The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-23
The lrish Ohuroh Bill--rae Revelation
Averted-Thc Cen,prcniss.


The irish OhnrOh Bili-rhe Revolution
Avcrted-The Compromise.
1t appears from our latest news that the
aspect of affairs is considerably changed in
Great Britain. The excitement on the part of
the people on Tuesday and Wednesday had
been quite as intense and quite as alarming as
we had been led to believe. The London
Times yesterday morning reelected the stu
alton when il said that the Ministry had
resolved not to yield, aud that in consequence
the differences between the Lords and Com
mons offered no insupsrable obstacle to the
passing OF tho bill. II is manifest that the
Times was put in possession of the senti-
ments Of the two Houses before 1t went
to press At all events, we now
know that the Lords looked upon the
situation as serious and dreaded the results
that were more than likely to follow from per-
sistent opposition On their part to the ex-
pressed will of the people; and that on Wednes-
day night, at q private meeting, the con-
seryative Pears instructed Lord Cairns to act
as their chief and make peace with the Min
istry. A meeting between Lord Cairns and
Earl Granville was the immediate result. A
compromise, il appears, was agreed upon, and
the presumption now is that the bill will be
accepted by both Houses without further con-
te ntion and passed into law. The tory oppo-
sition yielded gracefully and with dignity.
Lord Cairns conceded that the original date,
1871, named for dsestablishment should be
restored, aud that the Peers would not insist
on amendments merely technical, such as those
relative to curates, ecclesiastical residences
and clerical annuties. In the House Earl
Bandon, with one Irish bishop, protested
against the compromise, but with these excep-
tons the tone was conciliatory and the chances
of collision were looked on as ''tided over
happily.
The crisis for the present is therefore
averted 1t was not our opinion that il would
be otherwise. We remembered the constitu-
tional crisis of 1S3l-2-the only similar
crisis in the history of England for many
generations. The situation then was really
alarming. Government was brought to q
standsilll. The Lords were stubborn, the
Commons were imperious. The Ministry OF
the hour deemed 1t wise to resign. It was
found impossible, however to fill their places
The late ministers were called back but re-
fused again TO take Office until the King had
formally gicen hls consent to create as many
new peers "A should be deemed necessary
to carry the bill through the upper house.
Nt,a 10 AL
course virtually settled the question; for
although matters were not pushed to
this extremity, the fear that they
might be induced the tory lords to absent
themselves in such numbers that the bill was
read a third time and passed without further
trouble. Stubborn as the Lords seemed to be
in the present instance, they were not more
stubborn than they were 10 1872. It was
difficult to see why, if they found ii necessary
TO yield then, they should not find 1t necessary
to yield now. This, however does not fully
state the case Siuce that great crisis the
power OF the Commons has been increased by
two reform bills, the power of the Lords be-
ing in the same proportion diminished.
| Nor should 1t be forgotten that be-
sides the changes brought about in the
interests Of the Commons by the extension Of
the suffrage, the railroad, the telegraph, the
newspaper have all come to the assistance OF
the popular branch of the legislature. Since
| 1872 public opinion has been weightier,
intensified quickened q thousand-fold, and
public opinion is now Enthusiastically against
the Lords and in favor of the Commons. II
was inevitable, therefore, that in such strug-
gle as that which we are now considering, no
matter how protracted, tho popular branch OF
the legislature must win. Resistance on the
part OF the Lords could only have resulted in
larger popular exaotions and deeper bumilis-
| ton 10 the resisting party. 70 via " the long