The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-21
Disclaims Being Tribunal, but Is
Merely Adviser to
SOVEREIGN.
Sovereign.
by IA MAnauIsE DE roNrE>oY.


| by IA MaKQIIsE DE ToNTI:NoY.
I 7 TNTlL now the judicial Commit
tee of the Privy Council has
been popularity regarded az the
! highest tribunal Of the British en-
pirc-hirher even than the House OF
Lords. In a remarkable decision Just
| given by the committee III question. in
/ the case of the appeal OF Chanting Ar
mold. the Anglo American editor OF tho
Burmah Critic. from a conviction Of
defamation oi character hY the chief
/ court of Lower 8urmah this general
view Is repudittcd.
| The committee discltims the Idea of
being "a tribunal. IL Is merely /, com
mittcc of advice Tor tho suvcrel IN
! Ill. sovereign declines to intervene In
tho courts OF justice that administer
! the law III his name. unless IL can be
4 shown that there has been such AN in-
reference with tire elementary rights
OF the accused. ~ To have placed him
outside OF the pale OF regular Law, OF
! If there has been violation Of the
/ natural principles of justice, SO dem
/ onsti.t!Tely manifest as u convince
! the crown that the appellant has not
had a fair trial.
I The sovereign. 10 whom every one
I of Ills near ioo000.oGo subjects, bo1h
I in the United Kingdom ana I'M his over
sca dependencies, has the ri..ht TO APP
peal from tire supreme courts. az =
I last aud nual resort. does not cutter
/ into the question OF guilt or Innocence,
/ but only ~ to whether there has been
- ialr triad, such az every citizen, no
matter how humble IL entitled -.
/ Ihat Is the only basis on which tn"
final and ultimate appeal To the throne
! can Toe made.
The Judicial Committee OF the Privy
\ Council, on which the Colonial ana In
\ dian judiciary are represented, IL there
4 merely for the object OF advising the
sovereign i'm such mattcys. as to
/ whether there IL any grouuts1r not FOR
4 interference by the crown Thus, tn
4 the appeal of Chanu,rg Arnold from
4 the supreme courts III India To thu
y throne, the loras OF the Judicial com
mittee OF the Privy Council "humbly
advised" the KING rat the appellant
had had a fair trial by jury, and that
there was no reason for the soNcreien
/ to interfere. They did not enter iuto
the question a. 10 whether Cnnuuiug
/ Arnold was guilty OF innocent OF the
i criminal libel Imputed 70 h.ui.
L In making tlls report to the SOW
1 ereien, tho lords OF The JUDICIAL com
] inittec Of the Privy Council have tho
\ following to SAY concerning the priy.
4 ilege oil the press, winch ls woEths
I OF being noted. "4hc.r lolashtps re-
i grct TO ma mat there appears ou one
/ size or this case the tiinc-worn f3tliaes
! that some kind 81 privilege ATTACHES
TO the profession u the press. as ois-
/ tlneulshcd from the members of the
I public. The freedom I'll the Journal Il
:. j. an ordinary part oil the freedom OF
/ the subject, ana to whatever lengths
4 the subject in general may 90. 50 also
may the journalist. But his priv.ie. II
ia no other and no higher. The re-
III INC dissemination 81 pilh'e" ma.
Ter may ahu IN 'lc c"st OF : No"st''".
tious JouihaAsl 10 'Hdhe nun i""'e
/ NtitidI p"S the iIHS7 "' No ASST
, ''oh9' OF MS - 't'SiS'ts' ~ VI 80 80.
menus = ~ VICE az nut 40 "'"S''
| IMAM 'h't OF any ".he' S'p5ec' 80
pflNiiesc attaches !" nus pVs'l'o".
=, 'he same t,''e 'ise com, ~ So''