The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-15 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 15, 1869.

the interests of the Opposition. Mere waste of
time ought on no account to be tolerated. The Irish
Church Bill, already read a first and second time in
the House- of Commons, has to be examined in detail
there, clause by clause, in Committee, to be read a
third time afterwards, and then, on going up to the
Lords, it has to pass through all these various stages,
one after another, in that hereditary branch of the
Legislature. Obstruction, for mere obstruction's
sake, is not to be heard of. The Government is suf.
ficiently strong in its majority to secure the nation
we should conceive, from any such intolerable vexa.
tion.

The Irish Church is doomed. There is
no possibility of its being saved. And,
knowing that, the most energetic supporters of
that Church, as it is constituted at the present
moment, ought to recognise that the obvious course
before them is to make the best of things, in so far as
they may mitigate the shock to the whole system of
the Irish Church as it has been hitherto, as it is still
to this hour, to make the best of it in the way of
breaking its fall, of lowering it gently as it were both
in regard to its disestablishrrent, and in regard
to disendownment. No gag does any one want to
have put, of course, upon the conscientious express-
sion of no matter how obsolete opinions. Orange-
men of the most prolamine NI views, have as perfect a
right as any one else to give to those views of
their's free utterance. And, in that sense, there
is no one who would for an instant be desirous of
closing the discussion of these matters prematurely at
any stage of the bill now before Parliament. Whether
it be in the Lords or in the Commons, whether
it be at the first, second, or third reading, or in
committee. It is especially one of those vitally
important measures that ought to be argued
right out, if, indeed, it has not been so argued already.
But, while it should in reason, and in fair-play, and
in common honesty, be regarded thus as a matter
essentially requiring, by reason of its very
character, the most full, fair, and deliberate
rediscussion and reconsideration--it should
also, at the same time, be felt that on no
account ought Legislature in regard to it to be un-
necessarily delayed by means, or through the medium,
of a series of simply vexatious obstructions. To the
course pursued by the House in Committee, the
country will look, therefore, with eager solicitude.
From it we shall be enabled to see at once
whether the powerful majority on the side of the
Government will so far exercise their preponderating
influence that the heart of the session will not be
allowed to be eaten away by a succession of speci-
ously lengthened discussions, now upon this, now
upon that, really and truly impossible amendment.

" TIIE Lord hath delivered them into my hand "
were the words of CROMWELL which Mr. BRIGHT
put into the mouth of Mr. DisRAELt when the
Liberals decided to let the Conservative Reform Bill
go into committee. " The Lord hath delivered them

into my hand" may Mr. BRIGHT say for himself
now that Mr. DISRAELI has given notice of the
amendments which he means to move when
the Irish Church Bill goes into committee.
While Archbishop TRENCH and the Irish Protestants
generally are shouting "No surrender," " No com-
promise," and are giving it to be understood that
rather than accept disestablishment they would con-
sent to be beggared of all their endowments, Mr.
DISRAELI quietly proposes a series of resolutions
which involve disestablishment and concede the
principle of disendowment, but only in order
to re-endow the Church with nearly all the
revenues which, theoretically, she is to lose.
We are not in a position to say if there is any secret
understanding between the Irish bishops and the
Oorosition chief. Yet we can almost fancy we see
the first winking at the second in token of a private
understanding, by which the spiritual defenders of
the Church are to adopt the high, heroic tone of
victims and martyrs to the sacred union of Church
and State, without which all gold is but dross, al]
endowments but encumbrances, while the politica]
defender is to keep a sharp look out after the said
endowments, and to secure as much as possible of
the said dross. It is in accordance with this under-
standing that Mr. DISRAELI means to ask Parliament
to let the Church have the episcopal residences and
the parsonage houses free, to make her a present of
four times the aggregate of the net annual incomes
of all incumbents as a sustentation fund for main-
taining the worship of the Free Church, to
give her £200,000 for defraying the ex-
penses of the committee of management of the
church ; also fourteen times the average cost
of repairing, heating, and lighting churches, and
fourteen times the average aggregate of salaries of
parish clerks and sextons, as a second fund for main-
taining worship. It is in accordance with the same
supposed understanding that Mr. DISRAELI means
to persuade Parliament, if he can, that all private
endowments made to the Church at any time, even
prior to the Conquest, and all the grants of confis-
cated lands made by ELIZABETH and the STUARTS,
shall be retained by the Church. Mr. DISRAELI
is not particular about establishing the titles
to those grants. It is enough for him that the
evidence, whether historical or legal, or of any other
kind, satisfies three unpaid commissioners whom he
proposes to appoint, and two of whom, being strong
Conservatives and Protestants, will not be likely to
err on the side of stringency ; will, for instance, be
quite willing to accept the statement that St.
PATRICK was an Orangeman. The Pall Mall Gazette
well remarks that " all public endowments since the
Reformation, and all private endowments, whether
before or since, would not make a bad provision for
the shorn lambs of Irish Protestantism." Yet these are
by no means all the provision which Mr. DISRAELI,
in the abundance of his generosity, would bestow
upon the Church. Mr. GLADSTONE'S bill proposes
that an ecclesiastical person may, after January 1,
1871, apply to the commissioners to commute his
life interest, and the commissioners are thereupon to
pay the estimated value of his life interest at the
time of commutation to the representative body of
the Church charged with the payment of the
annuity so long as it is required. By Mr.
DISRAELI'S amendment, the representative body
may at any time during 1871 apply to the
commissioners to commute the life interests of all
ecclesiastical persons, and the commissioners shall
thereupon pay to the representative body, not the
then present value of such life interests, but a capital
sum equal to fourteen times the aggregate amount
of the yearly income to which such persons are enti-
tled, charged with the payment of the annuities so
long as they are required. In fact, Mr. DISRAELI is
so generous that he leaves actually nothing wherewith
to compensate the college of Maynooth and the
recipients of the Regium Donum. They must look
elsewhere. If they are to be paid at all, it must be
by the English taxpayer, not by the Irish Churchman.
This excellent pecuniary bargain which the Con-
servative leader hopes to make for his clients is not
the only benefit that he seeks to confer upon them.
He propOses to continue the present archbishops
and bishops in their dignities during their lives, and
to permit the Crown to nominate prelates on and
after January 1, 1872. In other words, having
secured for the Church the whole, or the greater
portion, of the funds she now enjoys, he would continue
the connection between the Church and the State by
allowing the State to appoint the chief officers of the
Church. In other words, he would first of all accept
the two principles of disestablishment and disendoav-
ment, and then seek to stultify them by retaining
the endowments in another shape, and by maintain-
ing establishment in a disguised form. The conces-
sion to inevitable circumstances was wise ; the
attempt to withdraw it is wise only after that fashion
described as too clever by half. It is satisfactory to
know that we are now acquainted with the tactics
which the Opposition leader means to adopt. The
House of Commons will certainly defeat them,:

CORRESEONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.'

PARIS. WEDNESDAY, April 14.
Tho " Ilaussmann Battle," as re-enacted in the Senate,
has greatly resembled another struggle in which the French
took no very glorious part—the Battle of Spurs. Baron
Haussmann's senatorial antagonists, if he had any, have
taken to flight. It had been fondly hoped that the severe
attack in the Corps I,4gislatif upon the system of getting
into debt, lawfully and unlawfully, for the purpose of
rebuilding Paris, would be repeated, though in a milder
key, in the Senate. Some of the senators, it was
affirmed, looked very gravely at the debt of
eighty millions sterling, all contracted for the
sake of beautifying Paris. Many were still more indignant
at the illegal way in which the money has been raised—at
Baron Itaussmann's expedient of spending many millions
first, and getting legislative sanction afterwards. Great
hopes were entertained of the "youthful party," as it
is jocularly called. They would surely do something.
M. de Maupas, at least, would attempt another charge.
But yesterday, when the famous City of Paris Loan
came on for ratification, it was ratified without demur.
The malcontents were all silent ; the law was adopted by
a majority of 110 to—one !

Baron Haussmann's speech was of a piece with the entire
proceeding. It was the mildest of harangues, and had
clearly been devised with great care and for the express
purpose of " getting out of it." If any errors had been
committed, said the Minister, they were the effect rather of
miscalculation than of intention. The city of Paris had,
in fact, been suddenly pulled up in the course of the
works. In the construction of new streets and boulevards
unforeseen obstacles had presented themselves. Unfore-
seen obstacles entail unforeseen expense. It was
necessary either to go on spending or stop the
reconstruction, which latter alternative Baron Hauss-
mann thought "would have produced a humiliating
spectacle in the face of all Europe." If this were the
most humiliating spectacle which France has of late pre-
sented, Europe would have very little cause for criticism
—but never mind. The money, continued the Minister,
had therefore been spent without authorisation. Of the
fierce debate in the Corps Legislatif Baron Haussmann
said little ; of the manner in which he had been sold
by M. Rouher—nothing. It will be remembered
that the Minister of State acknowledged the cul-
pability of the Government in spending money
without authority, but he maintained that the Emperor
could not look after City of Paris affairs. Baron Hauss-
mann was answerable for it all. In answer to this, Baron
Haussmann yesterday said that he was "eternally grateful
to the Minister of State for the energy and warmth with
which he replied to certain offensive observations in the
Corps L&lgislatif !" There ends this affair.
As I have previously remarked, the Left display the
most laudable activity in face of the coming election,
but their unanimity is not all that could be wished. The
Liberte and the Siècle are quarrelling.. M. Emile
de Girardin supports M. Emile 011ivier as one
of the candidates for the City of Paris. The Siècle will
have none of the author of "Le 19 Janvier," and accord.
ingly another Opposition candidate, a Republican of
advanced views, is to be put up. M. de Girardin laments
this policy. He urges that the Se icle maylegitimately differ
from M. Emile 011ivier, but that both stand on the
common ground of hostility to despotism. If liberty is to
be won, there must be unity. The last election in Paris
was carried by unity ; this is in danger of being lost by
discord. M. de Girardin further states that M. Havin,
the late proprietor of the Siecle, promised his support to
M. 011ivier, but that now the Siècle is actuated by a
different policy.

A desperate attempt to escape, with a tragic ending, was
made the other day at Besancon. A prisoner, named
Zacher, awaiting his trial, succeeded in filing the bars of
his cell, and scaled the walls of the arsenal where he was
confined. The sentinel perceived him as he was dropping
into the street outside, and fired, but without hitting the
man, who ran off to the ramparts, pursued by the guard
and some police agents. One of these latter overtook
him just as he reached the terrace, but the prisoner, who
was of herculean strength, suddenly turned round, and
seizing his pursuer, named Roberts, hurled him over the
parapet on the rocks below, a depth of about eighty feet.
A second agent shared the same fate. Then the desperate
man, seeing the military rapidly surrounding him, threw
himself down the precipice without hesitation. lie was
found dashed to pieces, so was Roberts, but the other
agent was alive with both legs broken,
Algiers has been visited with a hail storm of re-
markable severity. The country was in a few moments
covered with a layer of hailstones, in some places from
four to six inches deep, several being as large as a nut.
The fruit trees were much injured, but not the wheat and
barley fields. All accounts agree that the long season of
misei-y in. Algeria will probably cease. A most favourable
!iarvest is confidently anticipated.

THE COMIC PAPERS.

From the Owl.

'EAL AND WoE.--By a curious inversion of the usual
reed the cabman's aspirations are fixed not on above, but
on B-Lowe.

GRANT-ED,

The Alabama Claims. The Disintegration of lesser
The Annexation of Cuba. Britain.
Our Dominion of Canada. And the Presidentship of
The Cession of Gibraltar. John Bright.
The Absorption of Belgium. —sew York Herald.

(From Punch.)
HIS FAVOURITE DlSH.—Lamb is now in perfection.
There is no one so likely to enjoys Mint sauce as—Mr.
Freemantle.

ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLTGENCE.—We rejoice to hear
Mat the musical services of St. Paul's have been much
improved by Canon Gregory. Congregations will doubt-
lees be attracted to the cathedral by its Gregorian music.
AN AGREEABLE SURPRISE.—Mr. Lowe will go down
to posterity as the author of a Surprise Budget. Ho
may be said to have surprised everybody by Lowe-ring
taxation.

THEIR GUARDIAN ANGEL—Miss Burdett Coutts has
been nominated one of the guardians for Bethnal Green.
office Of c: andl:
e titleslle in
will ill be
notbe'elected
new
by acclamation. But the
to her, for she has long
been the Guardian of the Poor.

HATTENTLON !-111embers who find it a sell to discover
some other M.P.'s hat on a favourite scat, and who wish
to know how to act under the circumstances, are recom-
mended to go into the Library and consult "Hatsell's
Precedents of Proceedings in the House of Commons."
Dr they might take the opinion of the law officers of the
Crown.

(From Pun.)
Poisson D'Aviiir,.—To land a pickled salmon one
would naturally use a " rod in pickle," but how, ye pisca-
tors, may a smoke-jack be brought to bank ?
FURTHER PATTI-CULARS. - Adelina Patti is making such
3. stir in the Russian capital that it is not improbable that
't will be re-christened St. Pattisblirgh.
HARE-BRAINED. congratulate Lord Elcho on his
selection of the month of March for the introduction of his
Bill about Scotch bares." He should be created Earl
)f March (hares) in the Scotch peerage.
GREAT G UNS. —We see a good deal of discussion going
)n about the " Fraser guns." Well, guns may be good
?hrasers, but we should like to know how they will speak
'o an enemy, when required to do so.

THE CASE OF THE TORNADO.

There issued from the Foreign-office on Wednesday copies
of a correspondence respecting the seizure of the
Tornado off Cadiz, by the Spanish frigate Gerona,
the reason given for the seizure being that she
was a Chilien privateer. The correspondence consists
of sixty-five letters, most of which relate to the claims of the
Tornado's crew to receive compensation from the Spanish
Government for the loss they sustained by reason of the
seizure of their ship. These letters range in date over
the period between the 7th of March, 1868, to the 26th
February, 1869. Lord Clardendon wrote on the 12th
of February the sixty-fourth letter of the series, in
which he instructs Sir John Crampton, British Minister at
Madrid, to "speak seriously to Senor Lorcnzana, in the
name of her Majesty's Government, on this long protracted
case." To this Sir John replies, under date Feb. 26th,
that he has executed his chief's behest, and that Senor
Lorenzana promises that so soon as the Minister of Marine
has pronounced his decision upon thequestion of !he appoint-
ment cf a special tr:bunal to try whether the Tornado was,
or was not, "a good prize;" that decision shall be communi-
cated to her Majesty's Government. So the matter stands
at present. The ship was se:zed en the 22d of August,
13G.

THE GREAT CENTRAL GAS COMPANY

FRAUDS.

Some misapprehension seems to exist with rererence
to Higgs and the amount of his frauds and de-
ficiencies, which have been stated at £50,000 and even
£BO,OOO. It is now feared that £150,000 will hardly
cover the full extent of his depredations upon the
company and the public. Not only have large sums
received for coke never found their way to the company's
bankers, but forged debentures to a considerable amount, it
is said, are afloat, upon which Higgs regularly paid the
dividends as they fell due in order to keep their issue from
the company's knowledge. These debenture bonds, it
is affirmed, although issued fraudulently, bear the bond
fide signatures of the directors and the common seal of the
company. On the eve of his departure, Higgs offered to
pay a wine merchant in Coleman-street an account of
£3OO, and for this purpose drew a cheque for £6OO, and it
being past banking hours, he got the wine merchant tc
cash it and give him the balance. His estate will realise,
it is said, about £30,000. This the creditors have sought
to appropriate for the benefit of all concerned ; and the
gas company, it is said, are willing to abandon criminal
proceedings and go in with the other creditors and share in
this sum. It is believed that Higgs has sought refuge in
Spain.

At the Judges' Chambers, on Wednesday, before Mr.
Justice Keating, a case relating to Benjamin Higgs, the
absconding clerk of the Central Gas Company was heard.
The Guarantee Society has seized his property at
Teddington, where he kept a well-appointed esta-
blishment ; and the plaintiff in this action, Mr.
Krill' issued an execution and put in an officer.
There were several other claimants to the property, but
the chief point at issue was the dispute between the
Guarantee Society and the execution creditor. The case
was ordered to stand over till Monday, when the several
claims would be heard.