The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-30 00:00:00

THE IRISH CHURCH.

"A. Catholic Land Agent Resident in Ireland "
writes to the Times on the question of providing
glebes and manses for the Irish parish priests.
He believes that the Catholic laity r ould unani-
mously assent to the proposal, and that the
majority of the Catholic clergy of all orders
would sanction it, provided it were made as a con-
cession to the principle of justice and religious
equality. He suggests that each Catholic bishop
should be constituted a corporation sole for his own
diocese, and that all the parochial glebes and manses
should be vested in him and his successors.
Mr. Tighe Hamilton has published another letter,
renewing his arguments •in favour of the plan of
vesting the religious endowments in the hands of
lay trustees. By the means he thinks all inter-
ference with the organisation and discipline of the
churches would be avoided, and religious equality
secured. The Protestants might not like it, but they
must accept some form of concurrent endowment if
they would save their Church. The only inequality
which would remain would be the Royal supremacy
over the English Church, which cannot be anni-
hilated by the bill so long as the Sovereign is willing
to remain the recognised head of the Church.

DE:ELTNER. TO LORD GEORGE HAMILTON, M.P.

On Monday afternoon Lord George Hamilton,
M.P., was entertained at a grand diceriaer at Hamp-
stead, in acknowledgment of his services in Parlia-
ment. The Duke of Abercorn addressed a few
words to the assembly before proceeding to
Buckingham Palace to meet the Viceroy of Egypt.
Lord U. Hamilton expressed his acknowledgments
for thu honour he had received, and declared that ho
was deeply indebted to the people of Hampstead., who
first induced him to come forward as a candidate for
Middlesex. He believed that such meetings as the one
before them benefited the Conservative cause. He
concluded by denouncing Mr. Gladstone's want of
candour in reference to the Irish Church Bill, and
exhorting his friends to be prepared for future con-
tests. The Houses of Lords and Commons were
proposed, to • which toast Mr. W. Smith, M.P., re-
turned thanks, and the proceedings termimted.

MR. TERRAND ON MR. GLADSTONE.

Mr. W. B. Ferrand, the whilom M.P. for Devon-
port, recently stated very positively that at a private
meeting held prior to the general election, at Mr.
Gladstone's house, it was . decided th:Lt the bond of
union between the Liberal party—then split into fac-
tions—should be the severance of Church and State,
the destruction of the Protestant religion in Ireland,
and the restoration of the . Roman Catholic faith.
Mr. Gladstone's attention having been called to
this statement, he declared it to be " utterly
without foundation." This denial has called
forth a letter from Mr. Ferrand. Mr. Ferrand
charges the Premier with prevarication. While
admitting that the proceedings at the said meeting
were not made public, he lays down that subsequent
proceedings have shewn substantially what was
done at it. The Liberal party was then divided; the
meeting was held to consider how to re-unite it ; and
the result was the Suspensory Bill. Did not that bill
(asks Mr. Ferrand) seek to divide Church and
State ? And (he goes on to ask) was not Mr. Glad-
stone constantly in communication with Sir John
Gray just after it was decided to attempt the dis-
establishment of the Irish Church ? Does not Sir
John Gray seek to overthrow Protestantism and to
restore Roman Catholicism ? If so, then certainly Mr.
Gladstone, having been in consultation with him,
must seek to do the same. And Mr. Gladstone being
the leader of the Liberals, the whole party is just
now seeking the downfall, total and.entire, of Pro-
testantism and the aggrandizement of Popery. It
is as plain as a problem in Euclid--according to Mr.
Ferrand.