4 JULY 1868, Page 1

The division of the Lords on the Irish Church Suspensory

Bill took place at 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning, and showed a majority of nearly two to one against it,—contents, 97; non-contents, 192. All the Catholic„Peers present voted for the Bill,—Conservatives, as in the awe of Lord Denbigh, included,—but Lord Arundell of Wardour stayed away. Twenty-one prelates voted against the Bill, including, of course, the three Archbishops of Canterbury, York, and Armagh, fifteen English Bishops, and three Irish Bishops (Killaloe, Kilmore, and Meath). No Irish Bishop who was entitled to vote was absent ; but nine English Bishops were absent, and none of them paired against the Bill. The Bishop of Exeter is too old and infirm to be present, the Bishop of Peter- borough is very ill, and the Bishop of Winchester probably, still too weak to attend. There may be others perhaps too old, as the Bishop of Chichester, and possibly of Bath and Wells (Lord Auckland). But the Bishops of St. David's (Dr. Thirlwall), of Chester (Dr. Jacobson), of Norwich (Dr. Pelham), were, pro- bably, absent from design. It is a disappointment to us that the first of these did not add to the many great services be has done the Church by voting and speaking in favour of the Bill.