The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-21
ENGLISH POLITICS.

Great Britain Thoroughly Stirred Up-The
Outlook for the Gladstone Governments.
Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal
LONDON, May 5.-These are stirring times
in England. My return from the United
States, charged with special commission to
investigate social matters, finds the country
in such furore OF excitement on the COM
manding political questions of the day that
l feel l must turn aside from my special
work for this one occasion, at least, and pre-
sent to your readers brief digest of the is
sues that are just now absorbing popular at
tention. By the small majority of three
votes, with 5S1 members exercising their
privilege, almost full House. Mr.. Glad
stones affirmation bill has just been defeat
ed. This measure was very simple in itself,
but, from the circums tances under which it
was introduced, it assumed in many minds
complicated and even dangerous as
pect. 1t provided that all duly elected
members who objected to taking the
oath should have the option of
affirming their allegiance, provision which
extends at present only to the members of
certain sects of religionists like the Quakers
and Morayians. Such was the BILL and some
OF the leading statesmen of the land men as
eminent for their Christian character as for
their political sagacity, have eloquently
maintained, both in and out of Parliament,
that there was nothing in it antagonistic
either to wise government or to true re-
ligion; that indeed the best interests of both
church and state demanded the passage of
such measure. Behind the bill stood the
government, with man at its head whose
popularity with the masses has earned for
him the soubriquet of "the Peoples Will
liam,'' and whose devotion to Christianity
has won him foremost place in the ranks of
its modern defenders. That the affirmation
bill should have failed with such
backing will be mex xplicable to those
not familiar with the English character;
but to those on the ground who comprehend
the situation, the wonder rather is that it
came so near adoption. The truth of the
matter is that the masses of the people were
opposed to this measure, and the more it
was discussed the more their opposition took
form and substance. That the bill was in
advance of public sentiment Mr.. Gladstone
candidly admitted in his mastery speech,
last week. The fact was also clearly shown
against its passage, as compared with the few
presented in Its favor. In the indi ference OF
members to the speeches on the last night OF
the debate, contrasted with the grand STAN
pede when the division was ordered, there
is something peculiarly British and almost
comical. When members of Parliament
have made UP their minds that they don't
air air. his eloquence they y'0"lr1sH'ea have
very decided way of putting their contempt
into effect They either, in such a case,
drown the speakers voice with boisterous
protestations, or they retire from the cham
Der. On this occasion they pursued the lat
ter course, most OF the speakers having to ad-
dress beggarly array of empty benches, and
one being so unfortunate even as to have to
begin his speech with no one on the floor of
the House but the presiding officer and him
self, with not more than a dozen members
present at any time during its delivery. But
the Indifference OF honorable members at
this stage of the debate must not be regarded
as any index of the feelings of the people, for
while the House" was empty, the galleries
were packed and everywhere throughout
the country the populace was on the qui
vive for the result. The religious de-
nominations, l feel tolerably certain, were
placed in false light in the discussions 1t
was contended that they mostly favored the
bill, but this was not shown by any activity
on their part in presenting menori ais for its
passage, and the only thing giving color to
this assumption was the fact that some of the
leading members of these bodies had commit
ted themselves to the measure. But that these
were in advance of the sentiments of the
bulk of the religious people of the realm
would be admitted to-day doubt not, by
those who were interested before the vote in
making 1t appear otherwise. And here we
are brought face to face with the true ex-.
planation OF the bills defeat. 1t was killed
by the ingrained and obstinate righteousness
of the English people. They saw Bradlaugh
and atheism in it. 1t looked too much to
them like opening the door
of Parliament to the principles
of the secularist. The religious sentiment
amounts almost to an instinct with the
people of England. The present generation
inherit love for religious forms from
ancestors who for more than two centuries
have fought the battle of Professionalism,
hatred of infidelity being now as much
part of their nature as their well-known
pugnacity and love of beef and beer. Twas
vain for Mr.. Gladstone or any one else to
raise the cry of Justice; it appeared to them
as though God was about to be set aside and
while they love justice they love their
church more. Equally futile was the as
surance, oft repeated by representatives of
the government that the bill was not in
tended for the relief of Mr.. Bradlaugh; for
while they knew that that gentleman,
though disbeleving in God, was now per-
nectly willing, and even anxious, to take
an oath whose binding force consisted
solely in recognition of God,
they still were well aware that the Bradlaugh
case was the cause of the introduction of the
bill, and that if the affirmation door were
opened he would be the first to walk in
thereat. Therefore they protested, and their
proteslatlons prevailed. Had the bill come
to a vote before the voice of the country had
made itself heard, there is little doubt that,
being government measure and one which
lanLl 1lsal.