The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-06
GLADSTONE AND THE CHURCH.
WHAT THE PAIL MALL GAZETTE THINKS OF
HIS "ASTI-PAPAL FEVER.


HIS "ANTI-PAPAL FEVER"
From the Pail Nall Gazette Oct %
Mr.. Gladstone is heapng up reasons for hoping that
he will return to power England. Years since,
when yet had declined little from the utmost height
OF his popularity ventured to prophesy that
fallen he would again be Prime Minister, and day
by day he adds hope that the prophecy will come
true. The anti-Papa fever which seized upon him at
the close OF his Ministerial has reached such
degree OF heat not to say OF deirum that he roaly
seems willing TO plunge England into religious war.
Ultramontane forces uitramontane plottinss, which
Prince Bismarck exaggcrates in cold blood and as
matter OF policy, have overmastered Mr. Gladstone's
imagination to degree that would make OF him
dangerous man If he in position Of power.
His essay in the Church Quarterly RecieW offers
the latest exempli6cation OF temper which
would be almost fatal in u strong and popular
Minister. Here, in few passages, he has
contrived to give deep offence to the whole French
people, who will henceforth associate English liberal
ism with Bismarckism, and in whom he has INSPIRED
the justhable dread that il he into pc again
Germany would have in England an ally against them
selves THIS of course, is mischief Already the
French papers have singled out these passages bit
ter observation, and we are told that they have
quoe:-
THAT powerful setting OF the current of human
tive and inclination, which we i'll term fate,
determine France toward another deadly contest with
Germany Tor the hegemony OF the Continent. No
doubt her words, and, what IL more her thoughts
day are those OF peace; but her under thought 10
speak, the embryo Of her mind the future, which
waits for its development and for atmosphere to
live in, is war; war for recovery perhaps, than
for supremacy. When the time OF that terrible
shall arrive, the very instinct OF nature will teach her
TO strengthen herself by association with all
the elements congcnia TO her purpose. Now such
association can hardly arise In the normal shape of
alliance between State and State Under this head she
may possibly reckon, according general appearances
npon the sympathy OF Spain. But a country which
after having so high has sunk low, and which
resembles France at present only ncapacty OF self
government, count Tor little The true ally OF
France will be an ally without a name; 1t Will be the
uitrainontane minority which pervades the
world; which trumphs in Belgium; which
brags IN England; which partly governs and
partly plots III France; which disquets, though with
out strength to alarm, Germany and Austria; which
weaker perhaps IN Italy than in any OF those countrcs
but which everywhere coherent, every whore tena-
cious OF its purpose, everywhere knows its mnd fol-
lows its leaders and bdes its time. This minority
which hates Germany and persecutes Italy. will by
fatal and inevitable attraction be the one fast ally OF
France If France be again tar overmastcred by
her own internal foes to launch again upon wild
OF political ambition Wearing the dishonorabe
and fictitious garb of religious lanatcism"
Surely II is unfortunate for the liberal party in Eng
land that the man who is supposed abroad 10 be
leader who has over them complete mastery should
publish such offensive matter this, from which fana-
tcism has excluded almost all considerations except
those 1t feeds on. The bigotry OF ultramontanism is
blind and reckless indeed; but unfortunately 1t has
not u monopoly of those qualities They flourish ia
every fervid ecclesiastical mind, as Mr. Gladstone
seems bent proving