New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-25
"regulars" are doubtless doing their sweetest
to coax Tammany into line.
REvJyTSCEYCE or OXFORD.

OF the originators of the Oxford movement
of s33 only two survive. These are Cardinal
Newman ard Sir William Palmer. A passage
of arms between them, although it may be con-
Quoted in the frcDdicst spirit, is an event OF
genuine interest. Sir WIliain Palmer, whose
work on the origin Of the English ritual was one
of the earliest incidents in the Oxford move
ment. has contributed 20 the current number OF
The Contemporary RcricU remarkable paper
on the origin and results of that great revival III
the English Church. In that paper lie asserts
that during the year preceding tie publication
of the Tracts Dr. Newman and Richard llur-
rell Froude. while travelling in Italy, were
anxious to ascertain the terms on which they
could be admitted to communion by the Roman
Church, thinking that some dispcn sation might
be granted which would enable them to COM
municate with Rome without violation OF con-
science They were soon undeceivcd, he adds,
for they learned from Dr. Wseman that they
must accept all the definitions of the Council of
Trent as preliminary. The sequel was that
FrOude became strong Protestant, ana Ills
companion. as is stated in the Apologize re-
turned to England with an impression that he
was predestined to accomplish some great anu
remarkable work for Cod" DIR. Ncwmans
Oxford associates did not know that he was
imbued with this feeling. Nor were they
aware that in company with Froude he had
sought to ascertain the terms on which they
might be admitted to communion with Rome
and had learned that he would have to accept
the DEGREES of the Council of Trent. Sir Will
lam Palmer concludes his reference to this in
cident with the reflection that If be had been
aware of these circumstances at the time, he
could not have co-Operated SO cordially US he
did with tie leader in the Oxford movement
Cardinal Newman in a letter to me Spectator
grimly thanks his associate of half century
ago for publishing this charge in his lifetime
and thus giving him the opportunity of denying
it, He then refers to the passage from phi
vate letter in "Froude's Remains edited Ivy
himself on which ;he accusation is based, and
shows that he added to it foOt-note stating
that the letter was not to be taken literally, be-
inc a testing way of stating to n friend the
simple fact, which was that they had ayailed
themselves of the opportunity of meeting
learned ROmanist in order 10 ascertain the ultl-
mate POINTS at issue between the Churches. I'm
this note Of protest. the Cardinal maintains, he
anticipated Sir William Palmer's present mis-
statement, and has only, therefore, TO repudiate
it again now.
This passage Df arms, slight as it is shows
that anyone who seek to cross swords with
Cardinal Newman will meet the same subtle
Iialectican whom Charles Kingsley and Mr..
Gladstone found so formidable an adversary in
ecclesiastical controversy. Although Sill Will
lam Palmer introduced the incident ostcnsihly
to illustrate DR.. Newman's want of elementary
knowledge of the Roman system and his DISPOSE
ton to form hypothesis upon the most impOr
tant practical subjects. the only inference to he
drawn from his assertion that if he had known
of the negotiations with DR.. Wiseman he would
not have co-operatcd in 1888 with the leader of
the Oxford movement so cordially as ne did,
would be that the lattcrs Angllcani-m was even
then open to suspicion. This inference, we
think is not only at variance with the spirit
aud history Of the Oxford movement, bat Is
Enthusiastically Icfuted by the volume OF
" Froude's Remains from which the incident is
extracted. If that memorial tribute 10 his most
intimate friend served no other purpose, il ind
Gated the gcnuinencss of DR.. Ncwmans faith
in Angliclnism and his uneq IiyOcd opposition To
the Roman Church. The great work which he had
accepted on leaving Italy as what he was predcs
tined to accomplish was work within aud for the
English Church. Neither he nor any Of his ass0c
ate, would admit in ! 1913 that there was any
prospect of their promoting the interests OF Ro
man Catholicism. From the beginning to the end
of the Tracts the authors discldimed having any
Roman sympathcs, and there was nothing to
indicate that they were insincere. The
" Apologize" proves this concusivcly, and even
-, Lal.tad a di.cI.suro Cnuoi. No1lcv's LOT
ters from Dr. Newman published in the Rem
iniscenccs " only tends TO corlifm the impress
sion that the leaders of that movement honestly
believed that Rome Was directly behind them,
not anywhere III front of them.
The truth, however, remains that the only
great work which Dr. Newman was destined to
accomplish WAS that which he succeeded in do
ing before hc seeded from the English Church.
Sir William Palmer keeps well within the range
OF the facts when no asserts that the
Cardinals work during the last forty years
has made no impression on the clergy or
people of England, that its results have been
and Shat while a few hum
dreds of Papal prosclytes are won with diff
Guilty and by the use OF cOntrlvances of all
soris,n " the English Church incrcasrs by hun
drcds of thousands.' Judged by its immediate
results. the work of the second half Of his life |
has been a unsuccessful a his earlier work was |
successfully for a. Sir William Palmer maintains |
the Church of Rome in England has dwindled |
from a third 10 Il seventh of Tie population, |
whereas the Church OF England, awakened by |
the oxford movement to sense of its corporate |
life and reinvigorated in II ind and soul has |
lOurishcd to an unprecedented degree and is |
daily advancing.
PRICES md PRODUCTION
A distinguished ENGLISH economist not long |