New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-31
ETHICAL PUZZLES.
TO DO WITH POLITICS OR WITH THE
BRITISH PoSTOFFICE.
Iondon .Iulv Q

London, July %.
One of my two puzzles is political, and TO some
extent personal; the other relates TO the admin.
stration Of an important Department where ethi.
cal considerations may be thought out OF place;
as perhaps they are.
1t Is not only with reference 70 the Stock Tx
change that questions OF morale are raised these
last few days. They are raised with refe renee TO
the House Of Commons itself. 1t is Mr. Sexton
who has raised them, though indirectly, and In
way which he perhaps regrets This impeccable
patriot has been sneing an Edinburgh newspaper,
1.-THE Scotsman" for libel. 1t is remarkable how
many actions for libel the Irish patriot finds him.
self compelled TO bring he who himself never
lbels anybody, and never uses bad language, nor
ever brings a railing accusation against the brutal
Saxon who Expresses him and his country. II
befe the Edinburgh newspaper which I have
named 10 publish one morning certain letters writ
ten by Mr. Crockett, Of Belfast. Mr.. Croclets
complained that Mr.. Sexton had put question
to the Chief Secretary for ireland in the House
Of Commons, nsinuating that he hal insalted
Irish girls at an eviction on The POnsonby estate
There was, said Mr.. Crockett, no foundation for
that insinuation: no more than there was in the
rumor that Mr.. Sexton had suffered from delirium
tremens Thereupon Mr.. Sexton. not stopping to
deny what he thought grave imputation, and
not asking the paper 10 publish any correction,
nor giving any opportunity for apology, brought
his action for libel. laying his damages at $4,000.
The case was tried this week in the Court Of
Session. Edinburgh before Lord Maclarcn and
lury The defence was that no imputat0n on
Mr. Sexton had been intended made that Mr..
Crockett, the more efectually 70 deny Mr.. Sex
toms charges had put his denial In hypothetical
way. "a am no more guilty Of rufianly con-
duct said Mr.. Crockett, than Mr.. Sexton is
guilty Of drunkenness The editor swore he
so understood the letter complained Of. Others
swore they so understood it, The jury so under
stood it, and Mr. Sexton retired from the court
without even n forthing's damages.
During the trial he was asked how he came
to put the question in the House Of Commons
which contained the impuc1tiOn upon Mr.. Crockett.
His answer was that he received the information
by telegraph. Asked whether Crocketts name
was mentioned in these kilograms, he said it was
not he must have got the name from one Of
the Irish southern newspapers. Then he was
asked
DO you think it right on such information to
put question in the House of Commons imply.
ing rufiianly conduct on the part of the person
thus named?"
Mr.. Sexton answered
1t is quite in accordance with the practice
Of the House of Commons
i am sorry to hear it," said the lawyer, upon
which Mr.. Sexton added:
And 1 think it quite in accordance with equity
because, if false charge is made, it enables
Minister TO clear it up"
1t is always well to have point clearly stated.
1t is particularly desirable it should be clearly
stated when it is point Of ethics, as In this case.
We now understand why the Irish members, OF
some Of them, have for 50 many years past pur'
sned course of conduct which, TO those who did
not know their secret motives, has seemed course
of systematic vituperation. OF course it was not
that. When an Irish member has put question.
or made speech in the Ilouse-or, l presume,
elsewhere-which embodied cruel accusation
against an opponent, his object was not 70 dk
credit his opponent, or to give pain, or to satisfy
his own rancor. His object was to enable Min
lister to deny the accusation, and so clear tie char
acter of the person, whether Mufster or not
whom he appeared to attack. THIS IT was, and
from this honorable motive. that Mr.. OBrieu
called Lord Spencer murderer, and that MI
Healy called him the Duke Of Sodom and 90
mOrrah; elsewhere than in the House
How completely this clears up. 10 use Mr. Sex
tons phrase a long campaign of calumny. How
delightful il must be to Lord Spencer and Lord
Londonderry, to Sir George Trevelyan and TO MI
Balfour, to know that the torrents of invectw
and execration, the long catalogue of Infamous
charges Of the viest conduct were really meant 70
give them an opportunity OF vindicating theI
character Mr.. Sexton and his colleagues have
suffered under the unjust suspicion OF amnesty
TO their opponents, and Of receSsly reviling them.
IL will be known hencefcrth that what seemed
TO be gall and bitterness was in truth che pure
milk of human kindness that and that only
flowed in their veins, and still flows.
If merchant had to deliver TO a customer an
article for which he had been fully paid, and II
for want of postal initial in the address he
declared himself unable TO determine where "
should be sent. and if, in order TO determine, he
telegraphed at his customers expense to the wrong
address and charged him on account OF his own
error for redrectng, and then said the charge
was rightly made. how long do you think this
merchant would keep his customer? The case
have put is one which runs on all TOURS
with cases constantly occurring under the present
management of the Postal Telegraphs in Great
Britain. The PostofIice has monopoly, and can
therefore afford TO do things which the most In
significant tradesman or the most powerful mer-
chant could not-things which the straightlaced
moPalist might not even consider honest. Let
mo explain more fully what Mr. RaiSes and Sir
Arthur Blackwood and Mr.. Biscoe, and the rest
of the autocrats who rule over the British Post
office and over the British public, really do.
To begin with many of the streets Of London
bear the same name, and in order to identify
particular street it is often necessary 10 give the
name of the parish in which it lies. of q square
near which II runs, or the initial of the postal
district II the address Of a letter be deficient
in the needed particular, the name is at once
looked up by the Postoce and the letter delivered
with little delay. But if it be telegram, the
Postofllce declines to inform itself in this ready
way. Addresses are charged for, and the oppOrtu-
nifty presents itself TO turn an honest penny-the
phrase Is conventonOl-by not knowing too much.
| have an official letter before me which gives
the official view in language which it would be
pity 10 abrdge, and quote it with admiration;
Il beg leave to inform you that there are no
less than four places in London known Chester