New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-14
PARTIES IN GREAT BRITAIN.
EXTRAORDINARY VARIETY OF ISSUES.


WORKINGMEN AND RADICALS.
irRoa THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIDUNE.l
LONDON Jan. 31.-"There renne parties in every
borough exclaimed my friend answer to the
question how thugs looked, and nobody can tell
what the result will be-" He undcTstated the truth
IL not in every borough yet throughout the king
dom more than twice nine can be counted. Parties
may be too large q word 10 apply 20 some OF them,
bat they are parties in intention II not IN fact The
managers of all or nearly all of them issue cir
cnlars appeaIilg TO. constituencies all over
tho kingdom 10 require of candidates specific
pledges to vote for against particular
measures Never was the doctrine of crotchets
pushed so far Some of the questions which the
electors are thus asked to divide are of the very
highest Importance. and an election may well turn
on thcm-muCh better than q mere financial
proposition | am fan from meaning TO speak with
dsrespcct Of such movements as those of the Non
cOnfOnnistS against seCiarian education at the
national expense OF the trades-unions for repeal
Of classegislation or Of some Others in the list. L
should have eiced if Mr. Gladstone bad put some
Of them into his programme. But as he has not, and
each section of independent thinkers is driven TO
act for itself ihe general effect is of general con-
fusion The Liberal party is like army under the
nominal lead Of single geneIal-in-chief. but where
the commanders of divisions and brigades, and even
of regiments and companies arc concerned, they can
best contribute 10 victory by INSTRUMENTATION.
The general has given an order to attack but one
regiment is catechizng its colonel and holding
town meeting to decide whether it would not Dc
better TO march under the lead of an officer from the
other side Here is a whole wing that has stacked
. arms and refuses TO advance unless the general
agrees that the other wing shall enjoy none of the
fruits of victory. The disorder has penetrated the
ranks and the quarres are so many and so minute
shat yOu never know at what moment any part of
che force may not disband OF ga over TO the enemy
The best hope is that at the last moment discipline
may be restored AM loyalty to the flag prove
stronger than every other sentiment.
The following is a list probably incomplete, Of the
associations other bodies taking part in the cleo
ton, aud some brief notice of the principles or
pledges upon the acceptance of which their support
may be obtained. i have made some attempt TO
classify them, but not few are mere guerTillas,
fighting for their own band.
l. The Manchester NOncOnfOrmist Association and
Central Nonconfonnist Committee. gave an ac-
count III my last lettor of their conference at Crews
They in substance urge NOncODfOrmists 10 give no
aid to candidates who will not vote for national
system of unsectarian education and against any
further development of the denOmnatiOnal system.
Among all pending questions this is perhaps the
most prominent or most urgent and of all hesitating
sections of the Liberal party the Nonconformists
that upon the gain or loss of their support depends
the victory or defeat of the Government
q The Liberation Society. which advocates the
Di,establshment of the Church of England and
complete religions equality. 1t publishes lists of
members of the last Parliament who have voted for
and against the Church, and lists upon educational
questions also for here in other cases. different
organizations less cooperate with each other
certain points. Opposed directly to the Liberia
ton Society is:
g. The Church Defense Institution, which appeals
o. all friends of the Church in England and Wales
to take decided stand. irrespective OF party con-
sderatons and to every exertion to return only
such candidates to Parliament will defend the
rights of the Church, her endOwments, and her
claim to teach her own religion in State schools.
Placards and leaflets suitable for distribution and
black lists of votes of members in favor of Mr.. MI
ais motions for Disestablishment may be obtained
at the Office of the association. Then come as aim
ing at ecclesiastical objects more or less related:
T. The Council of the Church Association, wagng
war for The expulsion of Romish doctrine and prac-
,ices from the Church of England. and especially
urging electors to obtain pledges from candidates to
support efficient legislation for the repression of Au
Ticular and Sacramento Confession and Priestly
Absolution Next,
s. The Protestant Alliance for securing the return
of Protestant Representatives to Parliament, and,
6. The United Kingdom Anti-Papal League, which
declares that Papists have violated all the oaths
taken by them in 1929 zone would think most of the
men who took them must be past swearing now,
and have rendered themselves unfit to be members
of free Protestant Parliament This League would
exact from every candidate pledge to vote for the
repeal of the Catholic Emancipation Act, to oppose
granting a Royal charter any endowments to
either of the Universities established by the Popish
Hierarchy in Ireland or in England and to oppose
the paying keeping of Mr. JervOise. or any other
agent OF undellng. as medium of communication
between the Queens Ministers and the dethroned
Pope OF his Hierarchy In justice to the feelings Of
these gentlemen have quoted their own language,
desparing of finding any of my own adequate to the
occasion. Their headquarters are in Edinburgh.
T. The Catholic Union, which insists on candidates
saying yes to every question on which the Anti
Papal League requires no, and rice rersa
S. The National Association, with a central office
at Manchester spending money TO insist that every
candidate should be asked whether he means to
uphold the unjust, unchristian and demOralizing
exclusion of the mass Of the poor from Christian
ordinances by pews pew-rents; or whether he
will not aid in gradually everything in this country
Is TO be done gradually restoring the absolute free
dom of parish churches to all cOmers, rich and poor.
O. The WOrkingmens Lords Day Rest Association,
which earnestly asks the friends of the Sabbath to
oppose the election of everybody who would vote
for opening Museums. &C., on Sundays. Passing from
ecclesiastical tests we may take
10 The United Kingdom Alliance, with its Permis-
ave Bill Shibboleth, summoning the friends Of
morality, education, and religion to crusade
against public houses, spirit vaults, and beer shops
with paupersm and crime flowing from them like