ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAILS, BLUFF HARBOR.

Southland Times, Issue 971, 19 June 1868, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAILS, BLUFF HARBOR.

The " Otago " arrived at Bluff Harbor on the 17th. ThVfollbwffigTntelligehce s taken from the " Honie News," and other English papers! ' " : ' ;, / / G-BEAT BEITAIN. Our last despatch, left us, waiting for the great debate on the . Irisfr Church. Mr. Gladstone had given notice of his three resolutions for the. destruction' of that Establishment, and the Government met these by an amendment to the effect that certain changes might; be desirable, but that any proposal for disendbwment ou^ht to come before a .new ParUamen.t. Eour nights of debate followed, and the end was °a double defeat of the Adminiitration by majorities 60 and 56, the first rejecting the amendment, the second • affirming the resolutions. But Mr. Disraeli continues in office. Sedet, et sedebit. ic The House of- Commons, * the i.seitdoomed and moribund House, has declared by these large majorities, 330 > to 270, and 328 to 272, that the time has come for Tudor legislation to be repealed. Into the arguments which.have convinced the Commons, or have enabled * them *o justify themselves for the vote, it is not our intention to go at any length. Nothing new has been.advanced-little has been said, that had not been said much better by SydneySmith, years' ago. Nor, indeed*- was argument the chief motive power. The vote of many members was dpubtlessone. of conviction that justice ,should be done to Ireland, but the vote of many more was one of conviction that justice should be done to the Liberal party, which, though a majority, is out of office. But the: vote is none the.. less, a, great fact. To recur to the illustration we used in March, the whale is . now . harpooned, But his death strugglemay.be a long one and he is far off from the victor's grappleirons and windlass. : . It may be said, however, that this, the most important debate since the Beform Act, and, with that exception, the most important since 1832, was a good debate. There were about 47 speakera,, and about a dozen.of these were men whose delivered sentiments which will be remembered when the hislpry^of; the tijae^h^-b^madejip.. Mr. Gladstone was very temperate, and most elaborate in the pains he took to assure the House that, his idea was the conservation, with the . utmost, tenderneps, of every interest connected with -the Irish Church j nay ■, attention to what could hardly be called interest, as. legitimate expectations.' His more advanced colleagues were, indeed, somewhat cold over this generosity, . and their previous vigourous cheering ceased. He ended with an appeal to Parliament to build up the British empire, with the cement of human concord, an image rather more in the way of the trades' unionists than pf a classical scholar. ■ Lord, fifenlev, said all that he could saffor his amendment, for it was a- difficult thing, to- advocate, especially tor a clear headed man, who knew quite well that he was fighting a hopeless cause, so far as that, campaign went, and who did not mean t6; be excluded from a future arena ty'committing "himself to old-fashioned^ Church and State views, He was called a failure, but he was only that in the, 4 sense in which' a cautious man is a failure when other men are eicited: Lord Cranborn©

made the last speech which he was to deliver in the House of Commons, the sudden death of his father having since sent Mr Pisraeli's bitterest enemy to the Chamber of Peers. The staunch Conservative character of the address may be taken for granted, but he called the Premier a weathercock, and refused to have anything to do with the Government amendment. Mr Hardy made the best speech that was delivered on the Protestant side, did himself good with his party, and even extorted praiße from Mr Bright for his manly Yorkshire address. Mr Bright ended the second night's debate with a most pleasant and persuasive speech, imploring the House to remember how well many denounced measures had worked, and begged the Government not to play the game of the Fenians. Mr Roebuck assailed everybody,

butthough he hated all Establishments, and held no human interest sacred, believed that this move was only a trick of party to remove a Ministry. Mr Henley was jocose, and scarcely delicate in some of his illustrations. General Peel was for no surrender. Mr Lowie cried, in regard to the Church, " Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground ?" On the last night Mr Disraeli said that in the unreasonable event of the resolution being carried, he would not object to go into committee with them on the 27th of April, a declaration to be noted for a reason to appear, and after a good deal of inferior debating, the Premier, in a long speech argued that the house had not been elected to decide this question, that by a repeal of the Union, a vast and violent change was proposed. Tha rights of property were to be violated. Towards the end the Premier, carried away by his feelings, which were somewhat assisted in the task of such carriage by certain

stimulating influences to which it is not pleasant io refer, suddenly declared that there was a conspiracy between High Church Ritualists and Irish Papists to destroy the Union of Church and State, and that while he stood there as the Queen's Minister he would resist the attempt. Mr Gladstone touched ' forbearingly on this charge, but accused the Minister of democracy for contending that the House ought to go to the people on any great question. Parliament ought to do as much as possible to lead its successor in the right way. There was no pretence for saying that the English Church was in any danger, standing as it did upon a totally different basis from that of Ireland. The divisions were then taken, with the result that has been stated. ,-~ We believe that we have noted all the speakers of eminence, and have said enough of their respective points for those who do not care to pursue debates in extenso. ]STo persons had doubted what would be the issue of the division, but the numbers of the majority were somewhat in excess of anticipation. The House at once rose for the Easter holidays. Then, of course, came the tempestuous jubilations of the organs of the victors, and fierce has been the satire poured upon Mr Disraeli for his curious declaration. He has felt it necessary to write a letter to a clergyman, saying that he had no intention to insult r the High Church, which had rendered the greatest services to religion and liberty, but he adheres to his allegation that there has long been a secret compact, which is now an open confederation, between the Ritualists and the Irish Papists. It has been hard work for his best friends to do much for him in defence of this position.

But he hopes to do something by raising the No Popery cry, and will "probably excite a good many country parsons into Protestant wrath, but the question has gone beyond country parsons. It seems to have been thought that this would be a good time to bring forward witnesses to the Christianity of the Premier, so the. " Jewish Chronicle" has admitted that he was nothing, owing to his father's quarrel with his synagogue, until five or six years of age, when Mr Samuel Bogers, the poet and banker, took him to Hackney Church, and persuaded him to be a Christian, which he has been ever since, and the clergyman Mr Disraeli's own parish, Hughenden, testifies to hia attendance at church for 17 years, and to his having as lately as Easter Sunday knelt down to take the sacrament by the side of the humblest people of the place. Thus certificated, the champion of Protestantism is ready for Monday next-. The House met, after the recess, on Monday last, and a very dictatorial leading article in the principal journal pointed out to Mr Disraeli, in the morning, what it would be his duty to say in the afternoon. The instructions were so specific that many persons must, have , wondered, on the following day, to find that the Premier said nothing at all, allowed the House to drop into miscellaneous business, and apparently considered that his above mentioned ap • pointment for the 27th was all that could be expected from him. And thus stands the fray. It is clear that, explanation or none, little more than the necessary business, and the Scotch and Irish Eeform Bills can be got through this year. The story of the Irish Church debate all but exhausts Parlimentary news. The removal of Lord Cranborne to the Peers is a loss to the Commons, though again to the Premier, between whom and Lord Cranborne there is implacable hatred, he being inclined to do for Disraeli what in other days he did for Peel. " I have been attacked in print by one who was my colleague," said Mr Disraeli, in this last debate. "I know not whether he attacked me while he was my colleague." The new Marquis of Salisbury will not find in the House of Lords many enemies worthy of him, but there are a few, and it is possible that the Premier himself may take a coronet, and go up to his old adrersary, though the probabilities are the other way. The marquis is an able man, a scholar, and a statesman of larger views than the generality of peers possess, as he showedduring his term of office as Indian Minister, and it may be believed that he will yet do the State a service. A variety of elections occur,

partly in consequence of the creation of peers, but there is no interest in the men. Pious Sir Morton Peto, continued to hold the sent for Bristol, though, as bankrupt, he could not use it, but a Liberal candidate for that place has at last been found, and piety has now asked for the Chiltern Hundreds. " I knew he wanted some huuuivJs," says one of Jerrold's comedy wirs?, when a similar application is spoken of. Deadlier conflict than that of politics is freely discussed, we might say freely predicted. Prance is now armed to the teeth, and men, including Frenchmen, ask whether shp is going to fight Prussia, and if so, "on what ground.?' The answer in " Hamlet " applies with singular felicity. "On what ground ? Why, here in Denmark." For it is thought that a quarrel may be picked on the old

Schleswig-Holstein affair. There are other causes of war, however, any of which ' will do, if fight is resolved on. But the Emperor continues to assert, or rather bids his Ministers and hid ' Moniteur ' assert, that he has no such intention, that the complete armament of France is the best guarantee for the peace of Europe, that he is about to make parochial roads, which is surely pacific work, and that the aggression shall cooae from without. Emile de Girardin says that words say peace and facts say war. The last crumb of comfort found by the believers in tranquillity is the alleged fact that though ! the military organisation of the Emperor j is in the highest state of development, nothing is going on in the dockyards and naval arsenals. But as Prussia is not a naval Power, there may be less in this than is supposed. However, we will believe in Minerva and her olive until Neptune and his war-horse stand up visibly before us.

We have invaded Ireland, with great success, and all goes down before oar triumphant representatives, the Prince and Princess of "Wales. ; Nothing can exceed the enthusiasm with which the Heir Apparent and his wife have been welcomed by the Irish, high and low. The processions, the races, the ball, the installation, have all been brilliantly successful and the Princess has been a sort of idol for popular worship. A white dove was presented to her on her landing, and the graceful omen has been fulfilled. The cry of the people has been, come and live among us, and they are in earnest. Tet, while the Prince's foot is on the soil, a brutal agrarian murder stains the soil, a young gentleman, a landlord, being shot dead near his own castle, in revenge, it is said, for some eviction. We need hardly add that a Gruelph does not shorten his visit for such a cause. While referring to the Prince of Wales we may note that feelers are being thrown out in reference to an increase of his royal highness's income. At present they have been received in silence, broken only by certain radical growls, but it will not be long before more is heard on the subject. Any such increase will, of course, be opposed, butthere are reasons why it need not seem altogether unreasonable. The expenses of the Heir Apparent are very heavy, and it is good policy to let royalty appear to the best advantage. ■Sir; Roderick Murchison has had the happiness of publishing a letter which shows that the whole story of the Johanna men about the murder of Dr Livingstone was utterly false. The gallant traveller has been making his way northward, and though at one part of the journey he and his company suffered much from hunger,

they arrived where there was plenty ,"and where they soon recruited their strength. An Arab messenger has been carrying about letters from Livingstone for a year, and these are to be read at the next meeting .of the G-eographical Society. Sir Roderick, who would never believe in the death of his friend, declares that we shall soon see him in England^ and though it is perhaps premature to say that any man. is safe so long as he is in the uncivilised part of Africa, we have the comfort of knowing that we have no reason to doubt the safety of this brave and persevering man. The sympathy which Australians feel for noble explorers, in whom the colonies have been rich, will make our readers fully comprehend the sensation with which Livingstone will be received when he once more enters the area of Burlington-house, Piccadilly. The decision of the Court of Arches was given, early in the month, as to the practices of the Kitualists, and they regard it, not unreasonably, as a triumph. At all events it gives them a status, and they are no longer a mere clique of innovators, to be put down a any price, but a section of the Church of England. Their habits receive a slight correction, that is they are not to incense persons or things, nor to elevate the elements. They must not mix water in the wine, publicly, but may do so privately, and there are four ways in which they may evade the rule. And they may have, two candles on tbe altar, and may light them. It need hardly be said tbat they do not appeal against such a decree, but the other side has given notice of its intention to do so.; We hear, also, of proceedings against the Bishop of Salisbury, who is the only one of the Anglican bishops who ayows his belief in the supernatural power and the real presence. "We had hoped not again" to have to note that the persecution of Governor Eyre had been renewed, but the malice, of the philo-niggers is not easily appeased, and a new effort is in hand. The outrageous charge of "murder" has been abandoned, and a summons is asked against Mr Eyre for violation of the Colonial Governors' Act. The magistrate says he has no power to grant it, but has adjourned the application that the Jamaica Committee may hear what the Lord Chief Justice will say to them. The, House of Commons has approved the bill for private executions, and supposing that it finds no difficulty else-

where, we may suppose that the las,t public execution (we have had several, and ruffianism is on the increase) has taken place. A demonstration was made by Mr G-ilpin on the part of those who object to capital punishment altogether, but he could obtain 23 vote 3 only against 127, which latter would have been 627, had it been necessary to call the House. The debate was elevated and rendered remarkable by a speech from Mr Mill, and it is gratifying to see that though he cares more for the applausec of the assemblies that greet Beales, Potter, Mason Jones, and the like than might have been expected from so truly great a man, he can at need draw himself away into the clear atmosphere of the mind which has made his fame. He showed, in a few brief sentences, the necessity of the punishmeut and its mercifulness, and rebuked

I the effeminacy of those who could not ' bear it, yet would substitute a long torture. He urged that there was a danger in our attaching too much value to human life, a course of belief that would prevent meu from imperilling their own lives in noble but dangerous enterprises. When he sat down, it was felt that the question was settled for many a long year to come. He mentioned, by the way, with applause, the punishment of flogging as applied to crimes of violence, and this was_ the , more appropriate, as it has been practically abolished in the I army, by a successful motion of Mr Otway. i President Johnson's trial drags on slowly, but appears to be moving to an assured end, for most of the Republicans were pledged to a hostile verdict whatever the evidence might be. The defence, has been delivered, and it is able, and would be satisfactory, were not the matter one of party. The sentence is one of

course, and it is difficult to know how the President can resist it. The obituary for the month contains, ifl addition to the name of the 2nd Marquis of Salisbury, the name of the Earl of Cardigan. This fiery noble is at length gone to his rest. He fell from his horse, in the country, and died soon afterwards. Town was at once full of anecdotes of his irritability, ignorance, and lavishness, but let it be said, the; c are also stories of some very generous and gentlemanly things. All will be forgotton, but the memory of the Balaklava charge will endure. A lady some years ago a favorite vocalist, Miss Emma Romer (afterwards Mrs Almond), who was perhaps best known as the " Mountain Sylph," in Barnett's opera, but who

was a brilliant pnma donna, and took the whole range of leading parts, has also died, much respected. She was sister-in-law to Mr Mark Lemon, editor of ' Punch.' We have only to add that Art is opening upon us with its usual springtime glories. The Academy will be very full of work by its members. But we are sorry to say that one of the two or three who have genius, declares that the show will do honour to industry rather than to merit. Lord Derby's third exhibition of national portraits is open, and the whole world came to the private view, and few have gone since. Art of another -kind is on trial, Mr Home the spiritualist, being charged with having so worked upon the feelings of a foolish rich old woman called Lyon, as to induce her to to transfer enormous sums of money into his name. Once more our Universities competed on the Thames, and again Oxford was the victor. It seems to us

worthy of consideration whether there is any real equality between these gallant crews, and whether about the only reason yhy they should compete is that both live under institutions called Universities. "While Cambridge did its best and Oxford did not, there was some sport, but as soon as both do all they know, sport ceases, which shows that the conditions must be unfair.