A hundred years ago From the 'Spectator', 23 May 1868—The
debate on the second reading of the Irish Church Suspen- sory Bill terminated last night in a majority of 54 for Mr. Gladstone, the numbers being 312 for the Bill, and 258 against it. Mr. Disraeli reiterated his well known view as to the importance of keeping up the Irish Church for the sake of supporting the abstract principle of establishments, and he added that its abolition would "dim the splendour of the British Crown." It was not by "managed majori- ties," he said, that you can alter the opinion of the British people, and he believed that the opinion was every day declaring itself on his own side. Mr. Gladstone replied with power and eloquence in a very turbulent and disorderly House, and on the announcement of the division no statement of any kind was made from the Ministerial bench,—so that the periodical crisis due next week will take place, if at all, on the Scotch Reform Bill. _
Previous page
