The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-20 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1868.

No one can say that the Government has lost
time in bringing in the Irish Reform Bill, for last
flight the Earl of MAYO brought it in. We are
glad that it was found possible for them to do so,

for it shows that they are anxious to keep their word,
and also that they have good hope of passing the
measure this Session. The bill is well devised, and
there is every reason to hope that it may meet with
the approval of the House (that is to say if no by-
play takes place), and hon. members are not called
upon to pass abstract resolutions, and agree to
sundry forms of argument to invalidate it. No
change is to be made in the county franchise,
which is now fixed at twelve pounds rating, and
the borough franchise is to be reduced one-half,
from eight pounds to four, and then every man who
pays rates will have a vote. It must be remembered
that in Ireland those who pay over four pounds for
rent pay half the rates. To glance at the result of
this change it appears that an addition of
nine thousand three hundred and thirteen elec-
tors will be made, and the whole num•
ber will be brought up to forty thousand.
This is about as much as was expected in all likeli-
hood, though some may doubtless demur and declare
that more should have been done. There is to be a
lodger franchise and a Boundary Commission, and
the present arrangements as to residence and regis-
tration will remain unaltered. Some disfranchise-
ment is to take place, and six boroughs are doomed.
This departure from what was supposed to have
been a general rule is accounted for by the important
reason that additional representation must be given
to the counties. It is a pity that no other way could
have been contrived of getting out of the difficulty,
because it will be sure to provoke controversy.
One excuse is to be urged, however, for adopting
this system, which is that no small boroughs in Ire-
land have two members, so that there seems no
alternative but to sacrifice the boroughs for the
good of the counties. It seems established beyond
doubt that the counties, especially the largest ones,
are not sufficiently represented according to the
present plan. Mr. GLADSTONE contrived even last
night to pick holes in the scheme, and said that he
could have wished to see a still greater increase in
the Irish constituency, but the present bill goes
further than his own did in 1865, when he pro-
posed to reduce the borough franchise from
eight pounds to six ; but then we all know that it
is one thing to bring in a bill one's-self and another
to pass judgment on that of a rival.

There will be no difficulty in keeping to the
principle of rating in Ireland, because it has been
long looked upon in that country as the basis of repre-
sentation, so that an obstacle will be removed from the
catalogue of evils that officious Reformers are sure
to find pretty quickly when any scheme to amend
the representative system is on the tapis. We think
that the House will do well to take this bill of
the Government into careful consideration, and
allow it to pass, subject to such alterations and
improvements as time and thought may suggest.
To make it the ground of hostile attacks will be as
foolish as it will be ill-timed, and no subject that
concerns Ireland ought to be regarded in that light
this year at least. With so much bitterness and
jealousy extant on this question it will be a great
blunder if any statesman or politician seeks for ag-
grandisement through the difficulties of Ireland,
and no true patriot would do so. No doubt the
scheme is not perfect, but if it is the best
that can be devised just now, the House
bad better accept it as a step in the right
direction ; and we may add that it goes further
on the whole than any that has as yet been pro-
pounded to the House.

An amusing occurrence took place in connection
with the introduction of the measure, which it is to
be hoped will prove a significant augury. Leave
was given to bring it in without any remark being
made, but in order to give an opportunity for the
desired discussion that was to take place, and had
been prevented by the misunderstanding that pre-
vailed, Colonel FRENCH moved the adjournment of
the Ilouse. Lord MAYO put the matter very fairly
before the House, and declared, in conclusion, that
no one could say that any party interests were
sought to be accomplished by the measure he intro-
duced. It happens, moreover, that the six boroughs
affected are represented by lion. gentlemen, three
of whom sit on one side and three on the other.
The endeavour which the framers of the bill have
had before them has been " to devise the measure
on a plan by which great improvements will be
effected with the least possible derangement, and
there can be no uncertainty as to the effect it will
produce." This may very likely appear rather
tame to some aspiring individuals, but,
under the circumstances of the case, we
think the Government has acted with caution
in adopting a sure method of arriving at the desired
end. We hope, for the sake of Ireland more than
for any other interest, that the bill last night intro-
duced may become law this Session, for it will cer-
tainly produce a very unfavourable impression if
through any neglect or oversight it should fail to
do so. Misunderstanding will prevail, and an
angry and discontented feeling will follow, on the
result if such it should be ; but we hope for better
things from the combined wisdom and patriotism
of the House, for the occasion is a critical one,
and must appeal to the consideration of all.

The Bishop of LONDON had last evening a diffi-
cult subject to deal with, but he treated it with a
temperance of tone and moderation of feeling which
could have given offence to none of the holders of
those extreme views from which he differed. The
relations between religious and secular education in
large public bodies are always complex and difficult
to deal with. On the one hand it is undoubtedly
necessary to inculcate religious principles early into
the minds of the young, and to govern their moral
and mental training in accordance with the leading
doctrines of the Christian religion in a Christian
country. On the other it is necessary to guard against
the ascendancy of religious teachers, especially in a
country like our own, in which so many various
forms of faith are held and cherished. This per-
plexity has been strongly felt by those who at-
tempt to deal with the question of national State
education, and it has excited a good deal of con-
troversy in respect to our national Universities. It
was in connection with this branch of the subject
that the Bishop of LONDON spoke last night. The
petition which he presented from members of the
Senate of the University of Cambridge appeared to
him of so much importance that he desired to call
the particular attention of the House to it. The
petitioners represented the holders of those
moderate and conciliatory views who are very apt
to give offence to both sides from their refusing to
go to extremes. The petition had only 35 signa-
tures, and the right rev. prelate accounted for the
smallness of the number by the fact that the line
of argument -which it took did not accord with
either extreme. At Oxford there was, he said, a
feeling against any further extension of the advan-
tages of the Universities to persons not connected
with the Church of England, while at Cambridge
there was a large and influential body desirous of
opening all the positions and fellowships to them.
At present such persons are admitted as students
in both Universities, all the honours and prizes
being open to them, while at Oxford they
may take the degree of 8.A., and at Cambridge
even that of M.A. At both Universities, however,
they are excluded from the governing bodies, and
are not allowed to hold fellowships. Very recently