, 1873-10-29

doubt that, it it is performed faithfully and
honestly, the Church Will be the gamer in
the end. Still Churchmen smart under
what they regard as a slight, and look
upon this measure as the thin end of the
wedge in the direction of separating the
Church from the State Then there are
the Nonconformjsts, who claim Mr.. Bright
for champion. These are opposed to the
clause dealing with religious teaching.
They contend that the secular teaching
should be given by the Government teach
err at the public expense, and that the de-
nOmlnatlOnal inspection should be proyid-
ed at separate hours and by the voluntary
efforts OF religious organisations. Thus it
will be seen that Mr.. Bright and Mr..
Forster are placed in a position of untagon-
ism, because, if the fcrmer be true to the
hopes of his party, the Objectionable clau-
SEES must b. repealed. The question then
arises, Can these clauses be wiped out
without offence to Mr.. Forster 2 and, if
not, will they be sacrificed at nll4 Mr..
Forster has been Mr. GIadstone's trusty
henchm8n in this matter, and it is hard to
see how he can throw him over. Still he
liuoJ UC llllONu Obtl II lIC IUIiGS Vi JllC
Noncoulurmlsts are to be realised. If we
look to Ireland we find affairs in the same
confused and uncertain state. Home Rule
is the rage there. They do not want sepa-
ration, but desire, in matters of local 60
Vernment, to stand in the relation Of a
colony to the sister kingdom. This feel
ing is very strong, even in Dublin, and
throughout the c%oantry districts it
amount almost to a mania. Nor is this
anything new, for since the days of Emmett
the ruling passion has been a desire for
self-goyemment. Many excellent men
among the middle classes of Dublin and
the leading cities of Ireland hate English
rule, and only abstain upon economic and
social grounds from ~pronouncing against
it. Till very recently the priesthood
made no public demonstration upon home
rule, though it is we'll known that their
influence has not been wanting to prociPi-
tate and help on the movement. Private
", indeed, they have done much to aid it,
and we now find them issuing a public
manifesto in which they declare Home
Rule to be a necessary condition of the
future prosperity Of Ireland. The feeling
against the Government is still further in
tensiGed by its refusal to listen to the
numerous petitions which have been sent
in asking for an amnesty for the Fcnians
still in custody. The Irish Land Bill, too,
is in much disfavOur among the farmers,
who have passed a resolution not to vote
for any candidate who does not pledge
himself to endeavour to abtain a repeal of
the clauses to which they object Add to
all this the dissatisfaction expressed by the
labouring classes at the common law of
conspiracy as laid down by the Judges,
and by the pubIicans and hotel-keepers
at the Licensing Bill, it will be seen that,
come when the next election will, the Co
vernment will go to the country under
exceptionally disadvantageous circumstan-
ces. Still it should be stated that, though
the Conservatives are somewhat lubilant
over their recent successes, the Liberals
have by no means lost confidence, and
are pretty certain, if not sanguine, that
the " peoples William" will pull through.
Then, on the Continent, affairs are scarcely
more promising. If the efforts Of the Flu
sioDists in France should become success