NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1958, 14 August 1869, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

In a very full and brilliant Honse, on June 14th, the Lords commenced their debate on the second reading of the Irish Church Bill. Many of their lordships were laden with bulky petitions against the measure, the Earl of Derby laying 850 of these documents upon the table. Earl Granville moved the second reading of the Bill. His lordship sketched the immediate history of the measure, and gave a general view of its provisions, answering by anticipation some of the objections urged against them. It was not to be feared that because the Irish Church was going to be disestablished, the turn of the English Church would come next. At the same time, while the clergy deplored the estrangement between themselves and the people, they should not forget that their bitter opposition to the present measure, founded as it was on the wishes of the nation, threatened to increase that estrangement. The noble earl concluded, after urging several other arguments in favor of the second reading. The Earl of Harrowby, who moved that the Hill be read a second time that day three months, follow d with the earnestness of a mo t respectabli but narrow-minded man, and the same remark applies to Lords Clarendon and Romilly whospokeon the Liberal side, and the Bishop of Derry made almost a diverting speech against the Bill; Lords Stratford, do Redoliffe, and Carnarvon, urged the reading a second time. His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury pronounced for a second reading a fact of considerable importance, although of less party value than it would have possessed had not Dr Tait been a Liberal. But he has proclaimed his entire disbelief in the voluntary system and declared it to have failed in Scotland and in Canada. His speech was that of most interest on the opening night. On the second night Lord Lytton was to have opened the debate, but Karl Grey insisted on disappointing the crowd of ladies who had come to hear the oration of the brilliant novelist. The Earl, however, made amends with a closely reasoned speech. The trumphs of that night may be adjudged to the Bishops of St David’s (Thirwall) and Peterborough (Magee), the former of whom put forth Jpa old dialectic skill, and overthrew prejudice after prejudice, as a practised wrestler flings the neophytes, and the latter on the other side contended for the Irish Church with such vigor and wit that the galleries broke into applause. Lord Penzance the divorce judge made his maiden speech for divorce of Church and State, and the Duke of Richmond, detesting the Bill, gave frank reasons way it ought to be read a second time. On the 17th, the night’s proceedings were opened by who gave the Bill a most uncompre&using opposition. The final division on tfce second reading gave 363 for the Bill, and 249 against it ; majority, 114. Of the miscellaneous parliamentary topics few require mention. A committee has bd n appointed to inquire into the reasons of the frightful increase of the cost of the Abyssinian war over the est matc. We begun at three a r d a half millions, and paid about eight and a half. Sir S. Northcote exculpates the Indian Government from blame in the matter. The acquisition by the dominion of Canada of the enormous territories of H udson’s Bay has occasioned a debate, and some members have thought if necessary to express fears about the treatment of the IndiiUis there. The Bankruptcy Bill is gett ng on slowly. The public is interested to hear that the bill for the Government acquisition of the telegraphs is ready. Wo learn that some of the bargains with existing interests have been concluded. Reuter’s company, for instance, gets about thre quartets of a million. With the telegraph in Government bands, and with the proposed reduction in the postage of printed

matter, the means of domestic communication will be complete, but we still want ocean postage. A much more important subject than the Irish Church Bill, because a subject of vital interest to all Europe, has been the French General Election. It has been an exceedingly remarkable one, and the result is full, we do not say of disaster, but of menace to Imperialism. One half of France, and the half which contains her intellect, has declared itself hostile to the Government. The members in the Chamber, of course, do not reflect this expression. There are 200 members, of whom 213 are Imperialist, and 77 Opposition. The latter are divided into two parts ; 42 will oppose, but only as the anti ministerialists here do so, with argument, and amendment, and an endeavour to obtain as much as possible by legitimate means. But the remaining 35 call themselves “ Irreconcilables,” they declare war upon the Emperor, and will have nothing at his hands but abdication. The two classes have been elected by Paris, Marseilles, and other great cities, and so fierce has been the feeling in the capital against the Tuileriea that such men as Thiers and Jules Favre were nearly rejected in favor of comparatively unknown, or too well-known men, whose sole recommendation was their hatred of Napo eon. But on tho second ballot there was -some reconsideration, and the tried Liberal were chosen. Then, for nearly a week, ibere were riots in Paris, and much damage was done, besides the incalculably greater damage of frightening away thousands of eojonmers, and. checking trade. But the Parisians themselves had nothing to do with these disturbances, and aided in and rejoiced at their suppression, and cheered the Emperor’s troops as they swept the Boulevard, and sent the canaille flying. Some believe that the riots were permitted, with a subsequent purpose The military were ordered to rhow great forbearance, and though they rode at and charged the insurgents, no blood was shed. Aft> r the evening of the chief 6mmte, the Kmperor, accompanied by the Empress, drove slowly in his ourride along the scene of riot, and was loudly cheer, d. It was said that he was entirely without guards, bur, those who know facts are aware that he is never left unprotected, ard that were there a sign of outrage directed against his person, he would be surrounded by a picked band of determined and well armed men, in plain clothes, who are paid enough to make them very dangerous to assailants. But we believe that the display of Imperial courage did please the Parisians, We now find the Emperor fairly confronted with a real danger, the openly expressed hostility of one half of France, and we must all watch with the utmost interest the course which he will adopt. He may give liberal institutions, he may go to war, he may retrench existing liberties, or he may let things go on as they are. The last alternative may ensure peace for a time, and must ensure the termination of the dynasty when he ceases to reign.