The Sun.
London, England, 1868-11-13 00:00:00

MILL ON MATRIMONY.

A curious question was asked the Liberal candi-
dates for Westminster the other night. An elector
inquired whether they were in favour of separating
married couples in workhouses. Such a question
would stagger manya man who had devoted his atten-
tion to social questions, and Captain Grosvenor was
hardly equal to the occasion. He was against married
people going to the workhouse at all. They should
not marry if they meant to go to the union. He said :
"If, however, unfortunate circumstances reduce them
to the necessity of doing so, the probability is that in
their poverty they will have grown so sick of each other
that they will be glad to be separated in
the workhouses." Then thero were hisses and
cries of " That won't do, Grosvenor." Mr.
Mill, either having had time to collect himself
while his colleague was giving his answer, or having
previously thought upon the subject, elicited loud
cheers by his reply. The workhouse should be a
place of discomfort for young and able-bodied people,
and a place of comfort for the old and infirm.
" Therefore," said he, " in order that the former class
might not be able to enjoy the advantages of self-sup-
port while receiving the support from others, I would
separate them ; but old and infirm married couples I
would not separate." There is something inexpres-
sibly sadain the spectacle of man and wife jogging
together on their weary way, through storm and
sunshine, struggling successfully with poverty in
health and strength, but obliged to succumb at last,
and to separate at the final stage of the journey, to
crawl to the pauper's grave alone. Yet clearly it is
monstrous that paupers should be allowed to beget
paupers.
DISESTABLISHMENT ADD DISENDOW3IENT.

Canon Trevor has a long letter in the Herald upon
the subject of the Irish Church. lle first complains
that the Guardian has refused to admit one of
his letters in its columns, and then he pro-
ceeds to demonstrate that the Church cannot
be disestablished without being totally disen-
dowed. " Property consists of three rights—title,
possession, and succession ; and it is very plain that a
disestablished Church can retain neither of these
claims on the fabrics or endowments of the Esta-
blishment." Not only do the temporalities of the
Church admit of no succession from a non-established
clergy, but no new appointment can be made to
the spiritual office of any existing dignitary.
The only course open to secure the property of the
Church is for the Act of Parliament to provide
against the difficulties it creates. The Act can easily
decide what shall be done with the fabrics and
parsonages, as well as with the tithes and lands. In
each case, however, it must define the perons who
are to take the property ; that is to say, it must pro-
vide the machinery for electing, ordaining, and
admitting the successors to the present bishops and
clergy. It must further define the relations between
them and their flocks, and provide some method for
removing unworthy ministers. Then the Church will
be, more the creature of the State than ever. As
established, she has a good. claim ...to the churches ;
disestablished, she has no better claim than others.
Canon Trevor thinks it is Mr. Gladstone's intention
to secure the property to the Church by Act. In a
short time Mr. Gladstone's policy will be revealed.
The discussion of probabilities begins to be tedious.