New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-02-11
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.


ON T1Ia PUBLIC WORSHIP BnL-ADyASrAGE OF
CLEFGYMRN OF THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH OVER
DISSENTING NINIsTERs-NEcEssiTY OF Discs
TABLIsHMENT.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRTBuNZ)
LONDON, jan 26.-Mr. Brights speech last night
ut Birmingham would be thought great speech for
anybody but him. or in any circumstances but tho
present. can judge of it only by report Tor
could not go down to hear Mr. Bright, az l had
meant to. But it is pretty clear from what ssaid III
this mornings papers that the speech has disap-
pointed people The greatest oratorca effort would
not have satisfied expectations. What was wanted
from Mr.. Bright was some practical solution OF tho
difficulties which encompass the Liberal party;
some counsel for it's guidance; new programme;
consOling explanation of its defeat last February
remedy for its internal dissensions; and many other
things beside. remember period in English poll
tics since the organization of the Liberal party when
there was so much encouragement and such stress
of helpessness Men don't know what TO be at.
They looked to Mr.. Bright to tell them, and he has
not told them OF course there are programmes
enough in one sense there are even too MANY. The
trouble is that there is no which mites the dit
ferent sections Of the party There is more differ
ence between them than between one OF these and
the Tory party. They are not even animated by tbe
hope of regaining office or perhaps even by the de-
sire Of it. They would not know what to do with
the power if soma miracle should restore them to
place. Abandoned by Mr.. Gladstone, the moro
thoughtful of the advanced Liberals turn naturally
to Mr.. Bright-to him who, for a quarter OF cen
tury, had supplied the party with ideas. But Dir.
Bright has distinct plan or purpose. lie has not
spoken in public since the general election,
but no refers to it only in an incidental way.
He deplores the retirement of Mr. Gladstone. but has
nlnin 80 "a 9fI
less on the choice of policy which that successor
should follow. His speech Is nearly all devoted TO
discussion of ecclesiastical matters yet it is very far
indeed from being q speech with which TO open q
campaign for establishment.
The truth is, suppose that Mr.. Bright did not
feel equal to the situation He did not think 1t was
for HIN to attempt task for which Mr.. Gladstone
had withdrawn in Encouragement. Yet the 1900
people--or 10000. others cOmpute-who filled the
great hall in which he spoke-must have gone away
feeling that they had listened to great intellectual
effort ito speech which, as an effort Of pure oratory,
was not unworthy of Mr.. BrigIts days OF nnbroken
bealth In truth, it effort III the most pain
full sense of the word. Mr. Bright spoke in circum-
stances of great physical discomfort. lie has been
suffering from nervousness. and from return of his
old throat troubles. 1t was doubtful yesterday
whether he could speak at all. His VIII and his dis
like to send his constituents away empty, triamphed
over his malades
Perhaps am wrong, indeed, in assuming that his
constituents were anxious for advice The leading
man among them is Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, Mayor
of Birmingham o man who VIII be likely TO do
good service when his abilities are assuaged by an
infusion of wisdom, and who may take high place
in the Liberal party when he has learned TO keep
his temper As Mayor he introduced Mr. Bright,
and he made speech in doing it; assuring Dir.
Bright that they were glad to have him as their
representative, there being at present not much TO
be done. Mr.. Chamberlain had told us last week.
in letter to The Examiner, that nothing can DO
done by anybody at prosent--a letter meant a
protest against the leadership Of Mr. Forster and
made remarkable by Mr.. Chambelaih's discovery
that The Daily NeCs supported Mr. Forster because
Mr. Forster had asked its edijCr TO dinner
a piece of provincial ill.manners which only
fails of being impertinent because ii ID so
ludicrously wide of the mark. Mr. Chamber
lain referred in his speech to statement that
Mr.. Bright had received from his constituents
a notice to quit. This statement he credited to
The Daily N0cs, and denounced as exceptionally
incorrect even for that paper. don't know what
may have appeared in that paper. but | do know
that The BrmiRghdm Morning Meas not long ago in
timated in doubtful terms to Mr.. Bright that hc
should either get well or resign. / may add that
to be edited with some regard to the interests Of Sr.
Chamberlain and that those Of Mr. Bright's con-
gtItuents whose impotence was thus expressed arc
supposed to look upon Mr.. Chamberlain as suIta-
BILE successor to him. When the day comes, 10 IL
possible enough that Birmingham may prove kinder
than sheffield and by that time Mi. Chamberiains
character will have mollowed little lie should
remember that il is the most generous wines which
need to be kept longest in bottle. They are not
generous when decanted too soon
Ii is pleasant to see flashes of Mr.. Brights old
playful humor breaking through his speech. Ono
of the first is his description of Mr. DisraePs Cab
met as the twelve gentlemen whose special recon-
mendation is that they never did anything, OF that
if ever they attempted to do anything, it merely
to prevent their opponents from doing anything.
When they first came in he had thought they would
get on pretty well for while If they would keep
off politics. Instead Of which they plunged almost
at once into Ecclesiastical afairs-the most cxcit-
ing and explosive branch of politics. Mr.. Bright
had been in Scotland last July, he remarked, on
the shores of the Pentland Firth, and " it was
much pleasanter atmosphere down there than in tho
House of Commons Though he had TO pick up bis
information from the newspapers, and only got
them twice or thrice week. What they showed
him going on in Westminster was sur
prising picture. The Duke of Richmond-"a
solemn Scotch proprietor, though not Scotch
man. and the Lord Chancellor with his
wig on and his wisdom under it,"-these
two in one House and the Prime Minister IN another
engaged in applying match to every bit OF gun
powder they found in their way" IBIS tonch on
church matters proved the keynote to the speech.
The result of the transfer OF church patronagein
Scotland from the landed propretors 10 the c0ngre
Tho afrOn hoA