THE TABLET.

A Weekly Newspaper and Review.

DUM VOBIS GRATULAMUR, ANIMOS ETIAM ADDIMUS UT IN INCCEPTIS VESTRIS CONSTANTER MANEATIS.

From the Briej o f H is Holiness Pius IX . to T h e T a b l e t June 4, 1870

V ol. 79. No. 2710 L ondon, A pril 16, 1892.

P rice sd., by P ost sK d .

[Registered a t the General P ost O ffice as a N ewspaper.

C hronicle of th e W eek :

Page

Imperial Parliament: The Question of Privilege— The Budget— The Unionist Conference in Belfast — Mr. Rhodes and South Africa—The Cost of the Russian Famine — Consuls Abroad and Merchants at Home—The Queen a t Hyeres—-The Boat Race-Some Prehistoric Remains— Mammoth Remains in London—The Jews in Corfu—Mr. T. D. Sullivan on Home Rule—A Fight with Cattle Thieves-Pending Release of Mrs. Osborne—The Mississippi Floods —A Diminution of Strikes . . 597 ^Leaders :

In the Chamber of Deputies .. 601 The Church and the French Re­

public .. .. .. .. 601 The Archbishop of Westminster 603 TMy Double and I .. .. .. 603 -St. Cuthbert’s Birthplace .. .. 604

L eaders (Continued)

C O N T

Page

The Wedding Ring . . . . 605 N o t e s ....................................................... 606 Rorate C a e l i .......................................608 R eviews :

A Batch of S p i e s ........................... 608 A Monumental Concordance .. 609 The Oak .. .. .. .. 609 Thoughts and Reflections of the

Late David Gabriel .. . . 609 Gossip of Letters .. .. 609 Mr. L. Holland and Convents . . 609 Mashonaland .. .. .. .. 610 “ The World is TooMuch with Us ” 611 Correspondence :

Rome :—(From Our Own Corre­

spondent) . . . . .. .. 613

ENTS.

Correspondence (Continued):

Dublin :—(From Our Own Corre

Page spondent) ......................... . . 614 Columbus and the Franciscans .. 615 St. Leo’s College, Clocolan .. .. 616 Letters to th e E ditor :

The Converts' Memorial Church and the Leakage.. .. .. 616 “ Aspects of Anglicanism” . . 617 The Doxology .. . . .6 18 The Old and New Calendar .. 618 William of Wykeham’s Architect 619 Sunday Trips ........................... 619 Reminiscences of Cardinal Manning 619 Catholics Abroad ........................... 622 Social and P olitical . . . . 623 O b ituary ...........................................623

SUPPLEMENT. N ews from th e Schools :

State Control and Relative Rights

Page in the School .. .. .. 629 The Rating of Voluntary Schools 630 The Free Grant for Irish Educa­

tion .. .. .. .. .. 630 The Wane of Parental Authority 630 Education and the House of Com­

mons . . .. . . . . 631 N ews from th e D io ceses:

Southwark .. .. .. .. 632 Salford .. .. . . . . 632 Glasgow .......................................632 A Mediaeval Wonder........................... 632 Irish Education B i l l ........................... 633 Mr. Lilly on the Temporal Power.. 633 Church Riots in France .. .. 634

%* RejectedMS. cannot be returned unless accompanied with address and postage.

CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK.

-•*SMPERIAL PARLIAMENT j t — THE-QUESTION OF

PRIVILEGE.

T the end o f last week when

Athe first order in connection with the special report o f the Select Committee on Railway

Servants had been read, the Serjeant-at-Arms, by direction o f the Speaker, brought Mr. James Frederick Buckley, Mr. William Bailey Hawkins, and Mr. John Conacher to the Bar of the House, Mr. Maclure was present in his place, in accordance with the order of the House. The Speaker then explained that they had been summoned to appear in the House in consequence o f the report o f the Select Committee upon the dismissal o f Mr. John Hood from his employment as station-master in the service of the Cambrian Railway Company, in consequence mainly, as it was supposed, o f charges arising out o f the evidence given by him before the Committee. In conclusion, he said the House desired to hear anything they might have to say in answer to the finding of the Committee, Mr. Maclure, speaking for all, stated that in taking that course they acted in what they believed to be the discharge o f their duties as trustees of the Company and o f the general interests o f the community. They had not had any intention to deter any railway servants from giving evidence before the committee, but if they had without their intention infringed any of the rules •of the House they expressed sincere apology and unqualified regret. Sir M. Hicks-Beach in his speech hoped that members would deal with the question in a spirit o f judicial gravity, and would maintain privileges essential to the interests both o f the House and of the whole community. He expressed doubt whether action by the House for a breach o f its privileges could safely be founded on the dismissal of Hood, “ in consequence o f charges arising out of his evidence.” H e expressed a conviction that, in dismissing Hood, the Directors of the Company honestly and bona fide believed he was not a trustworthy servant. The second part of the report was more important. It stated that these gentlemen called Hood to account and censured him for the evidence he gave, and this in a manner calculated to deter other railway servants from giving evidence. This was a distinct breach of the privileges o f the House, and the only question to decide was as to the mode in

New Series, Vol. XLV1I., No, 2,019.

which it should be dealt with. As these persons had made full and ample apology for what they had done, he did not think it to be a case for punishment, though it required the notice o f the House in a way that would be a warning for the future. He concluded by moving that they should be called in and admonished by the Speaker. Mr. Gladstone, speaking somewhat late and upon an amendment moved by Mr. T . P. O ’Connor to the effect that the House would not consider the directors purged of their contempt until they had reinstated Hood, said this alternative course would be a very novel and, in some respects, a questionable method o f proceeding which the House had no power to enforce. In proposals o f that kind, they would place themselves in a position of considerable difficulty if they widened the issue which had been raised for them by the Select Committee. There was unanimity of opinion that it was their duty, under all conditions, to maintain absolute freedom of speech for witnesses before committees ; it was no less their duty to vindicate the privileges o f the House. I f they attempted to try the case between the Company and Hood upon its merits, it would embark them on a course of great difficulty that could not be disposed o f in a debate of ordinary length. As a genuine and sufficient apology had been made for the wrong done to the public principle and the public interest, he believed the House would be acting in strict accordance with Parliamentary precedent if an admonition to the directors were delivered from the Chair. After a long discussion, on a division the closure was carried by 247 to 186 ; an amendment to the amendment was negatived by 245 to 189; Mr. T . P. O ’Connor’s amendment was next negatived by 274 to 159; and, finally, on a fourth division being taken, Sir M. HicksBeach’s original motion was carried by 349 to 70. The three gentlemen were then brought to the bar by the Serjeant-at-Arms, and Mr. Maclure having returned to his place in the House, they were all seriously admonished by the Speaker. On the motion of Sir M. Hicks-Beach, it was ordered that the admonition delivered by the Speaker should be entered on the Journals of the House.

In the House o f Commons, on Monday

—the budget, night, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in

Committee of Ways and Means, made the financial statement for the year. The total estimated expenditure for the year was ^90,264,000, and the actual expenditure was,£89,928,000, showing a saving 0^336,000. The total revenue for the past year was ^90,995,000, or ^565,000 more than the Budget estimate, and he explained