Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-08
ENGLISH POLITICS.
TIE cRuRcH QUESTION UP.

ftfes-
Thy cable 70 the Dispaich.s
IoxpoN. November The Irish
question has for the moment given way
70 a religious question in British poll
tics. Parnell is permitted TO 20 on
arranging his campaign and nominating
bis candidates in Ireland pretty much
As be pleases, while the voters in Eng
land and Scotland are set by the ears
ever the question OF discstablishment.
The Church controversy has become
exceedingly bitter. Ii has been de-
Ecribed as the combat Of the EStAb-
lished Church fighting for life against
the dissenters struggling TO destroy the
State monopoly Of religion" Every
body IN Great Britain has become deeply
interested in the contest. and il is now
thought that the result OF the elections
viii hinge entirely on the Church ques-
ton.
Tie engrossiDg importance in this
campaign Of the question Of disestablish-
ment is due to the prepoDderating IN
fuence Of The radicals in the Liberal
party. At the opening Of the contest
the leaders on both sides acted as IL
they thought that the campaign would
be fought on the question Of foreign
policy. II was soon found. however,
that the Conservatives. having nothing
better TO offer on this issue than
their predecessors in Office, would
soon 20 70 pieces in a political strug-
gle basod on that question, and
the campaign was shifted 70 Irish mat
tiers. On these the Tories got the bet
ter Of the Liberals, and secured q CO.
alition with the Home-Rulers. While |
the Liberals had & chance Of a.iiliation /
with the Psrnellites they comparatively |
ignored the Radicals. The latter. there
fore, opened the campaign on their own
account, and they made a promise TO
work for disestablishment as the most 1
important pledge in their platform.
When Gladstone and his Liberal col
lesgues were aroused by the delec-
tion Of the Parnellites he saw
the necessity Of securing q closer
union with the Radicals. The latter had
raised the issue Of disestablishment TO
such prominence that il could not be
removed from the controversy. Glad
stone was compelled, therefore, in Sc
curing an alliance with the Radicals, to
leave such Radical and Liberal candi-
dates rs were already in nomination free
20 remain sieadfaSt to their pledges.
So many Of these candidates had
pledged themselves to disestablishment
that the Conservatives forced the ques-
ton to and arrAyed themselves uniiedly
in favor Of the Established Church.
They received immense assistance from
the Catholic clergy OF Great Britain.
headed By Cardinal Newman. The |
more prominent British Catholic pre-
lates joined the Conservatives in de-
Tending the Church, taking the ground
that any religion was better than no
religion; that the Established Church
was one Of England's greatest bulwarks
against immortality, and that TO save it
from destruction was moral duty.
This but served to cement the union
between the Catholic Home-Rulers and
Conservatives, and TO make the
whole question one Of prime i'm
portance. The Conservative leaders
were inspired 10 renewed activity,
and they have succeeded in so forcing
the fight that the people Of Great Bri-
tain are tonight thoroughly aroused
and divided on this exciting religious
question, and every clergyman has be-
come for the time a bitterly partisan '
politician on one Of the two sides ;
10 the controversy. The Conserya-
tive Liberals are now doing their Z
utmost to get the question removed
from the canvass. The Liberal associa-
tons arc everywhere attempting TO dis
csrditfrom the programme oftheirparty. 8
1t is more than probable, however, that +.
tactical recognition Of their mistake has
come too late. This statement is not !;
meant 10 convey the idea that the d.
Tories and Psrnellites combined
will beat the Liberals and Radicals in
The number Of candidates that they will :
elect 10 the next Parliament. As mat :
ters stand, the Liberals will probably =
elect the greatest number, but the Tory
party has declared its intention 10 re- !
main in power unless they are defeated
by so large a majority as 10 indicate an
Overwhelming public expression in favor :
)f their retirement. Unless Gladstone :
an succeed in diminishing the ad-
ran,age which the Tories at present >
rave in the religious issue, il will be
iifiioult, if not impossible, for him to
secure a majority large enough in the
lext Parliament TO permit Of his re- II
toration 20 power. The difficulties q
which be has in his way may be seen in Is
he following facts "a
OF the thousand and more Liberal u
sndidates now in the field in Great al
Britain 4s0 are pledged to favor discs a
The constituencies con- 81
esied by these candidates will nearly =
ii insist on their fidelity to the pledge. Al
q Scotland the embarraSsmeniS which ~
ie in the ex-Premier's way are partic- /
ilArly great. Fourteen hundred and AZ
evenly dissenting Scotch clergymen III
ave signed an address TO him declaring e.
hat they look to him TO overthrow the j.
tate Church. On this remarkable
Official address these Scotch min
,ters declare 1.-The time has come
D sever the relations between O.
be Church and the State. in
dissenting Christians have RETAINED n
20 long from making this contest, and fir
Ow insist that the coming Parliament th
,rminate this unjust and injurious fla
Joseph Chamberlain and I'M
il Charles Dixie, Radical leaders, eff
ave privately urged Gladstone to mi
lacate the Scotch voters by promis- on
& to have disestablishment secured A,
II them, if it be their will, leaving VA
le question in England to be settled ID
= future events. There is great deal ar
anxiety 10 know what attitude Glad
one will publicly assume on this ques-
on. lie will speak in Scotland next
eek. The Church defence leagues Of
have arranged TO make -
eat public demonstration in that city 'nl
! The night Of the eI-Premier's arrival CO.