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

MOH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIS DAT.—Morning, 11h. 45m.—Afternoon, Oh. Om,
ro-3108a10w.-Morning, Oh. 17m.—Afternoon, Oh. 45m

free. Sir, my jury is the history of my life, and this
is not the place in which it is necessary to vindicate
my character." Towards the close of his speech
Mr. DISRAELI spoke with great force upon the im-
possibility of halting in the career indicated by
Mr. GLADSTONE, and adduced the cases of Scotland
and Wales. He asked the right hon. gentleman
if he was prepared for the ultimate consequences of
the policy he had taken up ; there was Scotland to
consider, there was Wales, and who could tell that
the hon. member for Birmingham, "that great master
of the mind of the member for South Lancashire,"
would ever take the census returns, and show from
them that the union between Church and State in
this country could not be maintained according to
the statistical documents in his hand.

Mr. GLADSTONE'S reply was unnecessarily long,
considering the circumstances of the case and the
lateness of the hour, but he would most likely have
been disappointed not to explain himself to the
House. It may well be asked, as Lord STANLEY
said, What next, and next ? What is the object
that Mr. GLADSTONE has set before himself ? If it
had been " tardy justice" to Ireland that could
have easily been gained by his leaving the discus-
sion of the subject until next year. As
for satisfying the just expectations of his
party that can hardly be the pretext put
forward, because their followers could
not themselves have said that he was in favour of
disendowment at the beeinning of the Session.
What then was the primary motive—the enforcing
principle of these Resolutions, to damage the Minis-
try, to get a good cry at the elections, or what ?
At any rate, the attempt has succeeded, and what
will be the result ? Will the Liberals, if in office'
fulfil the fears of Mr. ROEBUCK and do nothing,
or will they declare that their cause has triumphed ?
If they do it may be retorted that it is a cause to
which their leader has only just become a convert,
and that under very peculiar circumstances, to say
the least of it.' It is always to be regretted
when a question of this kind is made the
subject of controversy, and so mixed up with party
spirit. If the new Parliament had been allowed to
deal with it, how much better it would have been.
They would have been more competent to take up
the matter from the beginning than the present
House can possibly be. For wasting the time of
the Session the Opposition have much to answer
for. One thing may be said, and that is, the Go-
vernment have not said they are against any reform
or change in the Irish Church Establishment ; and
that must be remembered, because, in the excite-
ment of the affair, their opponents are too apt
to misstate the case, and, while making
themselves appear all right, they would
fain show that others are all wrong. The
country will look at the matter in the right
light, and recognise the awkward position in which
Mr. DISRAELI has been placed in having to face a
question unexpectedly starting up before him in
sudden strength and energy, and admit that, if he
has not acquiesced in their extreme views, he has
not exhibited the extreme spirit which at one time
was too much the appanage of his party.