Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-23
6WEBSTER ARRAIGNED.
He is Placed on His Defense
in the Commons.
CALLED SOME QUEER NAMES.
Sir william Vernon Harc0urt Goes
for Him and SOames for Un-
professional Work.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD,

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD
LONDON, March 22.-In the Commons
to-day Harcourt, resuming the discus
sion regarding the Parnell Commission
declared that Attorney General Web
ster's Identification with the Commission
had destroyed the impression that the
Government would be impartial and had
added weight to the Tinle8'S charges. II
the Attorney General had not advised
the Government, Parliament should not
vote salary for services he had not per.
formed. He condemned the Attorney
Generals apology for Piggotts forger.
les as contemplate and disgraceful, and
expressed hope that he would make q
batter apology.
Attorney General Webster replied that,
but for the duty he owed to those who
trusted him, he would not have noticed
the charges made by Harcourt. If he
were capable of the conduct imputed to
him, he would be disgrace to the Eng
lish bar. He was private counsel for the
Times. 1t was immaterial whether he
had been right or wrong in assuming the
position, although it was doubtful
whether he had been prudent.
Redmond's motion to reduce the Attor-
ney-General's salary was rejected.
Sir VIM. Harcourt wanted to know
whether the Attorney.G General had the
letter in which Piggott admitted his in
ability to stand cross-examination. If
Soames had that letter, and kept it from
the knowledge of the Attorney General,
he (Harcourt) had no hesitation fn say
ing that Soames must be struck off the
rolls.
In the course of the Attorney Generals
reply, the Chairman called upon Xavior
0'Brien to retire for interrupting.
O'Brien denied that he had opened bis
mouth. The Chairman repeated the
order to retire. Pinkerton corroborated
O'Brien, declaring that he had been
silent. T. 2. O'Connor thereupon pro-
tested against the Chairman putting the
lie to the honorable member without in
quiry. The Chairman accepted the dis
claimer, adding that O'Brien could not
deny having repeatedly interrupted
loudly, and warning him not to repeat
such conduct.
The Attorney General continuing. de-
clined absolutely to say whether he had
advised the Government on any point.
He had never vouched to the Govern
ment for the authenticity Of letters,
Harcourt's argument that COUNSEL ought
to satisfy himself of the accuracy OF the
statements witness would make was
preposterous. He accured Harcourt as
asking questions in this manner be-
cause he knew a certain section of
the press was only too ready to
turn suggestions into accusations.
Regarding Piggott, the Attorney General
argued he had no right to keep him from
the witness box, because he said he
could not stand cross-exsmination. He
had informed the Commission and had
put Piggott's letter in Sir Charles Rus
sells hands five days before Piggott
went into the box cloud Ministerial
cheers). Would the Committee believe
that Sir Charles Russell had asked
that the letter should not be
read until Piggott went into
the box? (Laughter) He protested
strongly against Sir Williams reference
to Soames, who was not there to answer
the charges. In regard to Sir Williams
statement that the Isn,es'S apology could
only have been written by pettifogging,
cozening knave, he had only to say
that that knave stood before them at the
present moment conservative cheersl.
O'Connor and Labouchere having
spoken, Parnell said he should not have
intervened, but that in the language of
Attorney General Webster and the in
suits of his supporters, there had been
some faint echo of Lord Salisbury's
equivocal language in respect to the
forged letters. If Lord Salisbury still
chose to pin relic of his faith to the let
ters, the consequence would be upon his
own head. In the witness box he (ParnelD
had testified under oath that he had
neither signed, written, authorized, nor
known of any Of the letters, and Attor-
ney-G General Webster had not vsntured
to put to him single question. Was
there any member, who would venture
to express any doubt now that the let
ters were forgeries?
Morley asserted that the letters were
forgeries. He said Sir Charles Russell
had authorized him to state that he was
entirely in accord with the Opposition in
the action they were taking. He main
tanned Attorney General Webster had
failed to answer the charges.