Year: 1870

England have been run through intermineled with
oratortcal threatenings and slaughter.


WAR WITH AMERICA.


This has been one OF the things among others that
have cropped up as among the possibilities. Ex-
tracts were read by more than one honorable gentle
the probability OF sucn an event. but boldly stated
that IT was a eonsummation devoutly to be wished:
Das o us tns oSr as
tne United States and the mother country are
at peace 1t VIII De Impossible 70 eject any.
republic once SevsaGa es she Tvs Suns get en-
pr0ea however, and our opportunity x "a arrive rive
while the hands Of Great Britain are full 70 make
Successful descent upon Ireland" Quotation after
quotation was made to the above edecs, not from
IN Mas :" Ike S powers
Incense OF the press In Ireland. And indeed these


RESTRICTIONS UPON NEWSPAPERS


form one Of the features In the government bill to
which the most strenuous opposition has been Oh
fered Wing. conservative and radical have alike
denounced them, and Mr. Gladstone and his CHIEF
defend them. This, however, he mas done upon The
plea Of the extreme urgency OF the case There are
cuiaton ana inn1ence. Witch oeeny hge nro. Hlo.
mulgatc doctrines that are OF the most treason
able ana seditons character They unite In favor Of
order TO secure that object dlsoyaty TO the Queen
and the OF the whole OF the Protestant
English population. Such violent and innamma-
tory artcles nave necessarily had their effect In IN
creasing agrarian crime, and the government have
az length resolved TO abate the nuisance by stopping
the circulation and selling the type of any news.
paper that lends itself to the PRONUNCIATION OF sucA
opinions. But such power as this, 1t was argued
0y tue opponents Is altogether too great and ar
bitrary to place In the hands OF any constitutional
government. free criticism OF the acts OF the irish
executive will be rendered almost impossible, and
even the higher class journals may be made subject
to the restrictions Of this law. The tories as body
hoping that the embarrassment which is sure To re
SUIT from such an enactment may be turned to their
profit and emolument.


SECRET OF THE DELAY.


Wnlle the Corwin bill has been passing through its
various stages, people are naturally demanding why
the Ministry should have been 80 long in proposing
restrictive measures for the repression or crime ana
outrage In Ireland. For months ana months past


rean as Of Ies gerros ~ very nearly TO
been shot, men have been mutiated by having their
noses cut or, helpless women have been outraged.
SHOPS ana houses have been sacked, aud country
gentlemen have been compelled to 60 about armed
as though they were living in the wllds of Texas.
ment OF the peaceable population has been ascend
ing Ike the smoke Of q great furnace. They have
nonTs Su ana nave stretched out their
alike been pressing the Cabinet to adopt strn.
gent measures but hitherto the agitation has been
all III vain. Government have refused TO move till
civil war seemed almost ar the gates and now their
acts seem more like those OF men in panic than
the cool and deliberate efforts OF statesmen. The
explanation OF their inerGness Is very simple.
Speaking so much as they have done lately regard
ing the surety OF paccation following the destruc-
ton OF the Irish Church and the promise OF o Lana
BILL they naturally very 10th to take any coer
s sep %eS been
to Office with q great flourish Of trumpets They
would crush Protestant ascendancy in Ireland.
They would do for Ireland what no government had
yet aItempted-give her justice and equal laws.
lney would make the sister isle which was the re.
proach OF British civilization It's crown and glory
ana inc land which centuries OF misrule
Would once ka and the
and be credit and security to England.
Naturally enough. with such fanfarronade as this
saltng their ears, and the guarantee Of fair play
which was held out by the presence OF Mr.. John
Bright IN the Cabinet, the extreme section OF the
Irish people looked forward to the qualification OF
their widest desires But as soon as it was ocially
intlmated last winter, through Lord Harrington,
tnat Ina the Ministerial Land b would not in the slight
perty, lawlessness began to increase, and even be-
came more bitter and lmpacable. Well did both
necessary to adopt stringent means to stay the
course or crime; but they hesitated simply because
that their policy OF conciation mad entirely ialled
Month alter month they allowed to elapSe dcluded
n by the hopes that there would be change for the
come alarming In the extreme did they bestir them
selves yes s and acknowledge that their message OF
Ing to lock the stable door when the steed Is sOlcn
ard their warmest friends are dubious as 10 the
result.


THE EDUCATION DIFFICULTY


This matter for the present has been got over, but


fear It s only for the present It Is sure to crop up
again. and when IL does 1t will be found more dtnl-
cult to manage than ever have already informed
you Of Ehe split In the liberal ranks oyer he matter,
The radicals aud fon-conf6fmsts insisted that the
bill should, to all ntents and purposes be secular
one and that the local school boards should not have
the power OF controlling the religious instruction.
This was, OF course, resisted by the tories, who
being strong churchmen, very naturally wished to
have den0minattOnal system, pure and simple,
which would leave religious education almost en-
tircly in the hands or the establishment At ore
time Mr. Gladstone resolved to pass his bill with the
aid OF the opposition; but the demonstrations OF his
more advanced followers became 80 threatening
that ne was forced to succumb. He has cOmprO-
missed the matter by agreeing to withdraw the con-
science clause and to enact that all religious instruc-
tiOn shall be given at separate hours from those OF
the secular education. The radicals are satisfied
and VIII now 60 In for the bill; but the tories have
in their turn been dispeased and are not unlikely to
oppose its further progress.