The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-04-13
Tho Gladstone Ministry and the Irish Vote.

4Ao SAo0stVu0 6uO INC 4f1Su Sot0.
The last two weeks have been highly
eventful. The defeat of the Gladstone
Ministry, its resignation, the command OF
the Queen to Mr.. Disraeli to form an Ad-
ministration, his declining to do 30 during
the existence of the present Parliament,
and the recall Of Mr.. Gladstone, are stir
ring events compressed in a few days. A
new and grave chapter of our political
history is manifestly opening. The con-
sidcratiOns which these events suggest are
OF deep Importance in relation to Catholics,
serious, as regards British and Irish opin-
ion, and of great moment as regards Lib
erals aud Conservatives, the disintegra-
ton of the former as political party be-
Ing threatened. Reviewing the address of
Mr.. Gladstone on Introducing the Irish
University Bill, now published by author
ity as a pamphlet, the text of the Bill itself,
the speeches made during the three nights
debate, and the entire public expression of
opinion in the three Kingdoms, we cannot
but see that never was Minister more Ia
mentally mistaken in his estimate of popn-
lar feeling than Mr.. Gladstone has been in
respect to Irish education. 1t is while the
events are yet fresh in the public memory
that these sad mistakes can best be expos
ed with n view to their correction and flu
ture prevention. Direct issue is now join
ed between Catholic Ireland and the Liber-
ais of Great Britain upon the Education
question. Mr.. Gadstone's Government
takes its stand on the secular, mixed, or
united scheme, from the primary school to
the university, as the OILY one which the
State will support OF endow, and declares
that the Cabinets is strongly opposed, main
ly because of tho passing of the Irish
Church Act, to what is called by some de-
nominatiopal, by others concurrent, en-
downeut. Upon this simple issue he intro
duced, framed, and defended his Univer-
sity Bill yet be has been beaten by q ma
jority of three in House in which, by
their presence or by pairing, Gil of the CSC
members recorded their votes.
ltmay however, with great fairness ue
said that it was the merits of the Bill, not
the wider issue between unsectarian and
UNCONVENTIONAL endowment, that were
tested in the late division. We answer
that the majority against the Government
was secured solely through the Irish Cath
Ollie and Liberal vote. representing Catho-
lie constituencies. Whatever political or
party motives may have influenced the Con-
servatives, they had ineligible principles
to support them in their opposition in the
changes made in Trinity College, as well as
to other Objectionable features in the Bill it.
self The English Liberals, with the
exception of eight, including the Non
conformists, to man, and the Scotch Lib.
erals, save two, supported Mr.. Gladstone
the absentees being very few amongst the
British Liberals. Before the Irish Bill was
brought forward, tue relative strength Of
the Ministry and Of the Opposition was sci
down as 800 Liberals against 252 Conser.
vatives, being q majority of eighty sc ven
votes. AT the time of the division only IOS
of the los seats were filed in Ireland Ty.
rome, usually filled by Conservative, be
| ing vacant, and the disfran cbised bOroughl
of Sligo and Cashel-both usually filled by
| Cathoiics-not having been replaced by
others. These I02 seats were thus dis
tributed Liberals - Catholics, thirty.
eight, ProteBtants, twenty six, in all, sixty
four; COuservatives-Cathol seven, nm
qualified, thirty. one, in ell, thirty eight
total lO2. II we now analytic the division
list, We find the Irish vote as follows
Against the Bill, including pairs Liberals
thirty-nine; Conservatives, thirty-six; 70
the Bill, including pairs Liberals, six
tenn; Conservatives, one. Not &C
counted for, Liberals, nine; Conservatives
one. or the sixty-four Liberals, the thir
ty eight Catholics are thus accounted TO
! voted against the Bill, twenty eight
paired against it, one; total, twenty nine
voted for tue Bill, four; paired for it, one
total, five /; absent, four. The four Catho
lies who voted for the Bill were Sir d. Cor
rigaD, Dublin; Sir j. BleDnerhasset, Ga
way; the Ri ht Hon. w. Mousell, Post
master General, Co. Limerick; and Majc
Gavin, City of Limerick. The one Cattle
lie who paired in favor of the Bill was NJ
Heron, Tipperary. The four Catholic at
sentees were Sir G. O'Loghlen. Count
Clare; Mr.. Delahubty, City of WATERFORD
Mr.. Munster, MallOw, absent in America
and Count de la Poer, County Waterfort
absent in Rome. That is, of thirty 81
Catholics at home, twenty nine declare
against, and Eve (includiDg a member
tue GoverDment) for the Bill; while I'll
! two Others were unaccOuDtably absen
The twenty eight Protestant Liberals al
thus accounted for--vOted against the Bill
nine; paired aRainst it, one total, ten
? voted for the Bill, ten paired for it, one
total, sixteen absents nine. The ten WI