Le Louisianais. [volume] (Convent, La.) 1865-1883, 1868-05-16
THE IRISH CHURCH ENDOWMENT.

a grim smile Of satisfaction INNS, have stolen
over the face OF the venerable Pope Plus
when he heard of The di>endown-n, OF the
Irish Church. Frr many years he has been
tghiIng agaln>, line same principle at bis
palace gates, and counted among his enemies
all religions except his own, 1t was evidently
that great compromising force in nature which
brought the same artillery in turn to bear
against his spiritual rival, The grea, Protestant,
power Of Europe, and robbed lis monarch Of
one of her prondes' ii,les-,he ''Defender of
the Failh.' We say His because no one can
peruse the speech Of Mr.. Gladstone and his
colleagues, nor read of The enthusiastic cheers
with which their sentiments were received
without feeling The thorough divorce OF
Church aud State in Great Britain 10 be a
foregone conclusion. In Ireland it is un failI
accompL. Scotland and Wales have already
moved in the matter, through their Parliamen.
lary representatives, aud il will no, be long
before the bulk Of the English population will
make a similar demand. which cetiainly,
under the complexion of the presen, Parlia-
'","Nt "o"'' &c S"N' NV'u "'. Tvs
raeli in his lame defence OF the Irish measure.
did not pretend to combat tie injustice Of
making a people pay for the supper, of a
church with which they do not symparhize,
and from which they draw no advantages; he
only placed his defence upon The broad ground
that a government no, based upon religion is
no government at all, and the Protestant,
Church being the religion Of the Government.
was a necessity of its actual existence. Never
was a more specious argument more unhan.
PLY used; no wonder ii excited The jeers of
the listeners, and invoked Glads,one's ana.
themas, so whitening, so tranchan,, as 10 al.
most impale the Minister OH the shat, of ridi.
Guile. When he boldly and deaantly stated
thai he did aim at sev-ring the church from
the State, because i, was a violation OF wha,
the bulk Of The people conceived 10 be civil
Justice, and that in It's extinction was The only
way 10 give a ,rue religions cha rac,er 10 the
Government, the cheers that responded and
the votes that sweIled the triumph Of the m.
position We're not 10 be mistaken other Than
as the sentiments of the people.
No old established principle like this, how.
ever, can die without mortal throes of agony.
; and we are not surprised a, Disraeli rushing
once more to the attack only 10 snf.r a more
lamentable defeat. Neither are we suror;sed
at the Queen refusing 10 receive his res;ena.
ton and cou".eli"g an appeal to The people
for a new Parliament, rather Than 10 ouie,lv
lay down that prop Of power and gracefully
yield The title Of defender Of the Faithn.
But The people have spoken from a conviction
Of long, although slow, growth, and there is
little or no chance that ,hay will ever d.scend
from the position already assumed, or be- salts.
fled with any possible modification Of their
expressed demands. We are no, among ,huse
who see in this political divorce any danger
10 the Crown. The State can exist as indie.
pendent Of the Church as il can in its associa.
ton. The time has passed in England-al.
though M. DisraeIi's ministry may no. have