The Express.
London, England, 1868-02-11 00:00:00

THE IRISH CHTIRCE7jI2•OI.IIY MEETING AT

. % l
Yesterday mornsa paMenee of
gliAnintiOn
to the mayor, numa sad influentially • meet-
ing of cleans sou held in the Town-hall, for the pur-
pose of taking into comideration the subject the Irish
church eithatent, and the duty of parliament in rela-
tion thecae." The Maros preided, and mow* theme
present were Mr. Jacob right, If P., and Yr. R. N.
M.P. The proesedings throughout were up-
roarious. The rank sad file, as well as the ostensible
leaders of the CosetitntkmalAssonation, musteredin peat
force, as did also elssepsen and Sunday-school teachers
connected with the shun* of England. Perhaps theinueof
the following circular may bogey account for the peculiar
oomporition of the meeting : Manchester. Feb. 8, 1888.
—Dear Sir.—May we venture to ark you to attend the
town's meeting which has been summoned for Monday.
February 10, at 10.30 a.m., by certain members of the
Libertines Society and others, with the evident intention
of making pelktiesl 'spited, and of misleading the public
as to the real fah"( csf the ps of Manchester on the
questkis et the ' MAChureh Inablishmena' Not only
has the meeting boon summoned with indecent hiwto, but
it is most smiselishis to pledge the people of Manchester
to any seam el setisalse the report of the royal coin-
sow sitting, hes been received.—We are, faithfully
mialagra+.e. T,4Tiobf.rot ',
re ornate Pnit.e agenciesT.."o,t: fa
it rther
IMMltilleld that every person entering the Town -hall was
presented ea the irt9p with the copy of • bulky pamphlet
=ll to be an authentic report "of e west
Demonstration at Hillsborough, October, 30,
1887."
The Maros explained that the requisition for the meet.
owas only presented to him on Thursday, and he was
bliged to call it yesterday (owing to the ball being en-
gaged), or postpone it foe a month.
The Rev. G. W. CONDE" (independent) moved, and Mr.
Alderman ROMNEY seconded, the following resolution :
" That in view of the gross injustice involved in the este-
blishmest of the church of England in Ireland, and of the
lamentable disaffection now existing in that country, the
meeting is of opinion that it is the duty of parliament
to give its immediate attention to the subject of the Irish
church."
The resolution was received with an outburst of dis-
approval, and the mayor declared that unless more decorum
was observed he must have the authors of the disturbance
ejected.
XT. JACOB BRIGHT, M.P., TOW amid loud cheers and
groans, to support the motion. One of the gentlemen who
had been conspicuous in front of the platform by their
continuous interruptions endeavoured to prevent Mr.
Bright
being heard, by making if the hon. member was a
citizen of Manchester " and another of the same band in-
quired "if the amendment should not be put now." The
mayor did not appear to think either point required his
declaim ; and Mr. Bright proceeded to say—This meeting,
like towns' meetings in general, is divided in opinion
upon the question which we are met to discuss. I will say
at the outset that I
meeting where I in the slightest degree interrupted •
speliher. (Hear.) I do remember having sometimes claimed
the right to reply to • speaker, and I believe that right will
be given by the mayor to every gentleman present. (Hear,
beer.) I am glad that a great number of persons have come
to this meeting in a very earnest spirit in defence of the
Irish established church—Omar bear)—because it seems
to me that that is a aign that that church is at last in
danger. (" No, no.") And if the Irish church should
come to be in real danger, I should regard it se a favour-
able sign of the times. (A Voice "Who supports Gari-
baldi!" To which the warms was promptly given, " The
Italians," and cheers.) ~.,A good deal has been said about
justice sad honesty. Mr. Touchstone indulged in them
expressions, and I think they have been used by another
gentleman. (Hear, hear.) I shall not trouble you much
with figures—(hear, hear, and • Voice : " Better not")—
but I shall give you two or three figures, because it is very
difficult to approach this question without them. (A
Voice: "We don't believe in them.") According to the
census of 1861 the members of the protestant church in
Ireland were in proportion to the whole population of Ire-
'sod as one to eight. (Hear, and cries of " False.") lam
quoting official figures. (Cheers.)
A gentleman asked, amid loud laughter, for the " au-
thority" for the census returns.
Mr. BRIGHT—If I bad nothing more to say than that, I
should leave the meeting, believing that I had established
the case for the resolution (" Oh, oh," and groans.) Now
for another fact. In Ireland there are 2,428 parishes ;of
1,539 of them, or nearly two-thirds of the whole number,
each parish contain fewer than 100 mule belonging to the
protestant church. (Cries of " Stuff," and, " All that can
be explained.") A gentleman says he can explain all that;
so can I. (Cheers.) There are 199 of these perishes with-
out anybody belonging to the established church. (" Oh,
oh," greens, and cries of "Authority.") I think it was the
Rev. Dr. Garrett who told us that when money wee re-
witted to the poor catholic)" of Ireland—(cries of "Romeo
catholic")--W the poor Roman catholic* of Ireland, that
money wu entrusted to the ;protestant clergyman. Now,
if that be so—(a voice, "It Isin nine case* out of
ten ")—I should like Dr. Garrett to tell me how the
people living in them 199 parishes where there
unlessar no
protestant congregations get that money, he
admits, eat
the same time, that each of these parishes bas
its clergyman devouring the living and performing no
duty. (Hear and cheers, followed by counter cries of
" Broad church," and " Time.") One of the *peaces who
preceded me spoke of this property which is now consumed
by the protestant Irish church as if it was inalienable in
the sense in which we consider private property to be in-
alienable. (Orion of "So it is," " Speak the truth," and
interruption.) I don't know whether that gentleman is
aware—but if not, he is at lead very ignorant of the ques-
tion he has undertaken to discuss—that within the life-
time of most of us now in this room the government has
dealt once with that property. (Heir, hear, and cries of
" More shame.") It has taken away from one, and it has
given to another. (Hear, hear.) The government has
done that with respect to that property which it never
does and never will do with respect to private property,
(Hear, hear, snd renewed calls of ' Time.") I am afraid
some of those gentlemen are anxious be get rid of me.
(" Hear, bear," and • voice, " Next election.") lam glad
we have got a meeting here this morning, presided over
by the Mayor. I believe, as Dr. Garrett says, it will be
en example to many other places, and that results advan-
tageous to the country, and not disadvantageous, will flow
from this meeting. (HIM, hear.) If the majority of the
people of the United Kingdom had their will, this church
would cease to be • political institution. (" No, no,"
cheers, and groans.) Nobody present—not even those who
have addressed us in defence of it—will nudatain that any-
thing bat a minority of the Irish people supports this insti-
tution. (Hear.) I doubt if anybody present would main-
tain that it got any support from Scotland. (Hear, bear.)
Scotland has resisted any interference with her religion.
On every occasion when the government of this chutney
has tried unjustly to interfere, it has happily been
met by the strongest and most successful resistance.
(Cheers, and • voice, "Itis • protestant country.") And
lam prepared to say that it will be scarcely possible
throughout the length and breadth of England to get up
meetings in the evening, when everybody can attend—
(hear, hear)—where the Irish church es • political institu-
tion would not be condemned. (Renewed uproar calls
of " Time," and " Give us something about the broad
church.") The associations of that country sad that
church—(Time)--with the dark and tragic history of Ire-
land, is in itself • reason why, before you can achieve the
pacification of that country, that church must be abo-
lished. (Renewed disturbance, and calls of " Time.")
The Maros—To will not allow Mr. Bright to speak.
He has not spoken anything like ten minutes yet. ("Oh,
oh," and groans.) Every speaker shall have ten minutes
to speak. The longer yon interrupt him, the longer he
will lo before you. (A voice :" We have timed him here,
fourteen minutes.")
Mr. Below oontinned—l will address myself for one
moment to what I believe) source of the opposition
to this resolution. (Hear, When I do so under-
felts to say that except for the catholic.' who may be
present—('' Boman catholic' ")—Roman catholic' It you
please, the whole of us in this room have one object sad
me desire. (" No, so.") The supporters of the estab-
lished church of Ireland, if I understand their position,
it because they hope it will make protestant"
import
mimeks catholic', and make it easier to govern
that essatry. The supporters of the amendment are
is the mate close under me and in the middle el the
meseeig. (Rear, beer.) I would like to ask Shamir's-
whatever their faith may be in anything,
stria much lea than religious matters,—what-
ever their faith may be, however true or however err*.
neown—l would like to ark them whether we have not
1100Vokei heneramble pride and the commonest self-respect
to jlii to disk opinions except by force. Force sod op.
powders, essept tint whisk comes by permission, never yet
made an lioneseWeireple relinquish their opinions.
(Hem, bear, and doses.
The interrupden 2 Bright was now so loudly per.
misted in, that he reswilmi his seat.
Tbe Rev. Dr. Gamer (established church) moved, and
Mr. TOUCHIITONI essentle following amendment
" That this wieselng Inse to prowasee an opinion In
tsvoor el the dmillissilen el the Irish church, because it
hen set adieus helm It to justify such • oromeerm ;
saddle hessiles useoting has no desire to- excite the
angryposelims el underway throughout the kingdom."
• anntheir el speakers endeavoured to address the meet-
ing, Ind wound; with noise and wahines. At length
the susedment was pat and canted by a majority el
about 6to 3, amiddv=yett=tuad the opponents of
the meetiag. This the prossedlnp.

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