The Sun.
London, England, 1869-08-26 00:00:00

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE IRISH CHURCH.

Whilst the slow and painful process of reorganising
the Irish Church goes on, it is gratifying to End
that the laity are not indifferent to the importance
of the crisis, nor unwilling to bear the share of the
burden which falls to them. Au address signed by
many heads of families in ilie district of Thurles has
just been forwarded to the Bishop of 0:;shel, re-
questing him to convene a meeting- of the clergy and
laity to consult as to the most Ilftng representation
of the two bodies in any gencral asseml4 of the
Church that mny be held.

MUNDELLA AND MS CONSTITUENTS.

Great things were confidently predicted of Mr.
Mundella. His defeat of Roebuck at the Shef-
field election gave no small amount of notoriety to
his name, and he was selected by Mr. Gladstone to
second the motion—the first of the session—for an
address to the Queen. He en!ered the Holm
an entirely new and untried man. On Tuesday
he gave to his consf itnents a history of
the session and his doings in connection therewitii.
Few men have obta:ned so good a place in so short a
time, awl Mr. Mundell i's supporters at Sheffield are
enthusiastic in praising him. Ilis speech on
Tuesday contaided the inevitable history of the
Irish Church Bill, references to the Endowed Schools
bill, the Bankruptcy Bill, the Femafe Municipal
Franchise Bill, the Sunday Schools Rating Bill, the
Trades Unions Bill, and the University Tests Bill,
together with a declaration of his opinions on the
reform of the House of LorJs, capital punishment,
the Permissive Bill, and the Ballot. The hon.
mentleman came most prominently before, the public
is one of the backers of the Trades Unions
Bill. He remarked that what he and Mr.
Hughes had done had caused the Government to
introduce a bill—which had now become an Act—
giving protection to the funds of trades unions. He
expressed pleasure at the amendment of the law of
bankruptcy, at the fact that females had the muni-
cipal franchise, and that Sunday-schools and ragged-
schools were no longer rateable. The rejection of the
University Tests Bill by the Lords impressed him
with the fact that the Upper House must soon be
reformed. The alteration might be delayed, but it
had yet to come, and the more speedily it was
accomplished the better. The Ballot, he was glad to
say, had made such rapid progress that he felt confi-
dent the next general election would be taken by it.
Paid canvassing and public-house committee-rooms
would, he also hoped, be put an end to. Tic present
Government, Mr. Mundella. declared, was a most
economical one. Mr. Childers was " one of the best
Ministers of Marine England had ever had."

ELECTION COMMISSIONS.

Election Commissions are the order of the day.
Three of them are sitting simultaneously. The
peccant boroughs of Norwich, Bridgwater, and
Beverley are having their sins inquired into. At
Norwich there is rather a sad conflict of evidence.
Several men have sworn that 7s. Gd. per man was
paid on the part of the .Conservativcs to some score of
voters at the Trumpet public-house. A grocer,named
Fisher, a Conservative committeeman and eAnvasser,
stated to have taken part in the bribery, positively
denied the allegation against him. Tile Oilier--
Commissioner tried to e-samine him, bait g ,ve it up,
saying he-would not comics rend to nal; biro any more
questiLns. Tte Commissioncn at Er:dgwater h7ve
been prat in much the same teroper ;)y-
-the funi'ing and appall nt lying of t .eir
witnascs. Chef-Commissioner has refused an
indemnity to the town citric of the borough, who had
pet:tioned Parliament, alleging illeg.ll practices, and
who now said he had no knowledge of any such. A
man who received .1.:10 to vote for Kinglake and
Vandeayll, afterwards returned it, and reeeivisl
another £lO. For what purpose be did this hp gave
no idea, saying itivas done under the inspiration of the
moment. On his stating this, Mr. Anste7 ex-
claimed, " 1 don't believe you." At Beverley 4-1.-
inquiry is only just commenced.