Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1896-04-18 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

NORTHERN WEEKLY GAZETTE.  spoken. Let me say authoritatively that tha authorities in the Congo and in Belgium—..including, of course, the King—have been from the first sincerely desirous that the Matter should be honourably settled, and so as to command universal oonfidence. There is now the absolute guarantee that, before a properly oonstituted Court at Boma, approved by England and other countries, there will be a thorough investigation into all the allegations, and a.fair trial to clearly establish the ' -  innocence or guilt of the accused. There has never,l can assure you, been the shadow of a desire to shirk investigation. On the contrary, it has been felt by Kin 7 Leopold and his advisers that an investigation in oren court was essential to the security and continued prosperity of the State. Lothaire reached Borne on Thursday, the trial  proceeding forthwith." "Has there not been unnecessary delay in  bringing On the trial!" "On the contrary. anyone who takes into account the enormous distances and difflenities of inland locomotion will admit that instead of needless delay there has been marvellous expedition in bringing the accused to trial. The warrant for the apprehension of Cantain Lothaire was despached from Boma by the Attorney of the State on Jauuary 9th; it charged Lothaire with murder, and, by his not allowing Stokes the legal time in which to appeal against the sentence of execution, that he comes under Art. IL, of the Penal Code of the Congo— namely, 'Homicide committed with the intention of causing death is held to be murder, and is punishable by penal servitude for life.' The nature ot Lothaire's defence will be found in the pleadings in an open and impartial court, and his advocate. M. Lelong, of the Brussels Tribunal, is in Boma. The case is very simple, ant.' the witnesses are naturally few. Stokes was accused of having excited the Arabs to civil war, supplying them with arms, ammunition, and warlike stores. Although he had gone to the Congo as a superintendent of the Christian missions, it is alleged that four or five years ago he took to ivory trading and savage customs, and ' raided ' on the territory of a friendly State at the bead of an army estimated at one thousand men. Captain Lothaire had been despatched long before this with a handful of soldiers to suppress Arab disturbances in the interior, and had largely succeeded without any serious injury to property or the lives of the people. When met—so it is maintained—by Stokes and his armed men aiding and abetting hordes of Arabs to overthrow the constituted authority, it is urged on behalf of Lothaire that he was faced with incipient rebellion, and had to act with rigour in order to save his own men and prevent a temporary overthrow of the Government. This was promptly done, and the natives afterwards readily settled down to peaceful industry." "Is that, then, the substance of the case ? " WAS the query that followed. "That is the plain and simple issue before the Court at Loma, and by the result Captain Lothaire must abide. and the maintenance of law and order in the Congo State is vindicated. There is, indeed, a singular resemblance between this case and the case of Governor Eyre, in Jamaica, who was tried under English Law and acquitted nearly 30 years ' ago, and also the case of Dr. Jameson and his fellow 'raiders,' who are now being tried before an English Court of Justice, It is a curious coincidence that at the same moment England has its Jameson. Belgium its Lothaire (or rather Stokes), Germany its Peters, and other countries almost identical South African troubles; they will all he openly and honourably settled, and Africa will remain the Golden Land. Tne Belgian Free State is _bounded by the extensive Congo territories: d :Trance, Portugal, and Germany. who all ewer-demanded these possessions after the far-seeing King of Belgium had pioneered the way, and any contentions which ha x e arisen since ' the famous Berlin Treaty have been peacefully adjusted."  new that " touch of nature" which "makes the whole world kin," and over his dust it will be acknowledged that though Scotland can claim him as her darling, he belongs in song to the world.