The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-15
g'BE IRISH CHURCH BILL IN THE
HOUSE or LORDS


HOUSE or LORDS.
A CARRIE telegram announces that there was
an unusually animated debate on the Irish
Church bill in the House of Lords yesterday,
the session being protracted until after mid
night. The contest is of a peculiar character,
as it involves not only an important reform of
an ancient abuse, but q new test of the real
character of the British Constitution.
The House of Commons have decided that
the Irish Church must be disestablished, and
their decision has been given under imposing
circumstances-after direct appeal to the
voters of the nation on this issue-and after a
careful consideration of the whole subject.
In the natural order of things this decision
should prevail, but the House of Lords con-
tains large majority of Tory members who
are opposed to the reform on principle; and
who are at the same time anxious to gain
partisan advantage over their political foes,
the Wings, who support the new bill as aparty
measure.
If the House of Lords possessed Legislative
powers fully equal to those exercised by the
Commons, it's members could content them
selves with saying, "We are opposed to this
law, therefore it cannot pass" and it would
be impossible to overcome the deadlock pro-
duced by the antagonistic views of the two
bodies.
The House of Lords, however, is plainly
admonished that if it persists in its opposi-
ton means will be found to overcome it, 1t
is respectfully invited to amend the bill, if its
details are Objectionable, but the Earl Gran
,7aCtor1oy 1NloinlU said.
--'"The House of Peers has great power for
good, but there is one thing it does not pos
sess-it has not the power to thwart the ma
tional will" In the same strain Lord Romllly
''warned the House against opposing the ma
tional will, and reminded them that the Sc
verest blow they had received was in the re-
lection of the Reform bill, and the final COM
pulsion they were under to pass it," Practi-
cally the House of Lords occupies position
similar to that of Andrew Johnson-it may ex-
ercise sort of veto power, but if it does,
means will be devised for overruling it.
The titled opponents of the Church bill
seem to be fully conscious of the innate
weakness of their position. One portion of
them, it is true, avow their determination to
continue desperate fight, and another por-
ton deny that the national will has been un-
equivooally expressed. But the more saga
cious Tories acknowledge the folly of direct
antagonism, and they propose to confine their
efforts mainly to an amendment OF the bill.
In this spirit Stratford de Redclitfe spoke, al
leging that "the relative positions of the
two houses of Parliament demanded the sec
ond reading, after which the upper house
could amend the Objectionable features )" and
the Archbishop of Canterbury announced his
desire to "give calm and serious considera-
ton to the bill, and to amend and make it a
good measure"
The friends of the reform are confident of
its final passage, but they seem disposed to
accede to such amendments of it's details as
will make it acceptable to the progressive
Tory members of the House of Lords, pre-
ferring this course to the creation of host of
new peers, this radical measure being re-
served as a last resort.
The popular demonstrations against the bill
which have been made by the Orangemen in
Ireland have not sensibly affected public
opinion. However much they may desire the
continuance of the present system of taxing
millions of Catholics for the support of
churches in which but few Protestants wor-
ship, it's worst features are doomed to a speedy
death. The spectacle to which Lord Claren-
don referred, of crowds of Catholics 'kneel-
ing outside hovel, with handsome parish
church close by unattended" should no more
be witnessed, and much as the Tories may
clamor for the close union of Church and
State, the better instincts of the people of
Great Britain revolt from persistence in the
policy of forcing the impoverished followers
of the Papacy to maintain splendid Protestant
temples which they never enter.
The House of Lords must bow to the viii
of the Commons, and the only practical ques-
tions are, how the peers can best maintain
their traditional dignity and how much OF
the substance of power they must surrender
in order to preserve its shadow.
A MODEL LEGISLATURE.