The discussion on Thursday night of the Prevention of Crime
in Ireland Bill was, on the whole, satisfactory in tone and drift. Plenty of the Liberals,—for example, Mr. Bryce, Mr. Labou- chere, and several others,—opposed the more irritating and un- reasonable clauses, which are likely to intensify the Irish quarrel with the law as it stands, instead of to reconcile them with it. Mr. Trevelyan made a very good speech for the chief proposal, the proposal to dispense with trial by jury in certain cases ; but showed, to our minds, too much leaning towards the clauses enabling the Executive to seize and suppress newspapers.. He also made too much of the increase in crime in Ireland which followed the modification in 1875 of the Peace Pre- servation Act of 1870,—an increase, no doubt, chiefly due, an Mr. Dillon asserted, to the return of bad seasons and great hardship. But, on the whole, Mr. Trevelyan's speech was good, and even the Irish attacks on the Bill were couched in moderate language. We go to press before we can ascertain the character of the adjourned debate on Friday afternoon.
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