stood before them at the present
moment. Conservative cheers. In
conclusion, no assured the gentle
men opposite that all the charges made
! against him had failed to give him the
slightest anxiety or a single sleepless night
| If the further charg promised against him
were no worse than those brought tonight,
he was bound to confess that in his own
opinion the part he had played in he last
few months would not be the least credit
able portion of his career.
PARNELL IN THE FRAY.
Messrs. O'Co nor and Labouchere hav-
ing spoken, Mr.. Psrnell said he should not
| have interviewed but that in the language
of Attorney General Webster and IN the
shouts of his supporters there had been
some faint echo OF Lord Sails
bury's equivocal language in respect
| to the forged Letters. IL Lord Salisbury
sthl chose TO pin the relic OF his
faith to the letters the consequence would
! be upol his own head. In the witness box
he (SIr. ParnelD had testified under oath
that he had neither signed, written, author
lied, r known of any OF the 10 eters, and
Attorney General Webster mad not vent
ured to put TO bim single question. Was
there any member who would venture to
express any doubt now that the letters were
forgeriess
CALLS FOR FOWLER.
Here there were loud cries for Mr. Fcw-
| Ter, who, Mr. O'Connor said, had exprossod
| doubts; but Mr.. Fowler did not resp md ,
whereupon Mr.. OConnor exclaimed Hes
| a coward" But he subsequently withdrew
| hi, expression at the request OF the chair.
Mr. James followed, expressing satisfac-
| tion AT tho manner in which Attorney Gen
eral Webster had answered these charges.
Mr. Morley asserted that Sir Charles
Russell bal authorized him [conssrva i've
cries OF "Where Is he,'1 TO state that he
was entirely in accord with the opposition
in the actio that they were taking. He
maintained that Attorney General Webster
had failed TO answer the charge'.
Mr. Gladstone, Sir Charles Russell and
| Messrs. Loc twood and Asquith were absent
Nessrs. Soames and Walter were in The gal
lery during the debate
| Mr. Redmond's motion to reduce the at
torney generals salary was rejected by a
vote Of 2S6 TO 2O6.
Six Of the Parnellite counsel on the COM
mission, as we'll as several liberal lawye y,
abstained from TAXI part IN the division.
HARTTNoToN's ASSURANCE.
Lord Harrington, In an address be-
fore the council OF liberal unionists
to-day, said that the home rulers need
not hope TO reverse the judgment given
| by the people at the last general election.
| The rancor shown by its oDponeuts dispellel