On Thursday night, the adjournment of the House was moved
by Mr. Sexton, in order that the question of the legalitiof the sentence for contempt passed upon Dr. Tanner might be raised. The Petty Sessions Act gives the Justices authority to inflict a week's imprisonment, or a fine of 40s., for contempt of Court, and it is contended that this takes away their Common Law powers. The matter, however, is admittedly one for the superior Courts in Dublin, and not for the House of • Commons, which is utterly incapable of deterinining it. In spite of this, the Irish Members, assisted by Mr. Henry Fowler and Mr. Hanbury, discussed at length not only this question, but Dr. Tanner's spitting escapade. Mr. Fowler actually permitted himself to say that Dr. Tanner had been sent to prison for three months for " four foolish remarks "—the re- marks merely imputed the basest dishonour to two honourable men—and then declared, as to finding sureties, that " it would have been unworthy of him as a man to have done so,"—a strange conclusion, when Mr. Fowler admits that the remarks were foolish and, we presume, untrue. Lest the element of the grotesque should be wanting from the scene, Mr. Shaw. Lefevre passed a enlogium on Dr. Tanner as a warm-hearted, honourable man, " though not always very discreet."
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