The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-08 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, lIIdY 8, 1868.

The wizard to his work again may be truly
affirmed of Mr. GLADSTONE, and yesterday saw
him start with renewed energy to proceed on his
path, but it cannot be said that the affair of last
night redounded to the credit of the Opposition.
Violent language was used, and altogether the scene
in the House reminded one more of transatlantic
doings than of the ordivarily correct and courteous
Commons of England. It is the infusion of party
spirit into the debate which has rendered it so acri-
monious, and for this Mr. GLADSTONE is, of
course, responsible. A better proof could not
have been afforded of the real meaning
of this attack on the Government than that
which was given by the excitement that took place
when the real business of the House was agreed to•
Far better, indeed, would it have been if the dis-
cussion had terminated earlier, and the reputation
of some crotchetty individuals would not have suf-
fered so much ; but it is always the case when so
much bitterness and disappointment are felt that
these stormy scenes arise, and if put off or arrested
one night they startle and surprise us on another
occasion. Mr. AYTOUN was the bete noir last night,
and on all sides he was implored to withdraw his
motion, but to no purpose. This resolution was in..
deed an ill-timed one, and suggested that after the
disestablishment of the Irish Church had taken
place, the grant to Maynooth and the Regium Do-
num should be discontinued, and that no part of
the secularised funds, or any State funds, should
be applied to the endowment or furtherance of the
Roman Catholic religion in Ireland, or to the esta-
blishment or maintenance of Roman Catholic
schools and colleges. No wonder so extreme a
proposal called forth animadversion. In all this we
have another instance of the extreme disunion of the
Liberal party, their ranks are never serried,
and they cannot, or will not, follow their
leader. Mr. GLADSTONE puts a climax to the
confusion by declaring that a Resolution
like this was not the thing, because it
pledged the House to opinions before the time to
which practical effect could not he given, but it
seems to us that the very same criticism might be
applied to the right hon. gentleman's own observa-
tions. It might have been supposed that the Op-
position would have been satisfied with the course
pursued by the Government in allowing the second
and third Resolu►tions to pass without discussion or
division, but the result proved it to be far other-
wise. After Mr. AYTOUN'S Resolution had been
settled a new confusion arose. Mr. AYRTON led an
attack on the Ministry, in which he spoke with in-
dignation, and was evidently disappointed that the
Minister had not taken part in the discussion.
Mr. DISRAELI retorted on this with natural warmth,
and very truly said that there had been a " quarrel
for the plunder" among gentlemen opposite. The
very force of this observation struck consternation
among the faction, and was resented in many ways
afterwards. Mr. DISRAELI said very truly that
what had passed showed that those who introduced
the Resolutions had only introduced into the coun-
try the elements of confusion. Mr. GRIFFITH also
called attention to the very uncertain policy Mr. GLAD-
STONE had introduced, and said that his supporters
outside the House when they read the debate to-day
would feel very awkward. Mr. BRIGHT very unfairly
tried to put the fault of the Opposition on the Go-
vernment, and said that if Mr. DISRAELI'S influ-
ence had been equal to Mr. GLADSTONE'S the reso-
lutions would have been refuted long before. This
was, however, an absurd statement, when Mr.
GLADSTONE'S authority could not prevent Mr.
AYTOUN'S Resolution from being pressed to a divi-
sion. Mr. BRIGHT subsequently spoke in a very
unbecoming manner, and spoke of Mr. DISRAELI'S
version of his interviews with the QUEEN as most
unsatisfactory, declaring he spoke in language at
once " pompous and servile," and even went
so far as to maintain that a Minister
who would deceive his Sovereign was as bad as
the conspirators who wished to overthrow her.
Loud cries of " Oh !" greeted this extraordinary
language, but it must have surprised the House
when Mr. GLADSTONE defended Mr. BRIGHT, and
talked of the hon. member for Birmingham re-
cording his " fair and manly vote with the spirit
of an Englishman." Mr. DISRAELI made a very
appropriate answer to the remarks of Mr. BRIGHT,
declaring that what he had said was in the memory
of gentlemen, and " fortunately there were gentle-
men on both sides of :he House." The remark about
party acrimony was a very fair definition of the
style of Mr. BRIGHT'S oratory, and the feeling of the
House was evidently entirely with the right hon.
gentleman, and against his • assailant. He said
that Mr. BRIGHT said he made no charges against
him, and then preferred insinuations which, if he
believed to be true, he ought at once to bring forth
boldly as direct charges against him. "I defy the
hon. member for Birmingham, notwithstanding his
stale invectives, to come down to this House and
substantiate any charge of the kind which he has
presumed only to insinuate. Let him prefer these
charges. I will meet him, and I will appeal
to the verdict even of gentlemen who sit
on the same side of the House as himself."
It is indeed unfortunate that the Opposition should
have suffered itself to be betrayed into such un-
seemly language, and we fear, by this time, that
Mr. GLADSTONE must be as much afraid of his new-
ally the member for Birmingham as he admires his
spirit and reveres his wisdom. If he does not take
care, he will lead him into trouble before be has
done, and he had certainly better drop the part of
bis apologist with all convenient expedition, as it is
what the country generally thinks to be a
waste of precious time night after night,
because they see no real progress is made. A
more factious spirit has never yet been introduced
into the House of Commons than that which Mr.
GLADSTONE and Mr. BRIGHT have contrived to put
there now, and if they rejoice in their work they
only show how unfit they are for the high places
they long to ascend. We hope, for the sake of the
character and dignity of our great representative
assembly, that a stop will be put to scenes like that
of yesterday, and the sooner the general opinion of
the House declares against their repetition the better
will it be for all concerned, and the more desirable
for the proper conduct of public affairs.