The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-23 00:00:00

THE REVIVAL OF FENIANISM.

The Dublin correspondent of the Times attaches
very little importance to the alleged revival of
Fenianism in Ireland. It is easy enough to make
a great show with very small materials. Paper and
ink cost little, and as there is a keen competition
among the " national " papers, there is sure to be
plenty of seditious stuff forthcoming to meet the
demand of the editors. The " national tribute "in
behalf of the liberated Fenians has been a ridiculous
fiasco. There is one subscription of £lOO, another of
£25 (from the patriotic Mayor of Cork), and then a
long list of subscriptions, some of them as
low as 2d., and amounting altogether to
£146. So that the total amount is under
£3OO. There seems to be a quarrel among
the patriots, and both parties are in want of funds.
The Times thinks that the chief danger to the com-
munity lies not so much, if at all, in a renewal of
the Fenian excitement and a fresh impetus to the
conspiracy as in the development of the Riband
system and the increase of agrarian crime. Outrages
are of frequent occurrence.

An American writes to the Times on the volun-
tary support of religion in the United States. He
complains of the manner in which Dr. Ball disposed
of the subject in the House of Commons the other
night. He declares that his countrymen are a reli-
gious people, and the voluntary system has been
successful among them. The various denomina-
tions meet the necessity of erecting churches
to supply the wants of the increasing popu-
lation with promptitude and liberality. With
respect to the salaries of English and American
clergy, he is convinced that the voluntary system will
suffer nothing in comparison. All the great denomi-
nations of America are in prosperity, and out of these
have sprung the numerous colleges which maintain
courses of instruction that would do no discredit to
Oxford or Cambridge. The American does not
assume to say what is best for England or Ireland,
but if our questions are to be settled by suggestions
which are furnished by American experience, he
desires that such experience should be taken as it is.
SECRET SOCIETIES, THE IRISH CHURCH.
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Armagh likes Lord Oranmore and Browne writes to the Daily
Fenianism as little as the Beresfords like it. The Telegraph giving his objections to the Irish Church
Primate of Ireland could not denounce Fenianism Bill. "I object to its provisions," he says, " because
more vigorously than his episcopal brother (or the powers given to commissioners are unprece-
competitor ?) has done. He declares of Ribbonism dented and unconstitutional, because they are untrue
that it was " conceived in darkness, nourished by to the preamble, dishonest as touching private
intemperance, supported by violence, treachery, and endowments, and that, while they ignore the
bloodshed, that the hideous monster spreads desolation claims of the Protestant laity, they deal more
wherever it penetrates. It has been the most power- favourably with the interests of those clergy who
ful instrument in the hands of the exterminator had no claims on Church funds than with the just
—the most
_powerful aid of the cruel petty tyrant claims of the clergy of the - Church itself." His
—it demoralises society, and extinguishes the ' lordship chiefly addresses himself to what we
generous instincts of our nature." He adds that may call the denominational objection. He points
ftrtc_. se.loo_o, ..nat--u-
-" all secret societies are branded with the anathema out that reformat-nay i industrial i i 4 ss
nf the Clowoh, and the crimes of agrarian outrage tions for training nurses, deaf and dumb asylums,
and murder nre condemned by the natural and and refuges for those of weak intellect are carried
Divine laws. Tho Church has always condemned on by the energy of the different sects ; the larger
these crimes. Murder cries to heaven for vengeance, number of the population being Roman Catholics, a
and agrarian outrages attack the fundamental laws larger number are tended by friars and nuns. The
of society. Our rights and our liberties are not to end of the lives of these persons is- to convert to
be promoted by violence and bloodshed. Evil is not Romanism. In giving the money to these people,
to be done that good may follow. But what good Mr. Gladstone will be giving it towards the propaga-
could come from the violation of God's law ? Or tion of Popery. The preamble of the bill declares
what services could the members of secret societies that the endowment shall not be used for the teach-
render to their country ?" He concludes by caution- ing of religion. The measure itself disregards the
ing the young men of Ireland how they are deluded preamble. Lord Oranmore goes on to say that the
by emissaries who, pretending to be friends, are in measure will please the Catholics, but is a palpable
reality-the worst enemies of the country. insult to Protestants. He finishes his epistle by
THE LAST DRUNKEN DRAMA, abusing the Roman Catholic clergy and extolling
the virtues of the Protestants. While the latter are
Legman, a Sheffield rinder, said to be a very
intelligent man, got drunk on Thursday night, and all that can be wished, the Roman Catholic priests,
of tea by the hands of their
lay in bed on Friday to sleep off his debauch. His as a body, and the lower orders of l I ish led by them,
* wife sent him up a cup are now, as ever, religiously and
'
politically
youngest child, a boy four years old. A few to the English and Protestant connection. T hostile
hey look
minutes later the drunkard came down stairs, and
for the establishment of a national and Socialist saying "Go and look at Harry—he is dead," went Republic, in which the Roman Catholic clergy expect out of the house. The wife rushed up stairs and to have a dominant influence. The more that is
found the child, a few minutes before well and happy yielded to violence, the more will be demanded,
weltering in his blood, and quite dead. His father' backed by still greater violence, which soon
_will pro-
had all but severed his head from the body,
duce feelings of bitter hostility between c
class, and religion and religion, ud Great
y
'' W ass and
_ This tale moves even the not very susceptible Daily
Britain having again to reconquer endinglreland.
Telegraph to ask, When will human creatures cease
to put an enemy into their mouths to steal away THE GOVERNMENT AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.
their brains ? " The answer is Never, so long as the 1 The Chancellor of the Exchequer was waited upon
publican is allowed to make men drunk ; never, so on Saturday by members of the Meteorological Society,
long as the freedom of this traffic is considered of who asked for a participation in the grant of £lO,OOO
more importance than the lives of the 50,000 persons made annually by Parliament to the Royal Society.
who are every year slain in this country, directly or Mr. Lowe, in return, gave the deputation what he
indirectly, by drink. After all, the chief victim in himself called a lecture. Going out of the way usual
this case is the best off. For him one innocent life on such occasions, he gave at some length his opinions
has been exchanged for .another. For the murderer- on granting State money to voluntary s ,sieties. Ile
father there is the gallows ; for the doubly-bereaved was entirely and altogether opposed to the Govern-
mother and wife life-long anguish and shame. ment doing anything of the kind. They
MR. FROUDE ON MODERN EDUCATION. I were economising ; that was one insuperable
'
Mr. Froude's installation speech at St. Andrew's difficulty in the way. But even if there
University was an eloquent attack on the system of were plenty of money to
tspare he should be
education now pursued in the schools and the univer- opposed to giving anythina. o the Meteorological
cities. Deploring that poverty and education no longer o.ieety. Ile would do nothing on the part of the
Ministry which the people could do for themselves.
went hand in hand, that the uuiversities were rather "As long as people are left to their own exertions,
institutions for trainints in luxury than places where they do most admirably well, and they make their the young were taughteto bear poverty, he went on
to shew that the whole university system was money go far. People found schools, for
instance with the greatest enthusiasm and
rotten at the core. Children are taught
the greatest wish to promote the interests of
when young mechanically, are given mere facts.
education mid of religious teaching; they make
instead of ideas. When they become older
they are expected to learn everything. But general great sacrifices, and do a great deal of most praise-
worthy work- but from the moment they begin to linger
information is equivalent to nothing whatever,
Learn a special fact, and learn that. well. "You Government' money, it seems as if it produces a
cannot learn everything," said he; "the objects of revolution in their minds, and the whole object of
knowledge have multiplied beyond the powers of the the schools seems to be perverted from the realintention of the people who founded them, and
strongest mind to keep pace with them all. You directed to the getting the greatest poEsible amount
must choose among them, and the only reasonable
of Government money.' Ile therefOre advised
guide to choice in such Matters is utility." And so the society to have nothing to do 'a ith
lawyers were told to leave Greek to the dogs and to --,fley. but if the public did not support them, to
grasp Latin, Norman Frefia and bco-teli law;
withdraw operations until their need was fully felt.
doctors were told to confine themselves to French,
German, and the subjects of their own profession, &c. THE REPRESENTATIVE REFoRM ASSOCIATION.
Mr. Froude is undoubtedly a great authority on such At present this association, which has fsr is object
matters; but is there not a danger lest such a course the adoption of Mr. Hare's scheme of representation,
of study would lead to contracted minds ? A doctor is making little progress. It has received several
who is a doctor et preeterea nihil is not the highest influential accessions to its ranks ; and Mr. Morrison
idea of a man. Mr. Froude's special subject, history, is endeavouring to get one of its members, Professor
embraces and requires a smattering of all the sciences Fawcett, added to the select committee of the House
and a knowledge of many languages. However, it of Commons charged with examining into the mode
is not so with all professions. of conducting elections. No doubt, under any
THE SCOTCH EDUCATION RILL. circumstances, Mr. Hare will have an opportunity of
As a whole, the Commission of the General explaining his system to the committee. It is no
Assembly of the Scotch Free Church seem to be mere theory, but is actually in operation in Norway.
well satisfied with the Scotch Education Bill. There The association considers that the present device
f
are several objections raised to it however. It has for the representation of minorities is a misnomer,
been unanimously resolved, for instance, " 1. That
the proposals of the bill with reference to the
parochial schools are far from satisfactory. 2.
That while the institution of a Scotch board is good
in preference to a management in London, that,
with the view of commanding the confidence of the
country, the constitution ought to be considerably
modified, and that the meetings of the board should
be public. 3. That the provision which requires the
consent of the Central Board to the branches of
education, resolved upon by the local parties, is
objectionable, unlesa it be carefully guarded, espe-
cially as regards the teaching of religion, according
to the use and wont of Scotland. 4. That it
is essential to the right working of the bill, with
reference to adopted schools, that the central
authority of such a body as the Free Church be
effectively recognised.
Si. That it is also essential to
the right working of the bill that the proposed power
of the board to require managers of adopted schools
to repair and enlarge their schools at their own
expense should not be vested in the board. 6.
That the provisions in regard to testing the qualifi-
cations of teachers, and other matters affecting their
interests are not satisfactory." We have yet to learn
the opinions of the General Assembly of the Esta-
blished Church.

AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

-+--

(From the Anglo-American Times.)

NEW YORK, March G.
1 George Wilkes, of the Spirit of the Times, arrived
by the steamer Samaria, much improved in health,
and lost no time in hurrying to Washington to
keep Grant straight in his Cabinet and on the
Alabama question ; for the editor of that sporting
journal is far from confining himself to sportiugmat-
ters. Col. M'Clure has published. a card in explana-
tion of his interview with Gen. Grant, about which
he says the papers have given an erroneous impres-
sion. He merely went there to present a letter
from the Hon. John M. Read, which evidently im-
pressed the General, and led to a conversation on
the Cabinet. He urged no one, but earnestly
begged, that representative Republican politicians
should be selected. Like Uriah Heap, he now turns
out to be a " 'umble individual," who would not pre-
sume to insist on any particular man as the confiden-
tial adviser of the President. It was reported here,
early in the week, that Mr. John A. Cisco would
be selected for the Treasury Department, and he
left those who questioned him under the impres-
sion that he bad been communicated with on the
subject. Among those who have started for Wash-
ington, whose name is "legion," are a number of
pickpockets, who will, I dare say, be more success-
ful as pocket-seekers than the crowd who have gone
as office-seekers. Central Park is to have another
statue ; a marble monument of Alexander Von
Humboldt will be erected on the hundredth anni-
versary of his birth, which will be the 14th of next
September. Baron Von Gerolt is one of the
Committee. We have had some bitter weather, so
cold as to dispel the expectation of reaching Albany
by boat as yet, and the ice is now reported to be
very thick above West Point. Here, as elsewhere,
the gas is complained of. When I was in London
I was told that nowhere else was it so yellow, dim,
and impure, and looking at a lighted lamp through
a fog at night, I was compelled to admit the truth,
while on one, bright and frosty, I was equally sure
that Cockneys did their gas companies injustice.
New Yorkers have made such a fuss about their
illuminators that the State Legislature has sent a
committee, who sit at the St. Nicholas Hotel, to
inquire into the subject, and the gas is being
analysed, and the pieces are to be held by the savans
under the noses of the directors of the New York,
Manhattan, and Harlem Companies. These people,
hoWever, hold their noses so high that nothing is
expected to come of it. By furnishing bad gas at
exorbitant prices they have accumulated great
wealth, and we all know what the weahhy can do
here. They have only to rob the public en masse
and wholesale, and dole out to the public's protec-
tors a portion of the plunder. here are a few
philanthropists, some people term them a nuisance,
who are more than ordinarily aciive at present.
Paul Bagley is one; but he, Congressmen rejoice
to know, is on your side t o get the Fenians liberated.
May he make Ch:na his ultimate destination, now
that the death of King Theodore has left no pri-
soners in Abyssinia for him to look up ! Mr. Bergh's
philanthropy takes another direction ; for he is the
friend of the beast. He wants to make smooth the
path of the lamb to the slaughter and the horse with
its load. He has just been making a tour of the
city, and the drivers have had a gentle hint that

RIVAL BISHOPS,

At the church of St. Mary Magdalene, Paddington,
on Sunday morning, the incumbent, the Rev. R. T.
West, spoke with great delight respecting the conse-
cration of Mr. Macrorie. He denounced Bishop
Colenso as a " miserable man " and a " traitor," who
had denied the divinity of our Lord and the inspira-
tion of Scripture. He announced that after the
evening service the "Miserere," which was tohave been
chanted, would not be sung, but that the " To Deum"
would be sung instead by way of thanksgiving for
the consecration of the new bishop. It is worthy
of note that in all the denunciations of Bishop
Colenso which are dealt both from High Church and
Lour Church pulpits no shadow of evidence is ever
given in support of the charge of treachery, in sup-
port of the assertion that the Bishop has denied the
divinity of our Lord. It is assumed that he has
done so, and he is condemned on that assumption.
Doubtless he has said much that sober-minded Chris-
tians will regret and censure ; but the charge made
against him by Bishop Gray and his friends in Eng-
land is a specific one, and should, if made, be sup •
ported- by chapter and verse out of the Bishop's
writings.

The Times has a leader upon the state of affairs in
South Africa. It attaches great importance to the
consecration of Mr. Macrorie, because, having the
power to ordain, he will be able to multiply the
clerical representatives of his
princ:rdes, and there
will thus be a constantly-increasing Li:aid of clergy
arrayed against each other, who will daily
spread division among Church of England con-
gregations and perpetuate the schism in antago-
nistic buildings and hostile functionaries. In England
this resort to extreme measures has, with all our
wide theological differences, been avoided ; but there
are signs that the quarrel in Africa will extend to
England. Should it do so, the Times believes that
the end of the Established Church will soon come.
State functionaries will refuse to be embroiled in the
quarrels of Churchmen and the disestablishment
movement, which is even now receiving a great
impetus from the chief measure of the day. will
become irresistible and complete.
THE HOXOI7IIB OF THE DEBATE.
It is amusing to see how the political journals of
both parties attempt to treat the Irish Church
debate from the position of impartial spectators.
Says the Morning lierald: "We cannot think we
are too confident in assuming that the result of the
great debate thus far has been a substantial gain to
the cause of the Irish Church. The honours of the
debate unquestionably rest with the Conserva-
tives. Mr. Bright's declamation essay notwithstanding,
it must be conceded that the Ministerialists have
altogether failed to answer or argue down the
speeches of Mr. Disraeli and Dr. Ball." On the other
hand, the Daily Telegraph declares that Mr. Disraeli
has abandoned the Irish Church. that. the debate has