FIFTY YEARS TRIUMPHANT DEMOCRACY." Alleged "Seditious and Treasenable" Libel against the Queen.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 237, 14 January 1888, Page 5

FIFTY YEARS TRIUMPHANT DEMOCRACY ."

Alleged "Seditious and Treasenable" Libel against the Queen.

Lately a remarkable presentation w.as made by 'the grand jury at the Wolverhampton Quarter Sessions to the Recorder of the borough (Mr J. J. Powell, Q.C). The jury asked the attention of the court to the fact of a false, scandalous, defamatory, spurious, and treasonable libel'having been published in Wolverhampton against the Queen. The libel complained of ( was contained in a work which had been presented to the Free Library by its author, Mr Andrew Carnegie, the millionaire iron and steel master of New York and Pittsburg, ontitled, "Fifty Years' Triumphant Democracy." The presentation contained numerous extracts from the works to which they specially called the recorder's attention.' The grand jury desired that the Recorder would remove the book from circulation at the Free Library. The Recorder, in reply, remarked that the presentation was one of very considerable importance. Whether any legal proceedings might be taken upon 'the matter' of the book it w.as not for him [ to direct, but the public 1 authorities could, if they thought fit, direct a prosecution to ibe instituted. The book was evidently one | which it was not very creditable for uny free library to have upon its shelves for the •use of persona who might nob be competent to judge of it as it deserved. He had no i authority with the Free Library Committee, i but he would give the memorial his 1 most careful consideration.