The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-03-17
The Di.e.,abli.nmen, f.he Irish Church.

The latest English files bring full reports of
the debate in the English House of Commons
on Monday, March 1st, when Mr.. Gladstone,
the new Premier, introduced his measure for
the disestablishment OF the Episcopal church
In Ireland and its ultimate disendowmsn''
The resistance of Disraels Tory ministry "
tho movement for the overthrow OF THIS noary
sosurdity and iniquity, by which large part
NJ the mamie of ireland have been forced to
$3.50 - spnnort form Of worship that is
h.t.f,l 40 them. caused the dissolution of the
f,rmer Parliament, the elections of last fall
rasnltine in the return of large Liberal ma
,ority. the prompt resignation of Disraeli and
his associates and the formation of the new
Liberal ministry under Gladstone
From the Prime Minister'S elaborate speech
we learn that the capital of the Irish church is
sixteen millions of pounds, or $4,000 OOO
Something less than half of this will be d.
verified from ecclesiastical purposes, howevers
by the bill under considerations, since it is not
proposed to interfere with the vested life in
terests of clergy or laity. The annual revenue
arising from the capital set free by the olsen
dowment act will amount to something more
then fifteen hundred thousand dollars The
question of the manner in which this sum
shall be disposed of was one of great interest
to Mr.. Gladstone's listeners, and we are told
that, though the four hours's speech became
somewhat wearisome toward the close, there
was no lack of attention when this point was
reached. The purpose of the ministry, as an
nounced by Mr.. Gladstone, was surprise and
disappointment. After satisfying themselves
that the fund could not be used FOR the sup
port Of any form of worship for education or
for the poor, the ministry has'eome to the con-
clusion that it should be devoted to the relief
of unavoidable calamity or suffering-to aid
lunatio sasylums, institutions for the deaf,
damb and blind, reformatories, industrial
schools and county infrmaries. l
At the conclusion OF Mr. Gladstone's speech,
Disraeli, speaking for the Tory opposition, said
that his party had not changed its views on
the question on which it had been beaten in
the last Parliament and at the polls, and that
for himsef he regarded abandonment, espec-
ial;y when the property is to be applied to Sec
ular purposes, as "pure and sheer confscation. =
The first reading, however, was not opposed,
and the second reading is to take place next
Thursday, when.the opposition may feel strong
enough to demand division. The only OPP
portunity for resisting the bill will of course
be furnished by its details, as the English peo-
pie by their suffrages at the last election clear
Unauthorized the general measure.
The disestablishment policy ofthe new min
istry is not radical one. 1t does not propose
to effect any changes till Jan. LIST, 1871; all the
incumbents of livings in the Irish Church are
to be held harmless, and vacancies must occur
BY some means in all of them before olsen
dowment 10 complete. Yet even this step in
advance is most important one. Assented
to by English Conservatism as the least posi-
BILE concession to the Irish that would keep
them out Of a condition of constant revolt, it
10 well understood that the Irish Church drags
down with it, after little interval, the home
establishments, which is an iniquity of hardly
less consequence. The bill, important in its
immediate consequences, is far more impor-
tant IN its suggestiveness. Already our cable
dispatches tell us of bill introduced by the
Solicitor General to repeal the tests that cut
off from the Universities OF Oxford and Cam
bridge all dissenters from the established
church. The work of breaking down that &C.
clesiastical supremacy which is the disgrace of
English civilization has fairly begun. After
that work is completed the American ideas of
John Bright and limited number of his
ablest and most thoughtful Liberal associates
will have freer scope by great deal than they
have ever had before.