9 APRIL 1870, Page 2

Mr. Fawcett's motion committing the House of Commons to a

-warm approval of " mixed " academical education in Ireland, and of the policy of Trinity College, Dublin, in asking for power to open its emoluments equally to men of all religious opinions, raised a very warm debate yesterday week, the critical issues of which we have discussed fully in another column. The principal feature of the debate was a very remarkable maiden speech from the junior Member for the University of Dublin, Mr. Plunket, the grandson of the great orator, and one in gifts at least, not unworthy of his descent. As to the political attitude which Mr. Plunket seems to be assuming,—though for an Irish Tory he is very reasonable,— we feel more doubtful. Mr. Plunket, after comparing Mr. Gladstone to Faust and Cardinal Callen to Mephistopheles, was very elo- quent about the wiles of the "gentleman in red," bat it was the scarlet woman he was really inveighing against. He fears her " disastrous" ascendancy and domination in Ireland, which might -be very terrible, no doubt,—but why anticipate ? Why cannot he let it alone ? The restlessness of this suppressed scarlet fever is nob a happy augury for the young orator's statesmanship.