The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-06 00:00:00

THE IRISH PRESS ON THE DIVISIONS.

The magnitude of the majority by which the House of
Commons has decided that the Protestant Church in Ire-
land must cease to exist as an Establishment has tslen
every one in Dublin by surprise. That the Horse would
decide with Mr. Gladstone all knew. Teen the most
sanguine Tories, who look upon the Fatablishment almost
as a divine ordinance, had been lapsing into a state nearly
allied to despair. But tlmy never dreamed that the
decision would be so complete, so overwhelming as the
division proved tv be. The effect for the moment was
abso.lutely stunning, and the most earnest champions of
ascendancy in the Irish press who wrote so strongly a few
days ago have greatly lowered their tone. The Irish
Times trusts to the powerful effect which the Premier's
speech " must produce upon the English people," ap-
parently because " it is throughout complimentary to
Ireland," and concludes its article by the expression
of a " hope that for their own sakes the English
people will interfere, and unmistakably pronounce
that they, too, await practical legislation, and will not
that the vital interests of the nation be sacrificed to gratify
either jealousy or faction." The Daily Express takes its
stand on the Coronation Oath, and the duty of Parlia-
ment to respect the obligations entered into by its prede-
cessors. The Express holds that it is the duty of English
Churchmen to maintain for their brethren in Ireland the
privileges they themselves enjoy ; that it is the duty of all
Protestants to unite in defence of Protestant truth ; and
solemnly adds : " The present House of Commons has
signally failed in the performance of its part. Let us hope
that the nation at large will not be found equally defi-
cient." The Evening Mail derives a modicum of satis-
faction from the Ministerial defeat. It asks the friends of
the Church, not " under the shock of the division" to
" stumble into the conclusion that the defeat of Mr. Dis-
raeli's scheme is necessarily a blow to the Church." The
Mail thinks, had the Government adopted Lord Craw
borne's manly advice, and met the onset of the Opposition
with a simple defiance, however the relative numbers
would have shewn, the morale and even the prospects of
the party would have been very different. The Mail would
prefer Mr. Gladstone's scheme, however iniquitous it may
consider it to be, to the plan indicated by Mr. Disraeli in
his speech on the 18th of March, which proposed the dis-
tribution of all the revenues and property at present
vested in the Reformed Establishment among all the
Christian sects at present discoverable in Ireland. The
numerical test being accepted, in such a contingency as
that which should apportion the fund, Mr. Disraeli's plan
would amount to the cession of fully £400,000 per annum
to the trustees of the Pope of Rome, unshackled by
condition, without reserving a right of revision or even
of audit. The Mail thinks it possible this enormous
temptation, placed before the eyes of Cardinal Cullen,
may induce him to support the project of Mr. Disraeli.
There has been already a precipitate change of sides upon
one essential point of the battle between the Government
and the Opposition. An order has been actually received
by the Irish members, commanding their votes in support
of the Government in the matter of the charter to the
Catholic University. This order has thrown the Irish
vote, it is said, into something like consternation, lest it
should be followed by a general order to support, in their
integrity, Mr. Disraeli's ecclesiastical projects for Ire-
land.

It is unnecessary o say with what delight the result of
the division has been hailed by the Liberal party in Ire.
land. It is regarded by the Freeman's Journal as practi-
cally abolishing the last badge of conquest and establishing
religious equality in Ireland. The Northern Whig, a
Liberal journal, representing the enlightened Protestant-
ism of 'Ulster, declares the vote of the House of Commons
to be "the greatest Liberal victory of this generation."
Mr. Jonathan Pim, M.P., has written to the newspapers
to explain why his name is not to be found in the division
on the Irish Church question. He states that he gave an
engagement on the hustings that, although unfettered on
the subject when treated of by a responsible Ministry,
Conservative or Liberal, he bound himself not to take any
part in any desultory attack or skirmishes which are a
prelude to the battle.

In compliance with instructions issued by the
Chief Secretary for Ireland, the rigorous rules for the
treatment of prisoners in Downpatrick Gaol have been
relaxed in favour of Mr. Johnstone.

THE BISHOP OF WINCHESTER.—In all parts of
his extensive diocese joy will be caused by the intelligence
that there is every probability that in a short time the
right rev. prelate will be enabled to resume at least a
porti, n of his labours:

ST. ALBAN'S, HOLBORN.—At this church on
Sunday incense was not used at the mid-day celebration
of Holy Communion. In all other respects the service
appeared to be the same as before Sir R. Phillimore's
judgment, except, of course, the mixing for the chalice.
At a 'meting of the Bradford Electoral Associa-
tiun, held the other evening to form a branch of the asso-
ciation in one of the suburbs of the town, Mr. John Priest-
man said that the object of the association was to select a
man who would be a more suitable colleague for Mr. W.
E. Forster, M.P., than the present gentleman associated
with him. It was intended that a requisition should be
virried round for signature, inviting Mr. Miall— and it was
no use mincing matters—t.) come f r a arJ, and if a suffi-
cient number of voters would promise to vote for him at
the next election, he would be brought forward.
THE LANCASHIRE COTTON TRADE. —The short
time movement is spreading in the cotton trade of North
and East Lancashire. At Blackburn recently the spinners
and manufacturers held a meeting, at which it was de-
cided to adopt the short-time system, and since then a
meeting of the Preston branch of the North Lancashire
Cottonspinners' and Manufacturers' Association has been
held, when it was resolved, " That the members of the
Preston branch present should agree in the expression of
the Blackburn branch—viz., that in the present state of
the cotton market it is desirable that short time should be
adopted."

FATAL EXPLOSION.—On Saturday evening a fatal
explosion took place at the shop of a chemist and drug-
gist, at Nottingham. About half-past eight o'clock a
porter, named John Noble, was in the shop powdering
chlorate of potash in a mortar for the purpose of mixing
it with other chemicals, to make what is called " red fire."
While doing this it is supposed that he dropped a light
into the mortar. A terrific explosion followed. Noble
was killed.on the spot, one of his arms being completely
blown off. An apprentice, who was standing close by the
deceased, was also severely injured on the head and face,
and he now lies in a precarious condition. A man named
Swann received severe injuries, and was at once conveyed
to the General Hospital. Several other persons who were
in the shop were more or less wounded. The shop was
completely gutted by the force of the explosion, the
windows, doors, &c., being blown into the street, and
several persons passing by were hurt.
EDUCATION.—A meeting has just been held,under
the cognisance of the Social Science Association, of
teachers and other friends of educationi for the purpose of
considering the Government measure now before Parlia-
ment. Several of the College of Preceptors attended, and
as an expression of the opinion of those practically ac-
quainted with the matter it might have been somewhat
a guide to future action. Unfortunately, however, the
greater part of the time was taken up with discuss-
ing how best the teacher might be benefited.
Two resolutions were passed on that question, the one
declaring the Revised Code to be unjust to teachers, and
the other that any measure that did not provide for a good
supply of preceptors was defective. Some system whereby
the certificated master might look for pr >motion was
recommended. With regard to other quest:ons more
interesting to the general world, local rating was repudi-
ated, and conscience clauses were denounced. Recurring
to the old subject, the meeting laid down the principle
that the maintenance of an efficient body of teachers was
essential to a good scheme of education. The insertion in
an Act of Parliament of the terms on which grants are
made was in another resolution spoken of as undesirable,
as it stereotyped those terms.
BRUTAL MURDER.—tI very horrible murder has
been committed. John Harrison, dies " Scotch Bob," a
stonemason, who cohabited with a woman named
Charlotte APReady in a "hovel" at No. 2 Court, Thomas.
street, Barnsley, went out drinking with her on Saturday
night. When they got home about midnight they had a
dispute, during which he struck her heavily. She left the
house, taking with her a little girl, her daughter by another
man. She took refuge in the house of a neighbour, with
whom, at about two o'clock, she went back to the hovel.
They found Harrison lying dressed on some straw which
served them for a bed. The poor woman began to unlace
his bcots, when he sprang up and felled her with a blow;
then he kicked her several times on the side and on the
left temple, finishing his horrible work by stamping on
her temples with his heavy boots. The woman who
was with her entreated him to desist ; but he seized a
knife, and, threatening her, pushed her from the door
and shut it. She listened a little while, an I then, going
home, told her husband, who insisted that she should
not interfere " between man and wife." About

half-past six o'clock, another mason named Wagstaff,
called at Harrison's "hovel," to go for a walk with him.
He found the door ajar; he looked in and saw Harrison
lying on the bed fully dressed and sleeping. The corpse
of the woman whom he had trampled to death lay weltering
in blood about a yard from him on the floor. He called to
Harrison, who rose, glanced at thebody, then rushed from
the house just as he was. lie had not been appre•
hended when our parcel was despat,h d.--Tothern Daily
Express.