NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Tr HE political event of a very dull week has been the pub- lication of Sir Roundel' Palmer's speech to the electors of Richmond upon the Irish Church. We have analyzed it else- where, but we may describe it in brief as a proposal to disestablish without disendowing. Sir Roundell makes mincemeat of most of the objections to Mr. Gladstone's plan, derides the argument from the Treaty of Union, declares that the Coronation Oath cannot bind the Sovereign to oppose her people, denies the obligation of every State to announce and support its creed, characterizes most of the talk about the supremacy of the Crown as "nonsense," but is firm on the pounds, shillings, and pence. Tithe " belongs " to the Trish Church, and ought not to be taken away until it has been "forfeited," a word used, we imagine, in its strictest legal sense. To take it away is "confiscation." The entire speech is that of a lawyer, and a very Conservative lawyer too, who is friendly to Mr. Gladstone, and wishes to be just to all men, unless, indeed, they happen to be Catholic payers of tithe. Its main effect will be to make Liberals question whether it is wise to give the Irish Church anything beyond the grants made by private individuals, lest they should be admitting the claim of a Cor- poration to property " belonging " to the State.
