The Sun. — 1870-03-02 (London, England)

TIM SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 2, 1870.  time the treaty has to be renewed, and the renewal is exciting no little opposition both in England and in France. At the very time that Mr. Lowe spoke, the Government had just concluded, after many years'of negotiation, a commercial treaty with Austria, and that treaty was to be laid upon the table of the House last night. It was not surprising, therefore, if Mr. Somerset Beaumont, who was a member of the commission which went to Vienna to carry on the negotiations for this treaty, should resent the Chancellor's remarks, and seek to obtain from the Premier a disavowal of them. Mr. Gladstone got out of the difficulty rather neatly. He said that Mr. Lowe's remarks referred to commercial treaties generally, and that in this general condemnation he agreed with his colleague. At the same time it was clear that his colleague could not have meant to include all such treaties, for Ministers would lay upon the table on the following evening a treaty of commerce with'Austria, and for that Mr. Lowe was, no less than the other members of the Government, responsible. The truth is that the commercial treaties of to-day are very different from those of the last century. The last-mentioned were essentially protective treaties. the first mentioned are essentially free-trade treaties. No doubt these do not give entire freedom. Yet the fault is not ours, but that of the other party to the contract. If France, for instance, chooses to levy duties on any English manufactures otherwise than for the purpose. of revenue, we regret the fact; but it is, at least, better that these duties should be moderate than that they should be prohibitory. We cannot expect that I all nations-will move as quickly. as ourselves in the path of commercial progress. If we have any dealings with them, we must, therefore, condescend to their weakness, and hope to lead them on by degrees in the right road. We are ourselves still a long way off from that political and international millennium when there will be no customhouses ; but every treaty like that which we made in 1860 is an approach towards the happy time. It will be well, therefore, if Mr. Lowe will in future be more cautious in his language, and not scandalise politicians by deeming to throw doubt upon one of the articles of the Liberal faith. She other question. which Mr. Gladstonb had to answer was less satisfactorily met. Lord John Manners asked what steps the Government intended to take with respect to the security of life and the better administration of the law in cases of trial for murder in Ireland. Mr. Gladstone replied that, as to extraordinary measures, the Government had not departed fr,nn the views contained in the Queen's Speech; but they wore considering certain possible improvements of the law within the limits of the Constitution, and he would announce their decision in a weelc or two. This would be all very well if the case were not so urgent. It is true that there is a good deal of exaggeration with respect to crime in Ireland, and that public attention is directed to outrages in that country because they are supposed to be always connected with the land. But, even making allowance for any extravagance of apprehension we do find this undeniable fact—it is impossible to obtain a conviction for murder in Ireland. For the most part, it is impossible to obtain even sufficient evidence to warrant an apprehension, and in those rare cases where the evidence is sufficiently strong to enable Government to place a man upon his trial, no jury will convict. The question then arises ought the Government to dispense with trial by jury ? It would be a very serious matter no doubt, yet scarcely more serious than the suspension of that other Palladium of the Constitution, Habeas Corpus. Any way, " a week or two "is a postponement not at all in accordance with the vigour shewn by the Government in other matters. Nor is this delay fair to the large number of loyal Irishmen, who have a right to be protected against the violence that is now unpunished and unchecked.