Widnes Examiner. — 1884-11-01 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

CASE. The adjourned debate on the amendment to the Addre2e in reply to the Queen's Speech was resumed by Mr. JUSTIN MCCARTHY, who regretted that so far members of the Lions° were unacquainted either with the locality or the people of that part of Ireland in which the Maamtrasna murders took place. Mr. GLADSTONE said the great importance of the question raited by the amendment was not orly as touching the conduct of judicial persons, but in regard to the proposed reopening of a • grave and serious case. Of Lord Spencer personally he could say that no man throughout the kingdom enjoyed in a larger degree the esteem, the confidence, the veneration, load the respect of the people generally. (Cries of "No" from the Irish benches.) The right hon. gentleman also bestowed ahigh enlogium on the character of the Lord Chancellor of Irelind, and remarked that the hon, members spoke in what was to that House a foreign language when they preferred the charges that had been made against two such individuals. (Loud cheers from the Irish members, and a voice "Foreigners we are.") Reviewing all the circumstances of the case, the right hon. gentleman remarked that the appeal which might have been made to the clemency of the Crown had in this instance been shut out by the mode of procedure which had been resorted te, and, as to the demand for inquiry, he pointed out the difficulties in the way of inquiry by means of a Select Committee of that House, and in reply to the suggestion that some impartial judicial person should be employed for the purpose, he asked whether that individual was to examine the boy who was held to be unfit for examination at the  trial, whether the convicts who bad pleaded guilty were also te be questioned, and in what mode the examination was to be taken? If it was desired that the examiner should not have power to administer an oath, was it on such a basis that they should establish a machinery, the effect of which would be to upset the verdict solemnly arrived at by a properly-constituted judicial tribunal. (Hear, hear, and a voice : "‘ About Kilmartin's case." Kilmartin's case, which was distinct from the present, in which the House was asked to adopt a method totally unknown to the Constitution, and create what would amount to a Court of Criminal Appeal totally insufficient for the purposes involved and altogether inferior to that which it was intended to supplant. (Cheers.) Mr. T. P. O'CoNrroa expressed disappointment at the Speech of the Prime Minister, and, disputing the eulogium be had bestowed on Earl Spencer, unhesitatingly declared that there was not a man in Ireland who was more despised by the Irish people. (Cheers from the Irish benches). Mr. HOPWOOD, in opposing the amendment, pointed out that at the time when the Liberal party supported the establishment of a Court of Appeal the strongest opponents of that proposal wero found among the members of the Irish party.--Sir JOSEPH McKEpare was of opinion that the inquiry asked for ought to be granted in this case. He advised the Government therefore to "Be just and fear not." --Mr. C. THOMPSON supported the amendment.—Sir EARDLY WILMOT had come to the conclusion that a great wrong had been done. In his opinion the Lord-Lieutenant had made a mistake. He argued for a Court of Criminal Appeal. The