The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-06
GladstOne's P0sitiO D.
Nom the ". Y. Tribune.

From the N. Y Tribune.
The cable summary of Mr.. Gladstone's pro-
posal to disestablish the Irish Church in the
United Kingdom, though necessarily meagre
in detail, yet supplies digest of the plan
sufficient TO enable those converssnt with the
question to comprehend its scope. That
Church has always been an anomaly. 1t repre-
seDted the property, not the people. 1t was
supported by the land owners against the will
of the tenants OF the SOIL and practically was
missionary church without disciples. Even
within her own body large portion OF her
revenue was held by lay imprOpriators who
did nothing even in appearance for their
annual income. Therefore it was ripe to fall
and the provisions of the bill foresee fresh
organization of religious bodies more suited
to the temper and more eficaoious to the
moral advancement of Ireland than what has
been hitherto miscalled the National Church.
It's funds, amounting to above eighty million
dollars gold, are to be applied one half to
compensation of the interests destroyed by
the action of the bill, and one-half to "the
advantage Of the Irish people, for relief in
cases of unavoidable calamity or suffering'-a
skeleton outline which will be filed up in
detail and thoroughly sifted during its pas
sage through the two houses of Parliament;
and here will be the great battle foretold by
Mr.. Disraeli in his memorable prophecy,
"They will fight over the plunder." Ireland
is pretty equally divided, for, though the
Catholics greatly exceed in numbers, the Pro-
testants hold four-ffths OF the land and nearly
all the trade and industry.
Unfortunately, the feeling has always been
bitterly hostile between the Orangemen and
Roman Catholics, and hitherto the oil thrown
on the troubled waters has only blazed the
fereer. II viii be in the recollection of most
that the education of the south of Ireland was
provided for by the Qaeen's chartering uni
versity, composed of colleges in various cities,
where the instruction is wholly secular. This
satisfied the wants OF the Catholics, and for
some years was acquiesced in by their hier-
arcby; but Of late they have been the object
Of violent attack as Goddess Colleges" on the
part of the bishops and the press of that reli-
gion, without, however, much impairiDg their
numbers or efficiency. A serious difference
arose in Parliament in the commencement of
the session OF 1866 between two of the leading
members Of the British Cabinet the Premier
and the Chancellor of the Exchequer as to a
political compact made with the supporters in
Parliament of the Papal rule in Ireland to
alter the charter in favor of an extended
Council of Management to let in Roman
Catholic bishops in exchange for political sup
port. Neither of these gentlemen has for
gotten the debate, or is likely to lose sight of
the pledges given to the House and to the
nation that no alteration by the Crown should
| be attempted but by and with the advice OF
| Il
attempt that was then made to do 30. Hence
the present appear to the country, and up to
the present time the almost unanimous con-
currepce of politicians, that the day is arrived
for settling the whole question, and the only
difference of statesmen is, as usual, the man
ner in which IL is to be done. This is more
than ordinarily haz irdous ia the face of the
difficulty freely pointed out by Mr.. Gladstone
in his opening remarks on the preamble of the
bill, viz: that in the ascendancy of any one
church in Ireland, bitter feelings on the part Of
the Irish people would never cease. But the
principle that answers 30 we'll in this country,
as il has in every nation and people so blessed
as TO conquer their right to it, is more than
ever applicable to Ireland-civil and religious
liberty. II the union of Church and State has
been productive of evil for centuries Of op-
preston and retaliation, of pains and penal
ties, OF denunciations from altars, Of evictions
and murder, 1t is high time to divorce such
inoopgruous partners; and what Mr.. Disrael
calls confsoatien will only be a disgorging Of
in-gotten and very ill-spent gains. The arm
of the State will be freer on the one hand tC
! foster and protect the institutions for eduoat-
J ing and improving the people, for amelioratine
their present low moral and social oondi
tion, and for placing ON q
! broad and enduring basis schemss o.