e last
administration, under Mr. Mildmay, held the office of
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; and we believe as
little a secret that Mr. Kennedy has been very persistent
in endeavouring to recall his wife to her home. With equal
persistence she has refused to obey, and we have in our
hands the clearest possible evidence that Mr. Kennedy has
attributed her obstinate refusal to influence exercised
over her by Mr. Phineas Finn, who three years since was
her father's nominee for the then existing borough of
Loughton, and who lately succeeded in ousting poor Mr.
Browborough from his seat for Tankerville by his impetuous
promises to support that very measure of Church Reform
which he is now opposing with that venom which makes him
valuable to his party. Whether Mr. Phineas Finn will ever
sit in another Parliament we cannot, of course, say, but
we think we can at least assure him that he will never
again sit for Tankerville.

On last Sunday afternoon Mr. Finn, knowing well the
feeling with which he is regarded by Mr. Kennedy, outraged
all decency by calling upon that gentleman, whose address
he obtained from our office. What took place between them
no one knows, and, probably, no one ever will know. But
the interview was ended by Mr. Kennedy firing a pistol at
Mr. Finn's head. That he should have done so without the
grossest provocation no one will believe. That Mr. Finn
had gone to the husband to interfere with him respecting
his wife is an undoubted fact,--a fact which, if
necessary, we are in a position to prove. That such
interference must have been most heartrending every one
will admit. This intruder, who had thrust himself upon the
unfortunate husband on the Sabbath afternoon, was the very
man whom the husband accuses of having robbed him of the
company and comfort of his wife. But we cannot, on that
account, absolve Mr. Kennedy of the criminality of his
act. It should be for a jury to decide what view should
be taken of that act, and to say how far the outrageous
provocation offered should be allowed to palliate the
offence. But hitherto the matter has not reached the
police. Mr. Finn was not struck, and managed to escape
from the room. It was his manifest duty as one of
the community, and more especially so as a member of
Parliament, to have reported all the circumstances at
once