The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-11 00:00:00

THE gitiN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 11, 1868.

House of Commons are solemnly pledged to the
electors of the United Kingdom to carry through,
for the immediate abolition and tb e disendowment as
rapidly as possible afterwards, of the Irish Church as
an ecclesistical establish me nt, hitlaerto,that is for thelast
three hundred years, directly associated and almost,
we might say, identified with the State. A measure
so bold, so daring, and so comprehensive demands
no less clearly than it deserves the largest amount of
caution and of deliberation that can be applied to it
by the responsible Ministers of the Crown, who are
at this moment solemnly pledged to undertake at the
earliest possible opportunity the task of its intro-
duction. Afterwards, other great and urgent ques-
tions will have to be considered. But first of all the
Irish Church will have to be bodily removed. Until
its removal, it obstructs the broad, onward path of
legislation as conspicuously, as undeniably, and as
intolerably as the question of Parliamentary Reform
obstructed the way until its removal was effected
only the other day by the daring Constitutional
Reformer now once more the leader of the Conserva-
tive Opposition.

IT is not always true that spectators see most of
the game. When the " game " becomes a battle,
and the players develope into combatants, it is often
very difficult to understand why there should be so
much heat and bitterness. To the lay mind clerical
disputes especially are as a rule unintelligible. It
is difficult, for instance, to understand how the
theological world could have been divided into two
hostile camps 1,500 years ago about an iota. It is
difficult to imagine what there was to interest, much
more to excite, in the SACHEVEREL, HOADLEY,
and HAMPDEN controversies. It is most difficult of

all to appreciate the matter which drove nearly
1,500 clergymen on Tuesday into a state of excite-
ment that surpassed even recent gatherings before the
hustings. These clerics shouted, stamped, yelled,
hurled ugly words at each other, and, in fact,
(lid everything short of swearing and fighting. The
most respected clergy could not get a hearing ; men
of the stamp of Canon MILLER had to stand for
ten minutes vainly endeavouring to make them-
selves heard above the clamour that proceeded
from an army of white-chokered warriors. It was
only when the Archbishop of YORK threatened to
dissolve the meeting that the Vicar of Greenwich
succeeded in obtaining an audience. It would be
useless, we suppose, to ask these noisy clerics what
they expected to gain by all this tumult. They are
supposed to be logicians, but they would find it hard
to say what is proved by yelling. We should be inclined
to say the badness of their case, for the man with a
strong case and a good argument never fears discussion.
As it is, the body of men who ought before all others
to set an example of moderation in the expression of
their own opinions, and toleration towards the
opinions of others, have exhibited vehemence and
intolerance that would disgrace even a crowd of
working-men politicians.
And what was all this tumult about ? Nominally,
it was a technical point of the smallest conceivable
importance ; really, it was a struggle for mastery on
the part of a section of the English Church. Originally
it was proposed that the Society for the Promotion
of Christian Knowledge should vote a grant of
£2,000 for distribution in the diocese of Natal.
Usually such grants are expended according to the
recommendation of the diocesan. In this case the

society were unanimously agreed that the accus-
tomed rule could not be followed. The High Church
party—who hold that the see of Natal is vacant
because Dr. COLENSO has been deposed by Bishop
GRAY, the Metropolitan of South Africa—insisted that
the money should be entrusted to that prelate and to
the Bishop of GRAHAMSTOWN. The Low Church and
the Broad Church parties, for once making common
cause, objected to this arrangement, because they hold
that Dr. COLENSO is still legally Bishop of Natal, and
that the canonical deposition has no force. They
therefore proposed that the administration of the
grant should be entrusted to the Standing Committee.
This proposal was vehemently contested by the High
Church section of the society. The committee had
with one voice denounced Bishop CO LENSO'S heresy,
had pledged themselves that he should not benefit by
the grant ; but this did not satisfy their opponents,
who declared that they had no confidence in
them. Eventually the matter was put to
the vote, amidst the greatest excitement, and in a
division of 1,430 there was a majority of ninety-one
against the High Churchmen. The defeated party
were taken by surprise ; they had made sure of
victory, though, considering that Archdeacon
DENISON was their leader, and that he has, upon
his own confession, always championed the losing
cause, they should have anticipated defeat. As it
was, they neither anticipated nor acquiesced in it.
An attempt was made by a sort of coup de main to
set aside the decision, and it was only through the
firmness of the Archbishop who presided that this
endeavour was frustrated.
It was stated by one of the principal speakers on
behalf of the minority, that if their proposal were
not accepted the rejection would be fatal to the
society. We are inclined to think that its accept-
ance would have been far more likely to prove fatal.
At the present moment all parties have agreed in
denouncing the alleged heresy of Bishop COLENSO.
But while one party is for getting rid of him in
defiance of the law, the other is for deposing him by
the agency of the law. It has been proposed to
prosecute the erratic Bishop in the law courts,
so as to purge the Church of heresy without
at the same time severing the connection between
the Church and the State. But this process is too
slow for the friends of Bishop GRAY. They are
regardless of consequences—regardless of the rupture
which would ensue between the Church and the
State, and would recognise the validity of Bishop
GRAY'S deposition, though in a court of law it is
wholly invalid. Of course they are entitled to their
own views on this troublesome matter; but it is not wise
or fair that they should attempt to force them upon a
society which hitherto has carefully avoided partisan-
ship, and has therefore had the support of all
parties. It is the fault of the aggressors that they
are never content with anything less than ascendancy.
They will force the adoption of their opinions, regard-
less of the rights of their equals and the authority of
their superiors.

LIFEBOA7 SERVICES ON 711 E EAS7

COAST.

ItESSINGLAND, SUFFOLK, Thursday.

I have to report (says Mr. Atkins, the chief
officer of Coastguard) that a schooner, in attempt-
ing to take Pakefield Gat this morning, went
ashore on the Newcombe Sand. It was blowing a
fresh gale from the S.S.W., and there was a very
heavy sea running at the time. The Kessingland
Beachmen's large lifeboat was immediately launched
and succeeded in rescuing the vessel's crew, not-
withstanding that the boat grounded on the outer
Bar as she went out.
CAISTER, near GREAT YARMOUTH,
Dec. 10.

The Rev. G. W. Steward reports that on the
night of the sth inst. large lights were shown from
a vessel on the Barber Sand, while the wind was
blowing very heavily from the W.S.W. almost a
hurricane. There was apparently no time to
be lost, and the large lifeboat of the Na-
tional Lifeboat Institution was accordingly
launched at once, and made for the spot,
but before she could arrive there the lights sud-
denly disappeared, and when the sand was reached
the vessel had got off and proceeded, and the ser-
vices of the lifeboat were consequ3ntly not required.
It afterwards appeared that the vessel which made
the signals was the fishing smack Flirt, of Yar-
mouth. She was coming into harbour through the
inner passage with a cargo of fish, when she was
driven on the sands, and was in the most imminent
peril, but fortunately she did not remain on the
bank, and was able to get into Yarmouth in safety
without assistance.

LATEST INTELL EGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ROUMANIA.

BUCHAREST, Dec. 7.

The draft of the address of the Chamber of De-
puties, in reply to the speech from the Throne,
appreciates the conciliatory views expressed therein,
and speaks in favourable terms of the new Cabi-
net. It promises that the early attention of the

House shall be devoted to the estimates
of the budget, and expresses a hope that
the balance of receipts and expenditure
will speedily be restored. It approves the
measures proposed by the Government for
the improvement of popular education and the
increase of the means of communication. Special
stress is laid upon the desirability of good relations
with the Porte and with foreign Powers.

M. Cogalintscheano, the Minister of the Interior,
has issued a circular, addressed to the Prefects, re-
assuring the inhabitants that whatever their creed
or nationality they may rely upon receiving protec-
tion from the Government, and guaranteeing the

liberty of the press, independence of public func-
tionaries, and a further development of administra-
tive decentralisation. The assiduous pursuit of
agricultural improvement is recommended as the
best means of promoting the wealth of the country.

Mr. Alexander Crescu has been appointed Minis-
ter of Public Instruction, replacing M. Calimachi
Papadopulo. M. Gadesena, former Minister of
Justice, has been appointed Director of the Court
of Cassation.

AMERICA.

QUEENSTOWN, Dec. 11.

The National Steamship Company's steamship
England, from New York, arrived off this port at
9 o'clock this morning. She landed passengers and
proceeded for Liverpool. All well.

PRUSSIA.
BERLIN, Dec. 11.
Herr Anneke has been appointed Consul at
Shanghai.

TURKEY.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 9.

The Greek Patriarchate has refused the Bul-
garian demand for a self-governed Bulgarian
Church as contrary to ecclesiastical laws, unless
sanctioned by a special Orthodox Council, to be
convened for the discussion of that question.

PRESIDEN7 JOHNSON'S MESSAGE TO
CONGRESS.

WASHLNGTON, Dec. 9.—The following is a sum

mary of the Presidential Message to Congress :
" Mr. Johnson again calls the attention of Congress
to the continued disorganisation of the country un-

der the various laws on the subject of recon

struction, which, after three years' trial, have
failed, and proved pernicious in their results. Ile
adds :—"Three States are still denied representa-

tion in Congress, contrary to the explicit terms
of the constitution. The attempt to place the
white population of the South under the domi-
nation of negroes has impaired the kindly rela-
tions previously existing, and prevented the suc-
cessful co-operation of the two races in industrial
enterprises. Legislation producing such baneful
results should be abrogated. One hundred million
dollars are annually expended for a military force
which is principally used in enforcing these unne-
cessary and unconstitutional laws. Our commerce

has diminished and our industrial interests are lan-
guishing, and only wise legislation and retrench-
ment can remedy these evils. The financial
condition of the country clearly indicates the
necessity of withdrawing the paper money,
and of returning to specie payments at the
earliest possible moment. The total receipts
from the customs, internal revenue, and other
sources for the fiscal year ending the 30th of
48,000751,var Department 000,000.—The army
last June, were $405,000,000, thus reducing
the public debt by $28,000,000; but for the year
ending the Ist of November, 1868, the debt shows
an increase of $35,000,000. The estimated receipts
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869, are
$341,000,000, and the estimated expenditure
$336,000,000, but the expenditure for the War
Department during the past three years has ex-
ymen of all arms,
icaseneddneotdhwet hrSecretaryestimate
too by
the
be-
lieves a further reduction of the infantry prac-
ticable. The naval force is now reduced to
206 vessels, mounting 7,040 guns.—Mr. John-
son cordially approves the policy of Congress
towards the Indians. With regard to foreign
countries he says :—" Our foreign relations are
generally satisfactory. No particular regulations
concerning the colonial trade and the fisheries can
be accomplished until Congress expresses its judg-
ment on the principles involved. Other questions,
however, are open for adjustment between the
United States and Great Britain. These relate to the
rights of naturalized citizens, the title to the Island
of San Juan, and the claims of citizen subjects of

both countries arising out of the late war. The

negotiations upon these subjects are pending, and
I am not without hope of being able to lay be-
fore the Senate during the present sossion protocols

calculated to bring to an end these justly excited
and long existing controversies.—The Paraguayan
difficulties are undergoing investigation. Minister
M'Mahon will be fully sustained by a naval
force in demanding explanations and redress from
the Paraguayan Government.— The Government
of the Sandwich Islands is continually dis-
turbed by apprehensions of unfriendly politi-
cal proceedings on the part of the United
States. The Reciprocity Treaty lately concluded
will restore canfidence until the people of those
islands, at no distant day, shall voluntarily apply
for admission to the Union.—Our relations with
Mexico are marked by an increasing degree of
mutual confidence.—Explanations and satisfaction
have been demandep of the President of Hayti for
the injuries sustained by American citizens.—The
policy adopted by the administration in maintain-
ing strict neutrality between the belligerents in
Japan has been frankly and fully sustained by the
enlightened concurrence of Great Britain, France,
and other countries.—President Johnson recom-
mends an amendment to the Constitution, which
would provide for the election of the President and
Senators by the people direct, and also the limita-
tion of the terms of office of. the Federal judges.—
The Message concludes with expressing a fervent
hope that Providence will inspire Congress with a
wisdom and reverence for the constitution, and
grant a speedy return of happiness and prosperity
to the whole country.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8. --The report of Mr.
M'Culloch, Secretary of the Treasury, submit-
ted to Congress, announces that during the year
ending the Ist of November last the public
debt of the United States increased by thirty.
five million dollars. The receipts during the fiscal
year ending last June were through the Customs
164,000,000 dols., and through In!and B:venue
190,000,000 dols. He recommends Congress to
declare all Government bonds to be payable in
coin, and the resumption of specie payments to
took place on the Ist of January, 1871. He more-
over recommend:l the reduction of the tariff, the
increase of the Excise dues, and the issue of Five
per Cent. Bonds for funding the public debt to the
amount of 500 million dollars, to mature at the
rate of 50 millions annually, and the remainder in
from ten to thirty years. Secretary M'Culloch
estimates the average civil expenses during the
next ten years at 40 million dollars annually.

The total receipts of the theatres, concert-rooms,
and other places of public amusement in Paris, during No-
vember, amounted to 1,783,151 f., being an increase of
7,122 f. on the previous month.

13ANQUET AT FISHMONGERS' HALL.

A grand Court banquet was given on Thursday night
at Fishmongers' Hall, London Bridge. The guests in-

eluded the new Lord Chancellor, Mr. Lowe, the new
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Baron Martin, Dean
Stanley, Lord Houghton, Chief Justice Bovill ; Sir G.
Cartier, Bart., and the Hon. N. M`Dougall, from Canada;

Sir J. Thwaites, Admiral Stopford, Mr. Vanderbyl,
M.P., Mr. Fletcher, M.P., Mr. R. Wingfield Baker,
M.P., Mr. Hermon, M.P., Mr. Whitwell, M.P., Mr. W.
H. Smith, M.P., General Lawrence, Mr. W. B. Towse,
the Rev. Dr. Miller, and various civic dignitaries. In

the absence of Mr. George Moore, the Prime Warden,
the chair was taken by Mr. Kynaston, Warden. The
Hon. Reverdy Johnson had promised to be present, and

was expected up to the last moment, but did not arrive.
General Sir Patrick Lawrence replied for the army,

Admiral Stopford for the navy, and Major Whitwell,
ALP., for the volunteers. The toast of " The United

States of America" was given by the Chairman, who
regretted the absence of his Excellency the American

Minister.

The CHAIRMAN next proposed "her Majesty's Minis-
;ers," the toast being n ceived with prolonged cheering.

He said : The voice of the people as just expressed by
the elections had clearly pointed out who the head of the

Ministry should be, and he could not but congratulate
Mr. Gladstone and her Majesty's Ministers that the
Queen had interpreted the voice of the people as she
always had done. The Fishmongers' Company felt the
highest honour that a member of their own livery, and
the son and brother of old friends of the company, should

have attained the high position of Lord High Chancellor
of England.
Lord HATHERLEY replied. He said they had known

him for more than forty years as a member of their com-

pany, and he hoped he had never swerved from the line
pursued by those members of his family who had preceded
him. Before thanking the company for the compliment
as it affected the political position in which her Majesty's
Government was placed, he would add one word to testify
his deep regret that this toast was not being responded

to by a gentleman whose distinguished talents as an
advocate, whose, sound and wise eloquence in the House
of Commons, and whose integrity of character during a
long public career had clearly marked him out
for the office of Lord Chancellor, but who had been put

aside by his own act, and from the highest possible
motives. In that gentleman her Majesty's Ministers
would have found abler assistance and guidance than
through him (Lord Hatherley). Although making his
first address after being liberated from sixteen years of
silence which was imposed upon him when inhabiting
what seemed to be a calmer sphere than that of politics,
he was able to tell his hearers that he had never abated
one jot of heart and hope in respect to matters which
recent events bad justified. In the first year of his
occupation of a seat in the House of Commons, now
exactly twenty years ago, he spoke and voted for that
measure of household suffrage which last year became
the law of the land. He spoke and voted in favour of Mr.
Hume's motion, in company with eighty others. They
were then called " destructives," and be was once asked,
not by a Tory, but by a member of the Liberal party,
why he was such a Republican. Since he had
retired from public life he had seen that going forward
which, under the developed education of the country, had
produced the late gratifying results. In such a company
as this he would, however, abstain from party politics
and recollections. Going back into the quiet domain of
history, what had occurred since the setting in of Liberal
views—the time of Canning's Administration? We had
passed into a condition when the Test and Corporation
Acts were thought to be wild fictions of the past, into a
time when our Roman Catholic brethren had been
admitted to equal privileges with ourselves, and when at
this very moment a Roman Catholic occupied a kindred
position to his own in Ireland. We bad seen the corn
laws and the navigation laws abolished, we had seen
slavery put down, we had carried the admission
of Jews into Parliament, church rates were gone ;
and last, though not least, we had seen carried that great
measure of the extension of the suffrage under which
the present Parliament had been elected. Were not all
men, whatever their party might be, now thankful that
these things had been accomplished? And all this had
been brought about without the disasters which were
once foretold ? In repealing the corn laws nothing had
been destroyed but the bad feelings between classes ;
in removing the navigation laws they bad destroyed
not trade, but the fetters which bound it ; in admitting
the Jews to Parliament they had not destroyed religion,
but only those hard and fast lines which sepa-
rated one religious school from another. We had long
ago found out that there was nothing more fatal than to
put an Act of Parliament between men's hearts.
There had now been established a principle of gcvernment
which he believed would never fail us in this country. It
was a principle of trust and hope, and we bad banished
for ever those settled feelings of distrust and despair which
were afraid to confide in a certain body of our fellow
citizens, wb..) now were admitted within the pale of the
constitution. We had thereby effected a really con-
stitutional reform. To speak of the future would of course
be to touch upon very delicate ground. The chairman had
said that the public voice had pronounced their confidence
in that man under whose guidance and leadership
we were now placed. He might,. therefore, justly
say he felt it to be the highest possible honour to have the
post he had accepted in the Administration assigned to
him—to be restored, as it were, for a brief season to an
active participation in those measures of progress in which
we had now fairly and fully embarked. He assured his
hearers he had the greatest confidence in that trust which
had been reposed by the people of England in Mr. Glad-
stone as their leader, and he believed that trust would be
fully responded to—that he would advance, that his pro-
gress would rest on a basis of order, that it would be
guided by justice, that it w,.uld b strengthened and for-
warded in firm faith and hope ; and, above all, he believed
the end would be perfect success.
Baron MARTIN, who rose without being announced by
the toastmaster, said : Let me tell you an anecdote. I
had once the honour of being a member of the House of
Commons, and the Lord Chancellor held a situation there.
Upon a particular occasion there arose a debate upon the
Irish Church, and the Lord Chancellor expressed his views
pretty much in the same way that has been popular of
late. Mr. Bright did the same. I was present in the
gallery of the House, and a person of very high position in
the assembly said in my presence, " We shall live to see
the day when Mr. Wood will be Lord Chancellor and
Mr. Bright a Minister of the Crown." That has been
fulfilled, and I am proud to see it.
Lord HOUGHTON responded for the Lords, and Chief
Justice BovILL for the Bencb. He spoke in the highest
terms of Sir Roundell Palmer, and congratulated the pro-
fession upon the appointment of Lord Hatherley and the
Solicitor-General.
Mr. COLERIDGE (Solicitor-General) responded for the
Bar.

The CHANCELLOR of the Ex -mrQu R re:urne 1 t' an' s
for the House- of Commons. He said he bet, n,ed
to a Government which had its first fault to commit. He
remarked: This Government has as yet perpetrated
no jobs ; it has shown no furious party spirit ; it
has sustained no damaging defeats ; it has brought
in no abortive measures; it has imposed no un-
popular taxation ; it has got us into no foolish wars ;
it has presented no unseemly spectacles of violence
and differences among its members—it has done none of
those things which a Government ought to do, and this is
no small credit. But that credit is a little diminished by
the fact that it is not yet quite formed, and that it is only
a week old. Now, then, if I turn from the Government
to the House of Commons, I can say much the same
thing. Who can state any harm of the present House
of Commons? What evil bath it done? No one can
lay any bad measure or any foolish speech to its charge.
It has exhibited no forgetfulness of its duty to the Crown,
to the House of Lords, to its constituents, or to itself. I
cannot heap believing that the present House of Commons
starts, as I am sure the Government starts, with the best
intentions of doing that which is for the benefit of the
nation. Some of these intentions, in accordance with the
usual course of events, may be realised. Many may become
futile ; some must be abortive ; but let us hope that in the
mixture of evil and good amid which we live we may, by
labour and diligence, be able to work out something for
your advantage. As to myself, I shall, of course, do
everything that you can possibly wish. You have only to
wait a little time, and in a few days or weeks you
will find, I have no doubt, an enormous surplus, a striking
reduction in taxation—in fact, a financial millennium,
which will, as a matter of course, go on increasing
from year to year, until, weary of the task of doing good,
I retire amid the blessings of you all, and the gratitude of
a contented people. For this consummation we are
sometimes obliged to wait, and it often arrives in a form
which is not very agreeable to the gentleman who happens
to fill the office which I have now the honour to hold.
I assure you I shall endeavour to do the best I can to
remove altogether from the country all the burdens of
taxation, so that she may enjoy the benefit of the best
institutions in the world without paying anything for the
advantage. I have no doubt we can procure fleets without
the expense of building, and without the incutnbrance of
sailors to man them ; while we may have a perfect means
of defence without such a clumsy expedient as an army,
and devise some mode of settling legal differences
which will prevent men from ruining themselves
by having recourse to legal proceedings ; so that in
tie end we shall all—Whig and Tory— embrace each
other, and say, " Brother, brother, we are both in the
wrong, and we need not dispute about the matter." I
hope you do tut think that I have coloured the picture
too highly ; and that you will excuse me if I have spoken
with some apparent levity on the subject. The honest
truth is, that when nothing has been done the only thing
that remains is to point out the possibilities of the case,
and perhaps it may be found that neither the new Govern-
ment nor the new Parliament will greatly exceed the task
which I have sketched for their verforaaance.