The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-04 00:00:00

BPIBIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNAL%

florae fifteen years ago, says the Times, it occurred to
certain :Amber's of Oxford and Cambridge that goodnight
be done and credit acquired by the publication of a
volume or two of papers as evidence of the opinions,
studies, and pursuits distinguishing our old universities
at that particular period. The idea was approved, and in
due course "Oxford Essays" and "Cambridge Essays"
appeared in succession. They consisted of a collection of
articles on various topics, and were the precursors of
a kind of joint-stock literature, exemplified after-
wards in "Essays cn Reform," "Questions for a
Reformed Parliament," and other similar works. But
a curious incident attended the adventure. Among the
numerous contributions offered to the editors were certain
papers oft theological questions—subjects which had
neither been forbidden nor suggested, but which came in
fortuitously with other Essays. After some consideration
it was decided to confine the publication to secular topics,
and so seven Essays were omitted. Never was an accident
fraught with graver consequences than that of this un-
lucky " residuum." As it seemed hard that the Essays
should be wasted, the alternative of printing them all
together in a separate volume was conceived and em-
braced, and the book accordingly made its appearance
under the now notorious title of " Essays and Reviews." Its
authors never had an idea, originally, of the combination
into which they were thrown, still less of the designs with
which they would be credited ; but they kindled a con-
flagration which is raging to this hour, and the effects of
which appear daily in our columns. It is solely because
Dr. Temple was one of the seven contributors that Dr.
Pusey objects to his consecration as Bishop of Exeter. It
was solely because all the seven excluded articles were
ultimately published together that Dr. Tait thought theas
so obnoxious. Possibly if the purely accidental character
of the compilation had been more generally known, less
would have been thought of the presumed concert of the
"Seven Champions of Unchristendom."

The Daily News remarks that the opponents of Dr.
Temple appear to have agreed at length that it will be in
vain to carry their antagonism any further. It is not said
what authority there is for the statement of the Record,
that the Chapter of Exeter will elect the new Bishop by a
majority of fourteen to eight, but there is no doubt that
he will be elected. But it is to be feared that
the pernicious consequences of the agitation will
not pass away with its failure. The extreme
men of both the High and Low parties have
used and abused their opportunities, and it is
now the turn of others to speak. The violence
of Drs. Pusey and M`Neile has provoked Dr. Ewing,
Bishop of Argyll and the Isles, and one of the most
thoughtful and peaceful of Churchmen, to speak out.
Bishop Ewing feels compelled to say, in his letter, that the
doctrines which Drs. Pusey and KNeile preach are more
dangerous than those of " Essays and Reviews," for that
they " destroy the meaning and benefit of revelation, and
by separating God from nature and righteousness, are
driving out all true knowledge of God ;" and that the
Essayists are better than they. In the mouth of Bishop
Ewing, as many of our readers know, a sentence of this
kind is not a mere rhetorical missle, but a grave judgment
full of significance. Woe to the sheep when the shepherds
can thus strive with one another.

The Standard says that Mr. James Gordon Bennett, jun.,
in a very big letter, couched in a very big tone, offers to
sail a very big race for a very big sum of money. Mr.
James Ashbury, of the yacht Cambria, has, amongst other
challenges to rival yachtsmen, offered to sail an ocean
race across the Atlantic from England to America. This
challenge, as we gather from a somewhat acrimonious
review of all the circumstances connected with it which
is contained in the letter to which we refer, was
taken up by Mr. James Gordon Bennet, jun., the
gentleman whose name is so indissolubly associated
with that magnificent organ of public opinion, the
Nem York Herald. But it is not enough for Mr. Bennett
to accept the challenge. He aims apparently at accepting
it in the manner in which it might have been accepted by
Monte Christo. He will sail Mr. Ashbury from the Old
Head of Kinsale to the light-ship off Sandy Hook on the
Bth of March next for a service of plate worth £lO,OOO.
In the same breath, indeed, he declares his rea-
diness to sail the race for nothing. As a Cowes
yachting cup worth, say twenty guineas, is to ten
thousand pounds, so is an English yachtsman to Mr. James
Gordon Bennett. It is a rule of-three sum in admiration.
Certainly our cousins in America are great people. Was
it not Mr. John Heenan, the American prize-fighter, who
offered, when some dispute arose concerning the issue of
his conflict with Tom Sayers, to jump off a house-top with
that gallant veteran? Perhaps he would really have
clone the thing if he had found his quondam foe in a
favourable frame of mind. If Americans talk on a
large scale they are nevertheless prepared to do
things on a large scale too. The patrons of the prize-ring did
not want to know whether the "Benicia Boy " was brave
to foolhardiness or not, but s'mply whether or no he was
a better pugilist than the Englishman. So with the
present affair—we do not want to know whether Mr.
Bennett is or is not a rich man. That i 3 of no importance
to anybody but himself and his friends. If we are to
have an Ocean race between the Dauntless and the Cam-
bria, let us try to keep it clear of all collateral issues.
The Post thinks the public will learn with satisfaction
that the Court of Queen's Bench, after long and solemn
argument, has decided that the Beverley. Commissioners
were in the full possession of the authority originally con-
ferred upon them, when, on the 20th October, they com-
mitted two persons to York Gaol for contempt, in refusing
to give evidence when called upon to do so. It is a matter
of comparatively little consequence whether the
individuals in question pass the remainder of the
term for which they were committed in prison or
not, but it is of very great importance indeed that the
authority of the Commissioners should be thus completely
vindicated. If the truth were known, it is probable that
it would be found that the witnesses in question evinced
their Iplexped contumacy in order that others personally
and politically interested in rendering the proceedings of
the Commissioners abortive, might, by the crucial test of
the validity of the committal, ascertain whether in effect
the Commissioners had not, by certain supposed irregulari-
ties, rendered themselves functi officio. Regarded from
this point of view the decision possesses an interest and
significance which cannot be overrated.

The Telegraph observes that the famous Council of Trent
threw the whole of Christendom into a fever of excitement.
In our day everything is altered. Protestant Europe looks
forward to the (Ecumenical Council with great curiosity—
and that is all. At that time the Pope was the supreme
director of Catholic consciences; now it is the King.
Fr,ur centuries ago Rome could dictate to Paris;
'now it is Paris which dictates to Rome. In
old days civil States were tolerated by the
Church only so long as they did not touch her posses-
sions or imperil her power ; now the Church is tolerated
by civil States only because she is politically impotent.
By comparison with the great theocracy which could once
set up and pull down kings, and which even men of intel-
lect believed to wield the keys of the kingdom of
heaven, the Roman Catholic Church of to-day is life-
less. The whole secular intellect of the Conti-
nent calmly sets aside her pretensions as too
preposterous for discussion. Scholarship is ceasing to
debate her historical claims to hold a monopoly of
religious truth. Civil Governments no longer pay the
slightest attention to her dictates, and calmly permit
their policy to be determined by that regard for the secular
good of the greatest number which is fundamentally anta-
gonistic to sacerdotal claims. Liberalism has paralysed,
and will some day kill, priestly power. Hence the old
dread of Rome has vanished from men's minds, and,
now that she is politically impotent, she is no longer
hated, but rather studied and admired. If the sound

of PrCtestant polemics is stilled, it is because the
political power of the Papacy as completely belongs
to the past as the dominion of the Caesars.
The time for railing and invective against Rome
has gone by. We can now afford to admire the past great-
ness of the Roman Church, and the undoubted Chiistian
qualities which many of her chief devotees still display.
Hence it is only with curiosity that Protestant nations
and, Catholic statesmen look forward to the meeting of the
Council ; and all the pastorals in the world cannot conceal
the fact that the bishops who are next month to meet in
the Vatican will represent a Church which, in com-
parison with the great theocracy of the past, is politically
dead.

The Herald desires to give Dr. Cullen all possible credit
for his outspoken denunciation of a crime which is th
peculiar reproach of his countrymen and co-religionists,
and which has, of late, become so fearfully common as to
constitute one cf the most remarkable features in the
state of Irish society. That murder of the most atro-

cious and dastardly sort—murder in secret, murder
committed by acas,ins lying in wait in some secure
hiding place for an unguarded victim, murder per-
petrated now by scoundrels hired for the purpose, now by
discharged labourers, cr dismissed tenants, actuated by e
savage lust of revenge for a trivial injury, which was gene-
rally no wrong, is of daily occurrence in the Roman Catho-
lic districts of Ireland,- is in itself a foul disgrace to
Irishmen, to the Rontan Church, and to the present Admi-
nis.itration. Side by side with the inftnife.:to of Dr. Cullen
apnr a •ed in Wednesday's ap ers twe speeches made ty perish
pries ts at a tonal; t race titer. wild, inisclnevous
in the e.xtrente end in one f gpc Cie s the act of the
landLrel who insi.:ts on • Lis rent, and evicts the man
whoovill not pay, is pa,:sionately described as murder,
while the coM-bfoCeled assassination perpetrated by the
tenant, whose only grievance is that lie was not allowed to
defraud his landlerd with impunity, is qualified as "the
wild justice of revenge." it is in Dr. Cullen's power, we
believe, to punish this speaker severely, an (l to deprive him
of further opportunity of mischir.f. By his dealing with
such an off( nfler we may fairly judge of his earnestness
and sincerity in his denunciation of the evil
which the offender has done his Lest to oncourag,e
arld to aggravclt". A Government came into office
which 1-mocl:time 1 an intention of conciliating Ire-
land by governing in accordance with Irish ideas,
and which began its work by an act of what its chiefs,
honestly no doubt, however strangely, believed to be jus-
tice to Ireland.
.We see the result in frantic excitement,
rampant sedition, outrage, terrorism, and murder. Ireland
has been cast back some quarter of a century by twelve
months of government on the principle of concession__.