The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-15 00:00:00

TIIE COBDEN CLUB.

Last night the Cobden Club at L'eds held their
first banquet, at which Mr. W. E. Forster, M.P.,
was present, and nine other members of Parlia-
ment.

Mr. FORSTER, in his speech, alluded to the recent
division in the House of Commons, and said there
was for the first time for many years hopes about
Ireland. He believed, and it was a belief based on
what he heard from those who really knew, that
already there was a different feeling in Ireland, and
that already there were many who had come to de-
spair of justice from England, and who had begun
to believe that there was no hope except in repeal,
and even, as some of them thought, in separation,
who were beginning to return to faith in the Imperial
Government and in the Liberal party-,-(hear)—so
that there was every reason to believe that Ireland
would become a contented member of the community
instead of what she had been so long—our shame
and disgrace. But, although this was encouraging,
and ought to be a solace to Mr. Gladstone in every
difficulty, yet it imposed upon him and upon his
supporters in Parliament an immense responsibility.
If, after all the Irish people were disappointed;
if, after all, the opponents of these resolutions
or this policy were so strong that the Protestant
ascendancy would still be preserved in Ireland, and
religious equality still denied to her, she would not
only still be insulted as having a Church of the
minority held over her by the force of power, but
there would then be a different state of things to
contend against. Instead of there being, as now,
a feeling in that country in favour of dissolution
held, indeed, by large numbers of very shy men of
no great importance, and having no great influence
—we would find the intellect, the influence, and
much of the wealth of Ireland joining that stan-
dard. In fact, if he were an Irishman himself, an
Irishman of station and means, he should feel
that he was not doing his duty to his country-0
his Irish country—if after England had had the
question of whether she would treat Ireland as she
treated Scotland and as she treated herself fairly
brought before her under the most favourable
auspices she should at length refuse to decide it as j us'
tice demanded, he did not say that the time had coal°
when he must seek to dissolve the Union that existed
between the two countries—(cheers)---and he need
not say that the dissolution of the Union between
England and Ireland meant untold evils to both
countries. He mentioned this question because theY
had now arrived in this Easter recess at a most
portaut time. They would be well aware that all
Parliament had done had been to go into commit'
tee on the state of Ireland, or rather into the cow
sideration of those Acts by which the Irish Church
is maintained by law. That committee would he
gone into in a week or two, and he could not for A
moment believe that the Liberal members of the
Elouse of Commons, who had voted in so large 3
majority for going into committee, would insult
Ireland by doing nothing when they went there'
He had no fear of this. He had very little
doubt—he might say he had no doubt.--
that the resolutions which Mr. Gladstone
had proposed would be carried by very nearly, if
not quite, the same majority as carried its motion
for going into committee. He trusted that there
.
would be no compromise on the matter, because that
was where. the danger lay. As to the
Church being in danger, the sole foundation of the
State Church in England was the wish of the State
—that was to say, of the large majority of the
people who composed that State—that there should
be a State Church ; that was the sole possible form'
dation for it, and when that foundation, if it ever
were the case, were sapped away, then the -Stit°
Church must fall, because there would be nothni.
to keep it up. It was upon this feeling that it rested'
and why the advocates of a State Church in Engi
laud—and he honestly confessed he was not one
those who were opponents of a State Church—N°.l
its advocates could not see that they would be in 5
much safer position if these principles were appliedif
throughout the whole of the three islands than
different principles were allowed to extend to Ire,
land, he could not for a moment understand. NSr.O
regard to the "No Popery" cry, that also had not °t
ceeded ; indeed, it would not have said much to
the common sense of the Protestants of Englanu,
the hearty, true, sincere Protestants —if it had Oe
ceeded. Although the result would be that for the
next few months we should have a Ministry itir,hOv
minority, he was not disposed to find too 01-,,,0
fault with what undoubtedly was best in aeeordt.
with the principles of constitutional governlneL
Hitherto Mr. Disraeli had done the work of t-t,
Liberal party and the work of the Radicals far becl
ter than they could have done it themselves, itn-st
he thought Mr. Disraeli was entitled to their higher
a
gratitude for doing it—(hear, hear)—but he doubted
ob
whether the right hon. gentleman could pursue s.„lti
a course in the future; he doubted whether 110
Disraeli and his friends would if they could, and
doubted whether they could if they would.
the
Mr. BAINES, M.P., in replying to one 0- a
toasts, eulogised the objects of the Club, andASisb
there were cases in which party spirit was a elite'
thing. It was a disguised selfishness that displays
itself in a mere unmeaning attachment to any 01°or,
0
red, blue, or yellow, whatever it might be
ovbe
public spirit was a totally different thing. It g t
an enlarged view of that which was good and rig
the
and true ; it involved the desire to promote
''
I.
happiness of those by whom they were surroundstor,
it implied a sense of the claims of their country
and a wish to advance the happiness of all wait,,
kind ; it enlarged the mind, it ennobled the spar
and it made such men as those before them 'Odesrt
s.
a club which bore the name of Richard Ctiot
He scarcely knew whether he ought to say it
he ,was going to say, but he would se loot
on his own responsibility, that he, for for
having observed Mr. Bright most closelyo 10
many years in and out of Parliament, had eeal,re-
the conclusion that if he could in one resPeetf'aseci
sume to differ...from Mr. Cobden, who had re_eot,
to take office under Lord Palmerston's Governor 1,0
if he should be called by his Sovereign and by a ao
country to take office, he believed he Nvntia' gife
honour to it. (Cheers.) He, for one, iv°ll',,gbielt
his hearty support to an Administration in
iateO'
the names of Gladstone and Bright were ass°e.tolr
(Cheers.) Both men had been alike in their
ta:,
li-
meat to Free Trade, to economy, to peace, o .
V
gious liberty, and to justice to Ireland, nt
therefore thought they might most properly
associated together in the same Cabinet.
0001
Mr. J. HOLDEN, M.P., also spoke, and ell
speakers followed, enjoining upon the Liberal
unity of action and active preparations for ~,
00
election.

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