New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-03-22
FOREIGN NEWS.
GREAT BRITAIN.
DEBATE ON MR.. GLADsTONEs IRISH CHURCH
BILL-sPEECH OF JOHN BRIGHT.

DEBATE ON Mr.. GLADsT0NES IRISH CHURCH
BILL-sPEECH OF JOHN BRIGHT.
LONDON, March 2O.-AIr Gladstone's bill 20 put
an end to the establishment of the Church of Ireland
and to make provision in respect of the temperatures
thereof and in respect of the Royal College OF May
nooth,' came up again in the House of Commons
last evening, and was debated at great length.
Sir John Gray (Liberal, the member from kilken-
n.y. regarded the Established Church in Ireland as
a badge of conquest and asserted that it must be
abolished.
Mr.. Edward Mall uiberaD, from Bradford, also
supported the bill in speech of considerable length
and was followed by the Right Hon. Stafford Henry
Northcote in opposition.
John Bright then took the floor and delivered
long and able speech in favor of the measure. The
Established Church of England had the assent of
large majority of the people of England, but the
question was whether that Church was good also for
the people of Ireland. The opponents of this bill had
utterly failed to prove that the opinion of the civil
lied world was hostile to this measure, as had been
stated He reviewed the opinions of statesmen on
the question: and quoted Lord Staney's remark that
ireland was the question of the hour He referred
to the conduct of Lord Mayo while Lord Lieutenant
of Ireland and the position of other Tories to show
that that party had no policy on the Irish question.
The bill now before the House, he continued, was
acceptable to the mass of the people of Ireland Cath
olcs and Protestants well. and was almost univer'
sally approved by the people of England. AS had
been before stated here the Established Church in
Ireland was badge of conquest" Conserve
tives Of the future would view the attitude of the
present Conservatives on this question with surprise
He quoted Cavour's work on Ireland, where that
author shows that the Established Church promotes
disaifection and animOsities in that country, and
the peasantry to be in worse condition than
the slaves of the Antilles, and that the Irish were
continually protesting against il. The speaker then
contrasted the position of tho church in England.
Englands liberties, he said, not secured by the
churches, but by the Puritans and Conformists.
Nations never forget their religious grievances
until the cause is removed. The old policy pur-
sued by England rendered Ireland more ultra
montana than any country in Europe. Catholi-
cism was not only matter of faith, but of
patriotism. for which the Irish were ready to
suffer or die if need be. Since the union disturb
ances have been continual, Professionalism was the
only fire that was destroying everything that good
and noble in Ireland resulting in the absolute disap-
pearance of peace and loyalty. The Irlshmen who
had emigrated to the United States and Australia
were watching anxiousy the result of this great
question. The entire Fenian project was fed and
kept alive by the sympathy of Americans, under the
idea that England did justice to Ireland There
were no literer foes to England in the United States
than the Irishmen. The House was now asked to do
Justice to Ireland not for fear of foreign enemies,
but for the sake Of internal peace andiTanquillity
He contemplated the voluntary system prevail
ing in Scotland, and anticipated the best results to
posterity for Ireland if this bill became law. Mr..
Bright concluded by saving that this measure would
have the approval of the Supreme Being, for it was
founded on principles of mercy and ustice-the atri-
butes Of His glorious reign.