The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-27 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1868.

Mr. DISRAELI has sent a letter to the Earl of
DARTMOUTH, the President of the National Union
of Conservative and Constitutional Association on
the subject of the Irish Established Church. In this
he expresses his satisfaction at the memorial of the
Council of the National Union, and at the Consti-
tutional Associations connected with that body, in
which they express their confidence in the right
hon. gentleman, and in the Government which he
has formed by the command and with the appro-
val of Her MAJESTY. Mr. DISRAELI says very
truly that n such:expressions of feeling on the part
of influential bodies of his countrymen are encou-
raging and opportune.; As for the " crisis" of Ire-
land, which some have been pleased to dilate upon
with great emphasis of late, he considers that in
some respects the crisis of England might with
more appropriateness be referred to, since the
" avowed purpose" has been made by a
powerful party of destroying that " sacred union
between Church and State which has hitherto been
the chief means of our civilisation, and is the only
security for our religious liberty." With his usual
skill Mr. DISRAELI has summed up the matter in a
few sentences as to the most striking point of the
affair, and set the case clearly before us. No better
censure could be given as to the course which Mr.
GLADSTONE has seen fit to pursue in thus provoking
a contest of the vote he demands, and in forcing
the House to come to a division point blank upon
a question of so weighty an import.

The purpose is now avowed, remarks Mr.DISRAELI
with great emphasis, because until last week Mr.
GLADSTONE had given no intimation of his inten-
tions, and certainly we never expected him to
start forth so suddenly and exhibit such
undue haste and extreme zeal. How far
better it would have been to take things more
quietly, and to allow the change to come ou
gradually, for people cannot be forced suddenly
into convictions. But dictation is too much the
habit of Mr. GLADSTONE'S policy, and he thereby
alienates many who would otherwise generally be
under his guidance. The Liberal party do not
stand well in this matter, and it is of no use to say
that they do ; the notion cannot be got rid of
that it is a trial for power which they are making,
and that at the expense of consistency and in defi-
ance of political courtesy and Parliamentary usages.
Who can affirm that it was expected that the
Irish Church Establishment was to become the
subject of discussion this year, especially after
Lord STANLEY'S declaration on the subject at
Bristol, in the autumn ? But such reticence does
not suit those who ar e eager to put their schemes
into fulfilment, and accordingly this confusion
worse confounded has arisen. It is seldom that
events justify those who thus push matters to
extremity, and create a momentous situation for
the sake of edging themselves in in the skirmish ;
and it is worthy of note that the Liberals far more
frequently than their opponents delight to take ad-
vantage of such machinations. It would be far
wiser if Mr. GLADSTONE were to withdraw his
motion even now ; but if he persist in pressing it
on we believe that it will result in his own discom-
fiture, which it can easily do without detriment to
the particular question at issue, whose decision
belongs rightly to hereafter.

Yesterday the Election Petitions and Corrupt
Practices at Elections Bill was passed into com-
mittee, but not without some demurring in various
quarters. On the motion for its recommittal, Mr.
MITCHELL moved a resolution against the House
giving up the right of deciding who were its mem-
bers, but this was subsequently negatived. Mr.
WHITBREAD put the case more forcibly when he
said that the principle of the bill was good, because
it secured an immediate trial, and in these days the
judge is really of no practical use that any one can
see who studies the matter attentively. Mr. H.
BERKELEY told hon. members a truth, though not
a very acceptable one, doubtless, when he sai d
that the Ballot was the only cure for the evil, and
that all legislation that has previously been tried
has been useless ; but perhaps it may be found that
measure may lead to it eventually, and it certainly
seems to impose penalties and offer restrictions that
have not yet appeared in similar measures. Sir S.
NORTHCOTE put the case very fairly before the
House, when he showed that last year the Govern-
ment had taken care, in the introduction of their
bill last session, to preserve the rights of the House
of Commons to review the decisions in the matter
which another tribunal might come to, but many
then declared that such a plan would not do, and
they must have a sound principle to go upon.
When the bill came before the committee, there
was an almost unanimous opinion that it would be
better to entrust the decision to another tribunal
than the House. The Government have accepted
this recommendation of the Select Committee, and
therefore it does seem most inconsistent to make
further objections ; and we agree with Sir S.
NORTHCOTE that if the House is really in earnest
in its desire to check bribery at elections it was
certainly futile, instead of fairly grappling with
the question, to raise objections " as to an unwil-
lingness to part with an imaginary privilege of that
House which stood in the way of serious improve-
ment."

We are glad to find that the House of Commons
last evening decided on an important change for
the better in the condition of the British soldier. A
majority of twenty-five carried Mr. OTWAY'S
amendment, and got rid altogether of flogging in
the army in time of peace. lhe words which Mr.
OTWAY proposed to insert in clause 22 of the
Mutiny Bill were as follows :—" No court-
martial shall, for any offence whatever committed
under this act during time of peace within the
QUEEN'S dominions, have power to sentence any
oldier to corporal punishment," The arguments