Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-05
THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS IN ENG
LAND

The rejection of the Affirmation bill
"a measure which Gladstone very warmly
advocated-is the defeat of one of his
fondest hopes. This was the bringing of
the Bradlaugh controversy to a close, an
accomplishment made all the more desira-
bic since the decision of Lord Chief JUS
tice Coleridge in the case of Bradlaugh
against Newdegate for maintaining the suit
of Mr. Clarke against Bradlaugh' in regard
to the latter's sitting and voting in the
House of Commons without taking the
oath of allegiance. In his speech to the
House April 26th, Gladstone pointed out
that the Liberals should not be deferred by
temporary losses in contested election
cases from walking in " the path of equity
and Justice" His speech on that occasion
is ranked as among the greatest efforts of
his life. Who shall now undertake to say
it will not be his last That he yesterday
voted against Northcotes motion to refuse
consent to Bradlaugh's request to be per-
mitted to take the oath, may be taken as a
decisive indication of the intention to ten
der his resignation-an intention that the
vote which followed Northcote's motion
would tend to confirm.
1t had been thought at one time that the
High and Low Church parties were coming
more into line with the liberal spirit of the
age, but the evidences were delusive, since
it has developed that both elements have
been aiding the Tories to reject the affirma
ton bill, and keep Mr.. Bradlaugh out Of
the House. It is said some Is. 600 clergy
men and many thousands of their parishion-
ers signed petitions to this end. On the
other hand the Dissenters, saving only the
Wesleyans, have supported Bra6laugh and
desired him TO be seated in the House.
From this it must not be inferred that they
care for the man or uphold his views as to
beliefs or forms in religion. On the con-
trary they hate him. Yet on the llth of
April, it will be remembered, the repre-
sentatives of the leading dissenting bodies
met in London and unanimously passed
resolutions in support of Mr.. Gladstone's
advocacy of the Affirmation Bill" This
puts the Dissenters squarely and consist
emily on record as the friends of liberation
and OF modern progress, and the regular
clergy as plainly on record as opposed to
the liberal spirit of the age. What remains
now is to watch the course of the great
Liberal Premier, the first of England to
constitute and hold together Ministry
formed in lSSO) of widely different polit'
ical affiliations. He may resign at once, or
he may go to the country for support on
the return of a new House. Perhaps as I'VE
write the news comes of the retiracy of the
veteran statesman. As we suggested the
other day, there are physical reasons for his
yielding up the power be now holds, yet he
must deeply deplore the necessity of doing
so as result of parliamentary defeat The
retiracy Of Gladstone, if it comes, although
promoted by the Irish Home Rulers, will,
we prophesy, prove sad blow for them,
and they will find in the more vigorous
measures to be taken cause for regret that
4hey have aided in the ascendancy of
Tozy Ministry. The fifty Irish members,