The Bee-Hive. — 1872-04-27 (London, England)

APRIL 27, 1872  SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1872.  THE WEEK'S ALARM.  THE Education question'threatens to be the death of the GLADSTONE administration. But if so, the case will be one of suicide. Mr. Etwcur's Bill for the Reform of Trinity College, Dublin, is the apparent occasion. It is divisible into two parts—one repealing all tests as between different denominations of .religionists; the other reconstructing the College (or University, as it is in fact) upon a new basis. To the repeal of the tests Ministers make no objection; but they have their own views on the remainder of the subjectmatter ; and on these views, it is understood,' they will take their stand, and put it to the House of Commons to pronounce, whether, as a Government, they have, or have not, the confidence of Parliament.  On Mr. FAwcErr's going into Committee with his Bill, the Marquis of HARTINGTON, therefore, is to make a motion which will have the effect described.  That stage was to have been reached on Tuesday. night. Instead of this, however, Mr. FA.wcErr said, if the question had been put to him on Friday last, he should have persisted; but if there were any truth in rumours industriously circulated, the measure now occupied an entirely different position, and different from what he ever supposed' it would occupy; and therefore, if the motion of the noble lord was to involve the question of confidence in the Ministry he should consult the House and also the Government as to the time they would like the debate to coma on, Mr. GLADSTONE, observing that no overture had been made to him on the subject, said that he could not give an answer without a few days' notice; but before the rising of the House, the Committee on the motion of Mr. FAwcirrr was fixed for Thursday in this week. The Bill, but for this party movement, was expected to pass the Ciirrunons by a considerable majority; and, under the charge of Lord CAnnts, with the approval of some Conservative Peers, was thought likely to get through the House of Lords with but little opposition. On Monday, however, the Daily News was enabled to make known, that Lord HARTINGTON'S amendment, accompanied by a pledge to 'resist the principle of denominational endowment for educational purposes in Ireland, would be moved as a test of confidence in Ministers. This, of course, put thoughtful Liberals upon mature consideration. To reject Lora HARTINGTOWS amendment would be to turn out a Government avowedly Liberal. Useful legislation would be interrupted, for the sake, at best, of taking up this Session an Irish matter, which might as well, and perhaps better, be disposed of next Session. "Taking up," we say; for what would be likely to become of such a measurt as the Radical PROFESSOR'S in Tory hands? He saw beforehand the real value of his new friends, who, on Tuesday night, instead of enabling him to bring on the Bill, helped to talk on other subjects until it was too late. It is a measure which ought to owe its success to the honest sympathy of right-minded men. The principles involved in it are far too high and sacred to be made subservient to party tactics. We shall rejoice, therefore, to see the Tory intrigue utterly defeated; but we should rejoice rather to hear Mr.