The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-03-21 00:00:00

PdPERIA L PARLIAMENT.

In the Rouse of Lords on March 13, the Earl of Devon
laid upon the table a bill to further amend the law relating
to the relief, the pour.
The Duke of Argyll. having directed attention to the incon-
veniences arising out of the ratepaying clauses of the Reform
Act cf last year, turned aside to refer to the terms in which
Lied Rasped bad lately avoken of the Goveroment as un-
worthy of conflitsice, and which, he remarked, were fully
deserved. The tidy reply to this noble friend was a letter
el, lied by the Premier, and published in the newspapers two
slay • subseynetitly, and he thought the Conservative party
w Gil entitled to the credit of being exceedingly good natured
in endni tog the process of education to which they hail been
subjected, and especially in forgiving the speech of Mr.
Disraeli at Edinburgh.
The Lord Chancellor, having explained the nature and
effect of the ratepaying clauses of the Reform Act, ad-
minhtered • rebuke to the noble duke for occupying the
time of the house with criticisms upon what after all was
only a post prandial speech. lie thtn aalmailverted with
considerable force upon the charges which had been brought
by Lord Russell en the occasion referred to against the con-
ouct of Lord Derby's Government, and denied that these
charges had either point or accuracy, and Indignantly repu-
diated the conclusion which had been drawn by Lord
lioneell from hls own unfotunied and unsupported premises
Earl Russell characterised the speech of the Lord Chan-
as eminently ingenious, though It had altogether
omitted tic answer the charges of the Duke of Argyll. The
1101.i0 earl Justitied his charges against the Government, and
declared that their conduct with respect to Reform had been
unworthy it high. minded statesmen

Ihe Earl of Malniesbury complained that, under the pretext
v-f putting a location with respect to compounding for rates,
cl Russell had stised the opportunity to direct an attack
'without notice against nelsons •ho could not be present to
defend themselves. It was unworthy if noble lords to make
ailit +eke which only a disappointed Opposition would think of
totclucting. He vindicated the ens net of Ministers, and
argued that thi y had only at last succeeded in settling the
Ref..rrn question by treating It no tiger as one 01 party
politics, but by consulting the House of Coihmons itself on
the subject of its own reconstruction.

Alter genie observation. from Lords Grey and Granville,
the Earl of Devon isvid the Poor-law authorities were fully
olive to the aerions name of the change, and were anxiously
'watching its operation. Ills own opinion wav, that they bad
sot yet had sufficient experience to enable Parliament to
decide upon the &Bernthals that were necessary, but he
believed it would be advisable to simplify the process by
Which the poorer class of householders were excused from
Paa went of rats..
The subject then dropped, and their Lordships adjourned.
In the Home of Commons all prior business was with-
drawn to make way for the Irish debate. It was resumed by
Mr. C. Fortesene, nh,i, admittine the general accuracy of
Cord Mayo'a represeittation of the condition of Ireland,
pointed isit that the progress which he had proved had bot
been achieved by inaeteei or by coercion. Enumerating the
Immerous legi.latim and administrative reformu paned for
Ireland during the last forty years, he complained that the
Government had male no vigorous attempt to pursue that
policy. On the wisdom of creating a Catholic llitivenity, he
remarked that, though a stroug friend to mixed education, he
at not regard it as. religion—to be forced upon the world on
nvery occasesh ri et annis—and therefore, thoagh this proposal
enrried the denominational principle further than any
lleverement had attempted to carry it before, and though it
would be an insuperable bar to the opening of Dublin UM-
'artily to all denominations, If it were accepted by the
Roman Catholics he should rot object to It On the land
qiiretoin he remarked that Mr. Mill's plan was totally
impracticable, it would bo "chaos come again." The
contlitioti of Ireland was not so had as to justify such a
policy of despwr. Ile promised to cseoperate with Lord
Mayo Its passing the Bale which he had promised to in-
troduce, hut he expected no practical result front • Commis-
sion of ',spry. Ile complained grievously of the small
share whi h the Church que.tion occupied In the Govern-
nitoit proi.ratnete. This question, he niaiiitalued, lay at the
pout Irish grievances, and the vast benefits which would
result from removing it had haver been sufficiently appre-
ciated. Above all. It would break down the wall ot separation
between landlord and tenant, not would probably aid ma-
tt flatly in the settlement of the land difficulty. But the
policy of the Government was little more than begging thee
to work themselves up to the old Appropriation Clause. The
Church was an institution maintained in one country by the
external form of another, and he at,oiitiets had passed far
beyond inquiry. He defended the Liberal party and Mr.
Waistline for not having dealt with the grievance when they
were in power, obierving that these settlements were tines-
theis of times and seasonal, of opportunities and possibilities,.
It was limy pessible to settle this question, and therefore it
became obligatory.
ACer semi ohm vatting from Sir J. N. APKenna, The
Glair oghue, Lord C. Hamilton, Mr. If. Herbert, and Mr.
Newilegate, Mr. Bright rose and said he drew from the co-
existence in Ireland of material prosperity with extensive
disloyalty that the condition of that country was the most
uremit Imperial question of the day. For that unhappy con-
dition there must be a cause, and that cause Wan well known
to the Government, particularly to the Premier, as was
shown by his celebrated phrase, "an absentee aristocracy
and an alien Church." Deelna with the first of them two
causes, he entwined minutely the provisions of Lord Mayo's
which he *Attended would Dever work, and he pre-
ferred his own plan fee the encouragement of a farmer
proprietary, which he explained at length. If it were I
right to lend money to tenants for improvements,
as Lord Mayo's Bill proposed, why not lend money
to tenants to boy land I Protesting that he hail no
desire to interfere with the rights of property—for he wonit ,
not apply his plan except where landowners were witting Ps
re —tie showed that, without paying more annually than
lii, present rent, a tatont in a little over SO years might
beeome the °weer of his farm. His object was to create in
Deland some few score thousands of a steady class between
the large landowners and the landless—a class which would
be thoroughly loyal and would be the zealous enemy of
leniardsm. He admitted that the time would never come
when Mr. Mill's remedy would be necessary for Ireland, but
Ire held that in every country where there wau its clans but
testatorsl and tenant, with yo manufactures to absorb the
population, the condition of the cultivator of the mil must
feevitably be degraded. On the Church question, Mr.
Bright descrheil the Ministerial proposal to add another
buttress itt the shape of a bribe as grotesque and imbecile.
The establts nerd of a C itholic University could have
to effect on leloanisni ; it had been received with general
tinfavour ; and, like the dual vote of last year, when it had
served its ohject would prelathly disappear. List Protestant
dancy in Ireland, as represented by a State Church, was
doomed, sell perfect relagin us equality ou the voluntary
prirniple must he estahibbeil is its place. There might be
difficulties in carrying cot this change, but they must be
fai.t.l; and, condemning Lord Russell's pamphlet ale, years
too late, Mr. Bright developed a plan of his own for the pur-
ports. He would, of course, sliseritablish and disentiow all
Cuurches alike; the liviton Donlon must go as well a. the
Maynooth great. But at.., Isle interests Of the Protestant
bishops slid priests must be preserves!, so must the life
Interests of the Presbyterian ministers and of Mayotte ill Col-
lege be provided fee Where the congrcgatious of existing
Plotestant churches would undertake to repair them
and the parsetatee-houses they might lie left in possessiou
of them. Of courre, no in.re bishops, except on the footing
of Scotch Bishops, would be created; anti If the State
grauted any provision at the outtet to either of the three
religious bodies, it must become its absolute property.
entirely free from the control of the State. The whole of
the Church property being frith p•operty, It must lie
oisposed of in entire accordance with the desireu of the
Iri-li people. Though but sanguine that Mr. Disraeli would
he aide to deal ratncally with it, Mr. Bright protested that
he should be delighted to co-operate with him in settling
this question ; used in one of his finest and most etithu-
astically aptlauded peroration.. he arpealed to the mode-
ration, the justice, and the upright and Christian feeling of
all On sees to remove the dark cloud now resting on helmet.
Sir S. Northeote, summing up, or taking stock, as he said,
of the debate, sysa of opinion that B would put the Home in
a !letter pmition to deal with the Irish question. Per in-
stance, the real characer of leniantsm could lie more
potty appreciated, and the delusion that Ireland had not
her fair share in the count Bs of the Empire was dispelled.
Tye problem before raelternent was, no doubt, a difficult
rite, but the first thing to do with a disease which might be
SalCI CO be on the nom sWM to give hope and comfort, and
cot to dbturb any healing process which was goitig on- lie
claimed for te• Irish Government, not limiting It to the
present Administration, that It had administered Imbue'
with impartial Jessica, and the conviction of this must
In lisie come home to vii classes. Ile efended the
LAI it Bill which Lord Mayo would introduce, expres-
sing a strong conviction that the landlords of Ireland would
not object to a reserietion of their rights if it could be
shown that the pnblic interest required it. But it was not
intended that this Bill should necessarily be the he-all awl
eno-all of the ilvernmebt policy, arid for that reason, and
mot for delay, the Government had appointed a Comnession
of Inqutra. As to the Church, hr Stefford said that if he
believed its naintenative to be unjust he wrath' consent to
sweep it away immediately, but he was unable to see that it
was, except on a principle which would be ilnatructive of
all mtabishments. The property of the Church was not
natimial property, hut the privrte property of the
Church; ant though the state might have a right to
Inquire how the Church was using the property, to deprive
her et it without a violent necessity proved would be a
breach of stsitermanship. Ireland required a healing policy,
and coneseCion would be tallest and Irritating.
Mr. Monsell adjourned the debate until Monday, March le.
In the House of Loris, no March 10, the Duke of Marl-
boroegh gave notice that next Tuesday week he should call
the attention of their Lordships to the state of elementary
education in England and Wales, and bring in a bill on that
subject
Earl Russell had given notice that he should call attention
to the Corentinsiort on the Neutrality Laws, and ask how soon
the repent of the Cortniessiou will be laid before Parliament ;
but the Thble earl slid not brting forward his motion.
Their Lot &hips adjourned at an early hour.
In the Mouse of Commons, Captain Tivian asked the
Chancellor of the Exchemier whether the estimate of fhe
proltable expenditure on account of the Abyssinian expedi-
tion, which was presented to the House in November lank
is likely to be ex,eetted ; and if so, whether he is prepared
to say to what extent, aud w hat are the circumstances whkh
account for the Sant,.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer deprecated the course of
putting these smalltime in such is manner. Cot he could in-
form the Boiler that at present he had every retinal to believe
that the expeediture would he covered by the lowest estimate
vie , three millions and a half.
Mr. Monsen rose to continue the adjourned debate on the
Irish question. He thanked the right hon. harotot air
Stafford Northeote, for the way in which he had treated the
matter in his speech on Friday night There bad been, in
his opinion, much progress made lo Ireland durinz the past
few ireare. Above all, they heti nettle progress hi education
whloh had made them montsensible to 111-treatment and had
geverement With regard to I.', teanism, Emit.% were few,
and aimed at the total lie rrrrr of social order. lint there
was a great aletentll of illecootent, veering on disaffection;
indeed, there was much more of the latter than there was
Of Fenianism. He acknowledged the sympathy felt towards
the Irish In the House of Pariiament, and stated that they felt
they were governed more by Euglish andS. itch than by Irish
Opillione. He reminded them that, although the people Were
quiet from kilte ho, IAOS, nothing was done to do away with :
the wrongs from which they were atiffering. Ile thanked the
Government for their proposition with respect to the
Roman Catholic University, hut he awaited the desisinn of
the people Oli the subject, for he sheuld not be satietied
until the Umivereity of Ireland wait National University.
lie doubted the etatenients of the noble lord that education
In the United States and Sternum), had progressed consider.
ably, affirming that in the former country education had
become degraded from the large quantity of universities.
lie slid net believe in the scheme Itoroporell by the Govern-
ment with regard to the land question, and thouaht Ireland
could never he satisfied until the Church spiestion hail been
dealt with. He historical Munster, in which el WO Proles-
tantemonepoltseit the a hole of the Church property, and asked
14 hether sucn a grievance would he tolerated in England and
!Scotland. Il• believed that no people were ever alienated
by justioe, and if they onsy treated the people fairly they
would not have to complain of their disloyalty. Ile com-
batted the various aiguineete which had been used against
the diaestablohineut of the Protastant Church, and assured
the House that there never could be content until there was
weaet religisois equality. When that was granted
they Weald Ind the Irish pesspie as loyal and aa ready
to sui port the Constnutiou Ina their Scotch or English
brethren. He entreated thorn net to let this testise of in-
jn. tire convulee the natio°, as it was the last link in the
Ohaill of conquest Which nOW renhned.
Mr. Butler Johnstone, rater a short introduction, said
there were three great subjeAs for legislation, and the
greatest a tiore was the ;alai quentloo. Ile thought the
thanks of the House were due to the hon. member for West-
Minster tor ret,rteentirtg the gravity of the alai. With
Trivet to heisted. He ergueil that it Wan abeurd
to compare that eountry with many others which
had been nientomed. He thotiebt the propositions made
by her St. testy's Oeveremetti, were unsatisfactory, and
that they bed thrown away a great slip, ctunlty. lie critt-
Cinsi the mooch of the Earl of Mayo, arid thought that the
policy therein impressed might be a "truly liberal," hut
was not a itatesutaillike one If thy were trying by their
proposals to ...ciliate the E.lllll\ll Catholics they would not
tec' 'nil; if thev wanted to conciliate Irelaed they must
bil-ly fare the problem they hall to noise.
Mr Gregory, admitting ft • grneTal go-nester of Lord
11 J., .'s picture if the pr, wean, re Condition of Ireland, and
allo.wing that Fenlanism was whittled to one tart of the
taints y, and was utterly impracticable In its aims, main-
tain.e.l that there Ives mush discontent afloat which ought to
be dealt with tron,e,ltately ; and it ought to he dealt w-nth as
ne,rly as poesie:e in the same spirit as ark Irish Parlanieut
Tombl hale; l• It Inn. On the land queen., stability of
tenure was the first thing to be obtained, and if Me Brighth
Sea MIN he eseememaied by some premien against sub-