The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1882.

Temuka Leader, Issue 944, 29 April 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1882.

Recent telegrams to hand from England seem to indicate tiiat the prestige of Great Britain is lessening. First came the news that the American Government had demanded the release of American cit’zens imprisoned under the Coercion Act in Ireland on suspicion of being connected with the Land League movement, next that the British Government had consented to their release on condition that they would return at once to America, and next that the American Government would not accept this compromise, but demanded that they should be brought to immediate trial or released unconditionally. This was pretty stiff, but it was nothing until the Americans began to interfere in the admistration of the law. One Dr Lamson was convicted of poisoning his brother-in-law for the evident purpose of becoming possessed of his wealth, and the American Government requested that his sentence should bo changed from death to penal servitude for life, on the ground that Dr Lamson was insane. Those facts show* that the Americans have been meddling very much in the affairs of Great Britain, but the curious part of the business is that the British Executive seem very much inclined to conform with the advice tendered by the Yankees, as witnessed by the fact that the execution of the death sentence passed on Lamson has been postponed. As regards the demand of America, either to bring imprisoned American citizens to trial

or release them, it is impossible to come to any other conclusion than that it is a just one. It is most despotic and cruel to throw people wholesale into gaol on the bare intormotion of an .informer or a policeman without one word of evidence being offered to show either their guilt or innocence, and it would not say much for the American Government if they allowed citizens of the United States to be thus incarcerated. In the first place they were bound to see fair play extended to them, and in the second place sympathy with human suffering is sufficient excuse for the Americans to protest against such tyranny. But Dr Lamson’s case is different. He has been tried and found guilty of a foui and atrocious murder, and it was certainly a piece of unwarrantable meddling on the part of America to interfere. While these questions were under the consideration of the British Cabinet an Address to the Queen came from the Canadian Parliament praying that Home Rule might be given to Ireland, and that persons imprisoned on suspicion of being connected with the Land League might bo released. This Address was of much greater importance than any of the representations made by America. There is no danger of America going to war with England, not because she is not fit to do so, but because it is not her policy, and consequently her demands may be looked upon as what is vulgarly termed “blow,” but the fact that a British colony disapproves of the policy of the Home Government, and suggests radical changes seems to us a far more important question. It shews that the treatment of Ireland is disapproved of, and it may possibly open up a question which has often been mooted before, that is whether the colonies should not have a voice in the British Legislature. Now these things ought to open the eyes of the Parliament of England, A very short time ago resolutions were brought into the House of Commons urging upon the British Government to interfere with Russia on behalf of the persecuted Jews, and Mr Gladstone replied that the Government could not go farther than advise the Russian Government to take steps to prevent the excesses indulged in. How can England have the effrontery to suggest to other nations what they ought to do while her colonies and a neighboring State which is composed principally of her own sons and their descendants, condemn her treatment of Ireland ? It seems lo us that for decency’s sake England ought not to interfere with Russia or any other Power, until she has settled her own internal affairs first of all. She is, however, going a very queer way about it. In our last issue we published a telegram that a circular letter had been a .Idresscd to the police in Ireland, stating that they would not be held responsible if they should kill innocent people while doing escort duty. A more atrocious mandate was never issued. It is enough to make one’s blood run cold to find the Government of a country which professes to be the most civilised on the face of the earth, I and sets itself up ns a model for a 11 other nations to imitate, giving its police, which have never been noted for their gentleness, commission to kill innocent people if they think fit. Who can wonder at Canada interfering? Who could not feel sympathy with Ireland when it is known that she is thus ruled And yet this is the same Government that suggests to other nations what they ought to do. We are not writing of the grievances of Ireland ; if we were, we would show how fearfully she has been wronged, but we ore pointing out that the muddling legislation of England with regard to Ireland is being taken notice of by other Governments, and unless some energetic and definite steps are taken to satisfy Irish claims, (ho English Government will lose the respect of the civihsed world.