MR. CROSS'S SPEECH ON THE BURIALS QUESTION.
(TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")
SIR,—The recent debate in the House of Lords on Lord Gran- ville's resolution, and the result of the deliberations of the Bishops in the Upper House of Convocation, leave no doubt as to the issue of the much-vexed Burial question. There can be no doubt now that generosity will prevail.
It is, perhaps, not too much to hope that the next time they assemble together, the Clergy of the Lower House will have the magnanimity to bring themselves into harmony with the spirit of the Upper.
The object of this little letter is to show that the spirit of the Home Secretary—the champion formally of the status quo—is on the side of generosity, as manifested in his able speech upon the question, which has been published as a separate pamphlet, and may easily be referred to.
The state of things which prevails in Ireland was brought for- ward by the advocates of concession as a reason in favour of Mr. Osborne Morgan's Bill. Mr. Cross endeavoured to turn the tables by a reply to this effect :—" In Ireland, the law had to be changed, in order to be brought into harmony with the generous feelings of the clergy and people ; but in England, the very reverse senti- ments prevail, and therefore the law ought to remain as it is." He distinctly eulogised the feeling in Ireland, which led to a change in the law, as generous. The inference is, that he would approve of an assimilation of sentiment in England on this subject to that in Ireland, and then there would be no difficulty as to a change in law.
When the formal champion of the " No-surrender " party is in spirit on the side of generous concession, can there be a doubt as
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