Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-02-12
THE nRIrIsu connoss.
Inc Question of the PIsgot For.
series Before The House.

LONDON, Feb. lin the Com
mons today Balgour announced that
on Monday next he would Introduce
an Irish land purchase hin. Sir
William Vernon Harcourt brought
up the Piggott forgeries on a cues
ton OF privilege. He contended
that breach ola privilege committed
during one session could be punished
during another session. He said:
"Sinee the suit for libel has been
decided in favor Of Parnell. and
since It has been admitted that the
letters used as a covert assault on
him were forgeries, the House Is
afforded an absolutely sure basis
whereuPon TO act. 1t is now Owl
Gus that the object Of the publication
OF the forgeries on the day when
the coercion bill had its second
reading was TO influence action in
Parliament was a gross and pslpable
outmge upon the House. A more
iiagrant breach Of privilege could
not be conceived. Some reparation
should be made for this use Of
poisoned weapons"
Under-Secretary Gorst for India
said that such a discussion would be
inopportune while the report Of the
Parnel commission was pending.
Gladstone, who was loudly cheered
as he arose, spoke in support Of the
motion. he said he could not con-
slider that the TLHles's offense against
the House had been purged by the
apologies which had been made be-
fore the Parnell commission through
Sir Richard Webster, which
APOLOGIES GROSSLY ExAGoERATE
the original offense. II the conspi-
raey against Parnell had been sue
cessful, the result 10 him would
have been absolute political death,
and the mortal blow struck at him
would have been felt thrOught the
Irish nation. The Times had aimed
to affect the judgment OF the House,
and it had really had in that direc-
ton temporary success. He did
not wish to dwell upon the horrible
and lOathsome character Of the
whole affair. He trusted the House
would vindicRie its right to deal
with the oflense. The government
owed il 10 itself to deal fairly to-
ward Parnsil and the Irish people
for the injustice done to bOth
through the forgeries.
B3lfUur accused Gladstone Of deal
ing in fiction. He declared the
delay was the fault OF the Gladstone
party alone, and said the charge
that the Times had acted with a
view TO influence the judgment Of
the House WAS a calumny. He
objected TO the ancient, cumbrous
and often misused machinery OF
breach Of privilege.
LABOUcHERE EXPRESSED SURPRISE
at the petty aud paltry arguments
by Balfour and Sir John
GOrst. 1t had been proved that the
Tunes had supplied Pigott with bank |
notes and provided for his family
within ten days Of the time when |
he had ahsconded.
Bradlaugh said that as the TINES
had assisted the government to pass
lis Infamous measure, the breach Of
privilege was against the whole |
House as well rs against Parnell.
Parnell asked: .sWhy did not The |
government appoint the committee
OF inquiry we asked for In the b.
ginning? That would have made il |
possible to prove the letters were |
forgeries in fUrty-eight hour. j
never determined not TO submit the |
facts 10 n jury, but always con-
sidered it absolutely necessary to |
discover from whom the Times Oh
tainei its letters. | recognized, how
ever, that il was impossible for the
Times to divulge this in an ordinary
court Of justice. | asked for n select |
because to compel its
agents to testify before such a body |
was the only method Of forcing the /
Times TO divulge that secret. As
this was refused, we are not TO blame !
for the delay, but who is to blame?
Can you answer that? You wanted
4. l..