The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-12 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.
Mr. Gladstone's Church Rates 13111 has passed through
committee, but not, the Times observes, without altera-
tions which indicate that serious difficulties must arise in
carrying into effect the compulsory clauses. Indeed, as
the bill now stands, it may be doubted whether they are
not already rendered either nugatory or so unjust as to be
impracticable. The plain fact is, that all elaborate arrange-
ments to secure the Church from the slightest breath of
inconvenience are found as impracticable as other so-called
" securi,les." It is impossible to compass their object with.
out extending them a great deal further than is intended,
and the net which Churchmen design for their protection
will only serve to entangle them. Such arrangements are
only necessary on the supposition that nobody can be
trusted, that every Dissenter is to be feared, and, as far as
possible, excommunicated, and that not even the mutual
relations of the members of one of the oldest institutions
in the country can be left to take care of themselves. The
attempt is unworthy, and will not improve the character
of the Church for generosity, while it is clear that it must
prove futile. There is valuable evidence to shew that such
precautions are perfectly unnecessary. The rector of
Liverpool has stated in our columns that for years a volun.
tart' rate has been levied in his parish upon just such an
understanding as could be provided if the first clause of
Mr. Gladstone's bill stood alone. It is agreed that no
Fait shall be prosecuted for the recovery of the rate.
That understanding is sufficient to prevent all ill-
feeling, and the rate has been paid and adminis.
tered without difficulty. Similar cases, we believe,
have occurred elsewhere. Such experience ought, we
think, to be decisive of the question. Let us simply pro-
vide that no more suits shall be instituted—in other words,
that litigation and consequent quarrelling shall cease ; and.
let everything else be left as it stands. Mr. Gladstone'a
object would then be gained ; church rates would still be
levied, but the grievance of the Nonconformists would be
removed, and we are satisfied that church rates would
suffer no appreciable inconvenience from the lack of an
elaborate legal security. On the contrary, the removal of
an old-standing grievance, if generously accorded, would
tend to put them on a better footing with Nonconformists
than ever before.

Mr. Gladstone's bill was, the Standard remarks,
accepted by the House of Commons with practical
unanimity. Mr. Henley could only find thirty mem.,
hers to go with him into the lobby on his division
against the principle of the measure. The fact is,
the House was wearied of the whole question, and caught
at a chance of getting rid of it by a so-called " compro-
mise." The Liberals consented to abandon something of
the letter of their demands, and a large body of Conserva.
tives hastened to surrender to them the substance. After
the discussion upon the second reading of the bill it was
quite evident that all efforts to oppose it would be vain,
and the Government wisely declined, yesterday afternoon,
to throw any obstacles in its way. Sir Stafford Northcote
observed, with great justice, that the present system, which
really inflicts not the slightest injustice or hardship upon
any individual, was that best adapted to the wants of the
Church ; but he allowed, too, the desirability, in view of
the stage at which the discussion has arrived, of settling
the question : and in the want of all encouragement from
the House to the Government to introduce a real and not
a sham compromise, he abstained from opposing the bill,
and gave his best aid to improve it.

The Post wishes to reform the diplomatic service, and
proposes two measures to remedy the present state of
things. First, that the permanent Under-Secretary
should not be a mere Foreign-office clerk. The traditional
information of the department should be carried on by the
bead clerks, to whose position might be given additional
consideration by the C.B. or some other mark of distinc-
tion for good services ; but the Under-Secretary should be
essentially a man of the world. In France and other
countries this office is generally held by a member of
the diplomatic body. Such a gentleman is acquainted
with foreign manners, foreign countries, and foreign
languages, and in his communications with Foreign
Ministers carries with him a greater authority.
Another measure earnestly recommended is a reversal of
the present order of promotions—i.e., the Post would re-
frain from giving great pensions for doing nothing to per-
sons who can do something ; and we would not give great
salaries to persons to do something who can do nothing.
We agree, in short, with many of our contemporaries that
it is at once expensive, disadvantageous, and ridiculous to
see the persons we could name employed as our Ministers
and our Ambassadors, and tae persons we could name not
employed. The waste is one of money, of talent, and of
credit.

The Daily News, in an article on the affairs in America,
remarks that, to the American people, great good may
come out of the present serious condition of affairs—to Mr.
Johnson himself it is an unmitigated calamity. Yet, it is
impossible to feel the least personal sympathy with him.
Even could we regard him as a martyr to what he igno-
rantly believes to, be the cause of the Constitution, his
folly in so obstinately provoking his fate would tarnish the
lustre of his martyrdom. But he is only the martyr of an
obstinacy and self-will which are without a parallel except
among Stuarts and Bourbons. He has steadily refused
every compromise. He has fought Congress at every step,
has presumed on its forbearance, and has forced it at last
to put forth all his power. We will not say anything of
the issue of the struggle, being convinced that there will
he no struggle. Presidential usurpation will go the way
which all usurpation goes in the affairs of freemen of the
English race. The American Senate will not lack the
courage to dismiss Mr. Johnson to obscurity, the American
people will not be wanting in the self-respect and the saga•
city to endorse the verdict, and in a few weeks our
Minister at Washington will be received by President
Wade.

On consideration of the whole subject the Herald thinks
that the only means left to extirpate inveterate drunken-
ness in the British army is to adopt the system of punish-
ment adopted in the French army for that and other serious
violations of military rule. The offender is sent to the
" companies of discipline," which always remain in the
colonies, employed, not in military duties, btt in the
making of roads, forming field works, or other similar
employments, without any fixed term of punishment being
imposed. One year's uninterrupted good conduct will
enable him to rejoin his regiment, while perseverance in
his faults will consign him to the " Pioneers," where he
will be much more severely dealt with, and obliged to
remain to the end of his engagement ; then leaving with
his discharge written on yellow paper, which precludes
his future employment in any service connected with the
State. Now, we do not see why such a corps as would re-
present the French companies of discipline should not be
formed, and stationed in some of our West Indian islands,
where incorrigible offenders, instead of being drummed out
of our service, should be compelled to labour in insalu-
brious climates, and earn their sustenance by the sweat of
their brow.

The plan of the Abyssinian campaign and the means of
carrying it out now assumes, the Telegraph points out, a
definite shape. The base at Zoulla will be guarded by a
brigade of native infantry, established in small posts
between Annesley Bay and Senaf6. Ample measures
have been adopted to secure full command of the defile
and the head of the pass, and to provide for the uninter-
rupted transport of stores from the bay to the highlands.
After Sonde the next post will be Ategerat, which, as we
long ago pointed out, posssesses considerable strategic
value, and keeps watch on the Prince of Tigre. The third
camp will be formed at Dongolo, situated in a defile sepa-
rating the eastern from the western watershed ; and the
fourth at Antalo, which will be the main dept of supply
for the active division moving on Magdala. All these
camps will be connected together through intermediate
posts occupied by cavalry, upon whom will devolve the
duty of maintaining prompt communication along the
whole line of operations from Senaf6 to the front, where-
ever it may he.

The whole of the Tory scheme for the pacification of
Ireland is now, says the Star, before the world. The new
statue of Pacata Hibernia, to the expected unveiling of
c()Tmh
epyl i h
intend some
which we alluded the other day, is now unveiled
The
to financialconfer acharter
wGiotvbetrnhme
lernitshprorapoilwseat3orsac.
operation
and an endowment—another sectarian endowment I—on
the Catholic University. That is all. Thus s
they propose
to extinguish Fenianism, and even. uput an endtothe
chronic rebellion which may be said to have never ceased
in Ireland since the days of the great O'NeilLs. A trans-
action with the railway companies, and a charter for a
new
university. We certainly did not expect much, but
this is the smallest monstrous mouse that ever crept forth
of a mountain. But, somebody will doubtless ask us, what
of the land and the Church ? Did not Lord Mayo say some-
thing on these subjects? He did. He said a good deal
about them. He said that the Government meant to insti-
tute a new inquiry—the two-hundredth, or thereabouts, we
should think—into the whole question of land tenure ; and
he distinctly declared that, while they are willing to learn
all that can be learned from Earl Russell's commission on
the management of the Church revenues, they are deter-
mined not to sanction the abolition of the Irish Church.
It is true that Lord Mayo proposes to bring in some inno-
cent little bill to encourage written contracts, and help, as
he thinks, towards the securing of compensation for
tenants' improvements. But we know that if such a mea-
sure were one
of a really penetrating and efficacious
nature, it never would be introduced while an inquiry into
the whole subject is actually going on. Without, there.
fore, too hastily judging of Lord Mayo's little measure
before it has been fully explained, we are not only per.
matted, but compelled, by the nature of his own announce.
mont, to believe that it will be something merely intended
to bop up a h4r.ralego appekinoi of legislation.

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