HC Deb 30 November 1893 vol 19 cc103-4
MR. DARLING

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Government have considered the question of directing a prosecution for inciting to murder against Samuels, the editor of The Commonweal; and whether he is aware that such a prosecution was instituted against Johann Most, editor of The Freiheit, by the Governments 1881; that the editor of that journal was convicted and sentenced (after a judgment against him by the full Court) for inciting to the murder of persons even outside Her Majesty's Dominions; and that the Grand Jury in that case presented that incitements to the assassination of Foreign Rulers and others abroad is brutal and un-English, and should always be rigorously dealt with by authorities here?

MR. ASQUITH

Perhaps I may be allowed to answer the question. The Government are aware of the facts stated in the second paragraph. The wisdom of taking legal proceedings in matters of this kind depends largely upon the circumstances of the particular case, and I do not think it expedient to say more than that the question engages the attention of Her Majesty's Government, who will take such steps, if any, as appear to them to be necessary in the public interest.

MR. DARLING

Will the right hon. Gentleman remember that two days ago he stated that he had taken advice upon the matter. Was that the advice of the Law Officers of the Crown, and was the right hon. Gentleman still acting upon it?

MR. ASQUITH

That is a question I do not feel called upon to answer.

MR. DARLING

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Government are prepared to act upon the presentment made by the Grand Jury in the case of "The Queen v. Most," tried when the right hon. Gentleman was in Office in 1881, that such cases of incitement to murder as those in The Commonweal should always be rigorously dealt with by the authorities in this country?

MR. ASQUITH

I have been requested to reply to the question. The presentment in 1881 of a Grand Jury in a totally different case has nothing whatever to do with this matter. As I stated before, the action of the Government in cases of this kind must depend upon the particular circumstances of the special case.