NEWSPAPER COMMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 950, 4 February 1911, Page 4

NEWSPAPER COMMENT.

London, Feb. 2. The newspapers are unanimous in their rejoicings at the King’s courageous determination to vindicate his personal honour. Mylius, who is about thirty years of age, is described as of uncertain nationality, under medium height, with small features and an English accent. All the newspapers emphasise the scrupulous fairness of the procedure. Instead of a charge of seditious libel, preventing the plea ot justification, a charge of criminal libel was preferred in order to give the defendant every chance and to enable the slander to be annihilated by sworn testimony. Correspondence read showed that James’s Republican sheet was intended to discredit a monarchy, wherever found, and especially in England. James wrote to Mylius in October in reference to yesterday’s libel: “I will publish the facts immediately without awaiting further verification.” He also wrote: “The only way to deal with the British monarchy is to cut away respect for it. As soon as the people cease to respect it the monarchy will be done for.” James sent parcels of the “Liberator” to Mylius in London, and the latter posted them to army officers and others.

The newspapers denounce James as a slanderous abettor, skulking in Paris. The groundless charge against King Charles ll.'s declaration at Whitehall on June 9th, 16S0, is quoted, and the punishment ot John Udall and Alexander Leighton are recalled in contrasting with the leniency of the present sentence.