The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-08 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF TUE PUBLIC JOURNALS,

The Times says that the triumph of the Government
has, indeed, been complete. " Call no man happy before
his death" was, however, the warning of the wise of old,
and in this hour of their prosperity it may be fitly
declared that the maintenance for the future of such
an unchequered course of success as has attended
the progress of the Irish Church Bill is neither to be
expected nor desired. It may, however, be urged with
much truth that the complete accord which has been
manifested between the Government and the majority of
the House of Commons is of the hightest importance in
its bearing upon the reception of the bill by the House of
Lords. There is only one way in which a bill thus
matured can be received by the House of Lords. If we
are bound to say thus much, we do so with no desire to
wound their dignity or to disparage their power. The an st
resolute members of the House repeatedly declared last
year, when opposing the Suspensory Bill, that the delibe-
rate will of the people, deliberately recorded in the House
of Commons, must prevail. The condition is now fulfilled,
and we have the most assured confidence that the Peers
will maintain their self.respect by bowing to an autho-
rity the rightful supremacy of which they have already
confessed.

The Daily• Hews finds cause for satisfaction in the pas-
sage
of the Irish Church Bill through its most trying
stage. Three weeks is a very short time in which to have
passed through committee a bill of sixty-three clauses,
involving at once contested principles of the greatest
magnitude, and details of the most minute and complex
character. It is scarcely saying too much to affirm that
in the hands of any other person than Mr. Gladstone
this achievement would have been impossible. The
progress of the Irish Church Bill has been of a very diffe-
rent character from that of the Reform Bills of 1867 and
1868. In the passage of those measures principles were
dropped at every stage. In its final form the Reform
legislation of 1867-8 was something of which its authors,
at starting, had never dreamt. Its identity was gone.
The Irish Church Bill is not merely in fundamental prin•
ciples, but in every important detail, what it was when
Mr. Gladstone first laid it on the table of the House.
The Standard declares that the end is not yet, but it is
close at hand. There will be a battle on the report, and
another on the third reading, and thenceforward the fate
of the measure will rest with the Upper House. In the
Commons the Conservative party have been borne
down by sheer weight of numbers; but they have fought
their cause with undeniable gallantry, and have made it
respected, if not successful. In the Lords they will renew
the struggle under more favourable conditions.
The Teegraph says that with almost unexpected
promptitude the Irish Church Bill has actually passed
through committee. In pugilistic phrase, the " sponge
was thrown up" on Thursday, after the Maynooth clause.
of the bill had been carried by overwhelming majorities :
and not a single division interrupted the course o'
the debate. For the rapidity with which the
measure has been advanced in the later stages.
special thanks are due to the Scottish membere,
who, although tempted by fervent appeals to the religion'
prejudices of their countrymen, refused to vote against
the compensation apportioned to Maynooth. With the
Maynooth clauses ended the real debate on the bill ; and,
although the report of the committee will involve another
discussion, the measure is now out of all danger so far al
the House of Commons is concerned. Virtually the bill
has already passed through the Lower House, and in
two or three weeks it will challenge the judgment of the
Peers.