27 JUNE 1868, Page 1

• NEWS OF THE WEEK.

THE debate in the Lords on the second reading of the Suspensory Bill was commenced by Lord Granville in a speech full of his usual easy strength. Besides all the usual arguments against the Irish Church, all put with force as well as pleasantness, he defended Mr. Gladstone from the charge of a sudden conversion by quoting a conversation held with himself early in the Session of 1867, " at a time when we were not aware of the Government's great tenacity of life," in which the Liberal leader declared that he held himself bound in honour to deal with the Irish Church even if the Government broke up on it. He pointed out the invidious position in which Bishops and lay Peers would be placed if the Bill did not pass, being. compelled to exer- cise patronage condemned by the House of Commons ; averred amid silence from the Ministerial benches that Government was about to disestablish the Church in the West Indies—an odd example of the irony of events which might be made more of ;— ware,x1 the Peers by the example of the Reform Bill of the danger of rejecting moderate measures ; recalled to them the success of the measure disestablishing the Church in Canada ; and asked if it was wise to tell the people of Ireland that the obstacle to justice was a House composed of landlords and Protestant prelates. He sat down amidst loud cheers, having succeeded in making the House receive a speech against its own dearest prejudices with a feeling almost of enjoyment,—no usual or easy feat.