The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-17 00:00:00

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SPIRIT OP Tyra :Or7RNALS.

The 2'imes observes that Lord Russell had very little to
say on the Irish Church at the St. James's Hall meeting.)
apart from his explanation of the change in his own vievii
as to the proper way of treating it, for the very sufficl6nt
reason that there are no arguments on the other side to he
answered. All that the most zealous defenders can say.
is that the Irish Establishment exists and has existed, but
they do not venture to explain why it should be suffered,;
to remain in existence. This is the most remarkable
phenomenon of the session. We are approaching the end
of a war of 300 years, and it becomes plain that nothing
but physical force has made it possible it should have
lasted so long. The argument has been all on one side,
but the power has been on the other. Mr. Disraeli is the
most ingenious of men, yet he cannot find a decent pre-
tence wherewith to defend his position. lie can utter.
" dreadful prognostications " over the destruction of
civil and religious liberty ; he can proclaim that lie
has discovered a plot for the subversion of the
Crown and Constitution ; he can warn a Buckingham-
shire rector that the country is threatened with an evil
worse than foreign conquest ; and the only result of all
this is that people who cannot sympathise with and under-
stand his difficulties ask what can be the secret of his de-
cline. Lord Russell very happily illustrated last night.
the complete divergence between Mr. Disraeli's letters
and the Foreign Secretary's arguments. Lord Stanley
meets a proposal to disendow the Irish Establishment by
declaring that the proposition is premature, and it is expe,
dient to defer its discussion till next session. Mr. Disraeli
tells his country correspondent that it is worse than
foreign conquest. Fancy the Foreign Secretary telling
the Ambassador of a Power threatening a descent on our
shores that the proposition is premature, but if it be
brought on again after a few months he will consider undez
what modifications it may be entertained. Yet, if we
are to accept Mr. Disraeli's declarations, Lord Stanley has
been guilty of an indiscretion, not to speak of a lack of
patriotism, even worse than this. Mr. Disraeli's letters
are, however, not without some value. By a different way
they lead to the same conclusion as the meeting at St.;
James's Hall. The meeting was convened in the middle
of London ; it was thronged, and the resolutions for the
disestablishment and disendowment of the Irish Church
were passed with enthusiastic unanimity. Mr. Disraeli
attempts " to flog the dead horse " of religious bigotry,
and his inspired allies are even more zealous in their
frantic efforts ; but their labours are in vain. There is a
unanimity of apathy as striking as the unanimity of en•
thusiasm, and both enforce the conviction that the formal
disestablishment of the Irish Church will be the first work
of the Reformed Parliament.

The Daily News lays down that the unendowed bodies
now united in condemning the Irish Establishment repre,
sent both the Protestant and the religious feeling of the
country as truly and as fully as either of the State
Churches, and their conviction that the Irish Establish.
ment is a danger to Protestants is of itself sufficient to
ensure the failure of Mr. Disraeli's attempt to raise a
foolish cry. The Protestantism of the country has already
made its voice heard, and it demands nothing less than the
disestablishment and disendowment of the Irish Church.
The question at the hustings, as Sir Edward Dering said
at Canterbury on Tuesday, will soon be "Are you in
favour of Mr. Disraeli's scheme for raising the Roman
Catholic Establishment in Ireland, and perpetuating May,
nooth at the expense of the British taxpayer, or do you
agree with Mr. Gladstone, that in Ireland every creed and
every religion should stand or fall by its own merits ?"
And the answer of a Protestant people is certain.

The Telegraph is in ecstacies with the St. James's Hall
meeting. Lord Russell's speech, as might have been antici.
pated, was a manly declaration in favour of union in the
Liberal ranks. He himself would prefer the endowment
of the three sects —Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and Roman
Catholic ; but, seeing that the country has finally set its
face against any such scheme, he takes his place by the
side of Mr. Gladstone, and urges the complete disestablish-
ment and disendowment of the Irish Church. Every mem-
ber of the Liberal party must see, or must be made to see,
the necessity of following Lord Russell's example. Much
may be said in favour of giving Roman Catholic priests of
Ireland State support, and at one time a resolute states-
man might have carried out the plan. But that day has
passed. The nation will now listen to no scheme for creat-
ing fresh endowments. It will have no policy but that of
Mr. Gladstone's which cuts the link between Church And
State in Ireland, and leaves the members of each sect to
support their own pastors. Therefore, to clamour for
" levelling np " in the name of Liberalism is simply to
obstruct the work that Liberalism has in view--the
pacification of Ireland—and to play into the hands of Mr.
Disraeli by disuniting the Liberal ranks.

The Star observes that Earl Russell's appearance at
such a meeting was of itself in any case a significant and
even a momentous fact ; but he lent a greater significance
and moment to it by the wise and manly frankness with
which he announced his abandonment of all peculiar pro-
posals on the subject of the Irish Church which might
previously have seemed to separate him from many of the
Liberal party. He is ready to withdraw all proposals for
the perpetuation of Irish endowments by dividing them
among the contending parties. He is ready to stand on
the common platform with Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Bright,
with Mr. Miall and Sir John Gray, with the Protestant
people of England and the Catholic people of Ireland. It
rejoices to think that such an enthusiastic meeting
brings all the Liberalism of England, Ireland, and Scot-
land into one great united camp on this momentous ques•
tion.

Let no more, exclaims the Post, be said about " cond.
liation "—the word as it has been used with regard to the
relations existing between Great Britain and Ireland
was barely relevant to the issues which have to be deter-

mined by legislation, and it is utterly out of place in
reference to the ♦isit of the Prince of Wales. The idea of
the Irish dove flying back to its ark with the olive branch
which England had sent by as fair a messenger as eves
carried good tidings is so pretty and pleasing that we own
we are loth to lose it. Still the fact is better. The soul
and sentiment of the visit—that which will. make it a joy
for ever—were no doubt contributed by the Princess of
Wales, and there could hardly be one among the thousands
who on Wednesday were made happy by her smiles that
did not know and feel as much. But the contribution had
nothing selfish or apprehensive in it. A womanly thought
has been expressed in a womanly act ; that is all, and enough
too, for in the development of such a sentiment there is
real security.

The Standard declares that this royal visit has produce
the strongest additional testimony to the truth which all
Irish history records, that the people of that country may
be best influenced by personal appeals. The royal named
which with us is a time-honoured institution, may becomei
in Ireland a living principle, to arouse the apathy of the
masses, to overcome the prejudices of race, to subdue the
animosities of rival creeds, and even to awakento patriotic
exertion the indolence of rank and wealth. If we pro 4
by this experience, and go in the path to which this visit,
points the way, we may look forward to such results al(
will rescue Ireland alike from foreign conspirators, desigtß
ing priests, and self-sufficient quacks.
The Hera:d expresses its opinion that the railway
system of England is financially unsound. If railway
proprietors are to exercise any wholesome control over the
directorate, the latter must give a clear and comprehen.
sive account of its stewardship. Unfortunately, mystift•
cation is never so complete as when things are going
wrong. Just when the shareholders ought to be most
thoroughly alive to their real position, the fog settles dow4
and shrouds the peril by which they are beset. Th 4
directors go driving on, until by and bye there comes a
crash. Then the shareholders begin to " investigate," and
succeed in learning a few disagreeable facts which they
ought to have known sooner, or which might have been
prevented altogether. The fallibility of railway boards
has been proved over and over again, and it is certain thaC
unless they can make their,proceedings transparent to the
public there will be a continued lack of confidence, so that
even a profitable line will be under suspicion, and its'
shares will sink with every adverse rumour.
In fact, says the Star, real discussion, real acquaintaned
with the doings of directors, real and intelligent study of,
the interests of the companies, is what is most wanted,'
Railway reform, it is insisted, will be best served by the
ample discussion at railway meetings of all points affectin4
capital and revenue, and all questions of new enterpriseik
A great difficulty stands in the way in the constantly
varying personnel of the proprietary, and it is to obviate,
inconveniences and perils thus arising that well-paid an.
thoroughly responsible executives are needed; but
intmtuch(
been may surely be done to make railway meetings or
gent than they are. Heretofore they have all coenii
deuce or all turbulence ; in either case they have bet
farcically inefficient for all purposes of correction,

Department issued, giving
o
lolylased bbyeetillie
names of all persons . .
the
A parliamentary rlseteunirnp
Science and Art in ciodnnfoerctitornav‘se'lilithnoth, erePnat,riasnEd Exhibitions
with the moneys pa
The list is headed by Mr. Henry Cole, C. 8., who received
a gratuity
extending over three years, Sir
Samuel '
juror in Class 38, received fifty guineal
as travelling,oef' andal, personal allowance. A similar suet
is set down to the credit of Sir D. Campbell, Bart., Lorq
George Fitzgerald, Sir W. Gordon, and Viscount liar:
dinge. Lord Sackville Cecil, a son of the late Marquis of
Salisbury, was a delegate in two classes, and declined to
receive remuneration. The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone
was a juror, and also declined to rceive payment for hii
services. Travelling and personal expenses cost £,3 35Ti
rest, g 1,607 ; and lodgings of w 94140, AO 10E,

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