The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-07 00:00:00

THE IRISH CHURCH.

The charge that the Irish people were indif-
ferent as to the continuance of the Irish
Church Establishment—indeed, that they de-
sired its perpetuation—has been abundantly
refuted during the past fortnight. In almost
every town in Ireland meetings of an enthusi-
astic character have been held, denouncing it
as an injustice, and demanding its immediate
abolition. The absurd assertion that the Catho-
lic clergy only compassed its destruction was
on a par with the equally miserable attempt to
revive the " No Popery" agitation which was
successful on the establishment of the English
Hierarchy. Those who were infatuated enough
to believe that the Irish people were insensible
to the injustice of having to maintain an alien
religious establishment, such as the Irish
Church has ever been, must have become dis-
enchanted after the perusal of the reports in
the Irish papers of the many meetings that
have taken place in almost every parish in the
sister kingdom. The great bulk of the English
people, too, have spoken out, and have de-
manded that justice should be done. If, there-
fore, in spite of the wishes of the thinking part,
certainly, of the people of England, and up-
wards of four millions of the people of Ireland,
the British Parliament still determines to main-
tain as the Established Church of the land the
present law establishment, it is clear that no
real desire exists to pacify the people of Ire-
land, and that her legislators are insensible to
the reproaches of the civilised world and to
the well-being of the community at large.
Among the most noteworthy of the meetings
that have taken place in Ireland was one held
at Limerick. It was attended by the most
influential persons in the county, and was
unanimous in demanding perfect religious
equality. Perhaps the most suggestive of all
the resolutions that were passed was one moved
by Mr. E. J. Synan, M.P., which was received
with immense cheers. It was as follows :
" That until the disendowment and disestab-
lishment of the Irish Protestant Church be
effected, it is in our opinion hopeless to expect
peace or prosperity in this country." The hon.
gentleman showed that it was impossible peace
could exist in Ireland so long as Irishmen
were not treated on an equality with their
fellow-subjects in England and Scotland. Let
the Government, he said, treat Ireland as it
treated Scotland. Let them recognise public
opinion in Ireland as they did in Scotland.
Let them take away this alien Church, and
then they would begin to lay the foundation of
the future peace and prosperity of Ireland.
Sergeant Barry, M.P., moved " That, con-
vinced as we are that religious equality cannot
be obtained in this country as long as any reli-
gions body is endowed by the State, we heartily
join our bishops in repudiating State endow-
ment of any kind for the support of our clergy;
and we consider that the members of each
religions denomination should support their
own clergy as the Catholics of this country
have hitherto done and are still willing to do.
In a speech of great ability he said that no man
could accuse the Catholics of Limerick of fac-
tions intolerance or bigoted exclusiveness.
They have been eminently characterised by
toleration and forbearance. (Hear). Although
they constitute a large, he might say over-
whelming, majority, possessing the absolute
elmcontroling'
and disposition of municipal and Par-
liamentary power, still they found Protestant
aldermen and Protestant town councillors in
the corporation of this city, elected by Catholic
burgesses—they found the Protestant alter-
nating with the Catholic mayor—(hear)—and
the Parliamentary representation for many
years shared by Protestant and Roman
Catholiceclully
maembers. Although deeply sensitive
of the insult and injury inflicted upon Ireland
by the existence of the Church Establishment,
they had still maintained this attitude of
generous confidence and forbearance towards
their Protestant fellow-citizens calmly, perhaps
too patiently, awaiting the time when the
progress of justice and the self-manifestation
of truth should remedy the grievance and re-
move the anomaly. He regretted to say that
the peace of the city had been marred and its
harmony disturbed by a meeting held, in imi-
tation of the ferocious conventions of the north,
for the maintenance of that religious ascend-
ancy which had inflicted upon that unhappy
country so much misery and so`much mischief.
I maintain, said the hon. gentleman, that
the Church Establishment is not alone a griev-
ance, but lies at the root of almost every other
grievance. It is the cause or the instrument
of almost every evil in our political system.
It is not merely the symbol, but the practical
realization of English misrule. In the olden
time the strife which rent our country, marring
its prosperity and checking its progress, was