Mr. Anderson carried the second reading of his Bill against
pigeon-shooting on Wednesday, by 195 votes against 40, but only at the cost of sacrificing the second clause, which was in- tended to give a remedy for cruelties committed on wild animals kept in captivity, like the wild creatures in a menagerie, or on the tame stags and bagged foxes which our so-called sportsmen delight to hunt. Lord Randolph Churchill made an admirable speech in favour of the Bill, and of this clause of it espeeielly but the most humane and amusing speech delivered was that of Mr. Blake. "It seemed to him that it was justifiable to kill animals either for food, or in order to destroy vermin, but the laws of God bade us in either case to end their sufferings in the- speediest manner." Once, and once only, had he (Mr. Blake), gone out with the hounds, and then it was only to make himself useful to the fox, which he did by misleading the hunt,—a declaration received with great cheers and laughter by the House. We have no wish to see the law in advance of the- conscience of society in these matters, but of this we are sure,. that the conscience of society in these matters must some day be what the conscience of Mr. Blake is already.
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