6 JUNE 1874, Page 2

Mr. Cartwright brought up the O'Keeffe case once more on-

Tuesday, by moving a censure of a somewhat timid and hesitating description on the Irish Board of Education for its general treat- ment of Father O'Keeffe. He was seconded by Lord E. Fitz-- maurice, and supported by Mr. Lyon Playfair, who maintained that in future the managers of the Irish national schools should be appointed with reference to no principle but that of " educational fitness,"—a very unpractical view to take, for what is the good of the " educational fitness " of a manager- whom the parents so much distrust that they regard his educational fitness as moral unfitness ? We should have given Mr. Playfair- credit for taking a statesman's view of the subject, and for not being likely to forget the difference between Ireland and Scotland. Mr. Whitbread carried a considerable portion of the- House with him when he remarked that, as, in point of fact, Father O'Keeffe did not appear a very suitable person for school manager, he was willing to drop the question as to the actual reasons alleged for not reinstating him ; and the Marquis of Hartington giving his support to the present Irish Secretary, Sir Michael Beach, the censure was negatived by a majority of 88 (206 to 118). We have discussed the debate elsewhere. Here we need only say that Mr. Disraeli's attempt to hold a grandiosely defiant tone towards the Irish hierarchy, while practically con- ceding the necessity of consulting Catholic feeling in a Catholic country, was not a success. Mr. Disraeli does not swagger well, though he has studied (unsuccessfully) in Lord Palmerston's school.