New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-21


bury He thus described his first visit to DisraeD:
The servant announced me as archbishop OF Cante IT.
bury which said af ed h n was n aSS ny ot he had
hoped keep the matter secret tll all MS appoinI
mcnts ready Then he mnnsIed me ON eoS
that those now so called did not follow Panlus lie
spoke at large Of his desire to rally Church parry
ualsm should unite all other sections Of tho Church,
and alluded TO his Church appointments as aiming al
Leighton myself Jackson He @ ,s to su SISmq
Church discipline bill but dePTeSoaa tbat 6eh~r in
Office or out, he had large Church party stalea
views shortly, and we separata nave on Ia seen
him once since Witmh very shorV O'no ITO AAh ~
signed Office
Dsraeli was succeeded by Mr.. Gladstone, who came
into power with mandate" TO disestabsh tho lrish
Church. And here began the greatest epoch in the
life OF Dr. TAFT In less than three months after his
translation he was in the thick OF the fight not 50
much as combaant, but the trusted counsellor OF
the Queen Here are some passages from the Queens
first letter TO him:
The Queen must write few lines to the Archbishop
Of Canterbury on the subject Of the Ish Church we e
Mr. Gladstone, who shows the most conclfaiory dls
position He TO be really moderate In his views
and anxious far Us he can properly ana coSSteny
do So to meet the objections of those who would nan
e R bis s l5se cnTS s anxco meet the
bishop The Archbishop had best now com
muneate with MIR. Gladstone drect as to when he can
see him.
most dangerous crisis arose when the Disestab'
lshmcnt bill reached the House Of Lords. conflict
between the two houses seemed imminent, the results
OF which might be exceedingly dangerous to the coun
try No one forcsaw the consequences Of such con
ct more clearly than the Queen, and the following
letter from her to the Archbishop exhibits Mt once her
provision on this question and her practical good
sense:
Balmoral, June T. 1860.
My Dear Lord Archbishop: l write to your Giace
from your former communication with Her Majesty on
the subject Of the great anxiety which the question ION
Of the Irish Church causes her. and VIII thcfeioS not
wonder ut the desire TO learn what your Grace thnRs
Sf the OF the 4G 6s 6 Of ors Of the b
which has just been sent up from the House OF Coih
MIR. Gladstone is not ignorant Indeed the Queen s:n
has never concealed her feelings on the sbiecQ how
deeply Her Majesty dcpores the necessity under ~n
he conceived himself to lie of raising the queuon rs
he has DONE or OF the apprehensions. Of which she
cannot divest herself as to the possible @
prchensons Ter Majesty IS bound 10 say, stu exist
in full force. But considering the cTcum t1ces e be
which the measure has come to the House OF LoTs Inc
Queen cannot regard without the greatest ar, 1o
probable effect of its absolute rejection IN tai and
steady majority through House Of Commons cn0,e1
expressly to speak the feeling OF the country ,s on amy
question, there seems no reason to believe thaE any
fresh appeal to the people could lead to dLIeit th
The reT DG OF opT the se g 10 bDr the two
houses into collision and + proong dahgerquSd agl
taton Of the subject While 1t woua iGe neosprc
80 modified 10 remove or at least TO mlugatc, uo
fears Of those who are sonscenonsy oppUseu 90 so
committee TO amend the bin so as to make the measure
less Objectionable ,,.. 5000.
The Queen well knows how anxious your Grace must
be to assist bringing about settlement OF the 4ues
tonf not altogether snch as you would have desired
at least the best possible under the crcunslaise1;
quenty glad to hear though she knows not whether 1t
was on very good authority that the leaders OF the
opposition disposed to advise acqucscencc IN me
second reading rather than incur the greater dangers
to which have alluded. In the hope OF being able I'm
9fd 1o se TS es SHE hs ana vim be- used
on the side OF prudence and M clad eh 70 ra.e
any communication which you may think II desirable
Graces very faithful servant, c. GREY
Still another letter from the Queen exhibits the same
statesmanlike spirit:
The Queen thanks the Archbishop very much for his
letter. She is sensible Of the prudence. and at
the time the anxiety for the welfare Of the Irish
Establishment, which the Archbishop has manifested
In HIS conduct throughout the debates and she will be
at his suggestion lead to the settlement OF the question
but effect this, concessions. the Queen believes will
saw that she cannot view without alarm the possible
consequences of another Of agitation on the Irish
Church and she would ask the Archbishop seriously
to consider IN the concessions TO which the Gov
eminent may agree should not far as he may him
self WISH whether the pOstponement OF the settlement
for another year would not be likely 10 result In
rather that in better terms for the Church. The
Ouren trusts therefore that the Archbishop will him
self consider and rs far he can endeavOr To induce
Others to consider any concessions that may be offered
by The House Of Commons in the most conciliatory
spirit
The impending conflict happily avoided and
rs we know this result was largely due TO the deli
cate tact and diplomatic skin Of Archbishop TAFT who
amply INDICATED The Judgment Of the Queen In nvo-
Ing his good Offices.
The peacelovng and peacemaking character Of
Dr. TAFT was apparent even to those who most
opposed 70 his views. Though acting from a sense Of
duty. he largely responsible for the Public Worship
Regulation Act bitterly denounced by the Rituasts
engine of persecution, he was always reluctant
TO authorize a prosecution under that law And
almost The last act of his life was TO put end to
long and unscemly scandal by inducing the late Father
MackOnochie-whO, by the way, was also a Scotch
mantO resign the incumbency of ST. Adams, H0lbOrn.
As we have said, there have been greater Arch
bishops of Canterbury than Archibald Campbell TAFT,
but few useful. From the beginning the close
of his he devoted al his energy. which
great, and all his ability, which was by no means
small, TO the service Of the Church which he loved
and which he honOred by life of simple pety and
loyal faith Certainly the English Establishment has
good reason TO honor his memory for he did more
than any other in his generation TO postpone the
faeful day when the Establishment shall be thing
ho