The long debate on Mr. Gladstone's first resolution, affirm- ing
the necessity of disestablishing the Irish Church, terminated on Friday morning at 2.30 a.m. in a majority of sixty-five against Government. This is an increase of five on the majority for going into Committee, and would, if the Constitution were not in a state of coma, be fatal to Mr. Disraeli's government. That Government maintains that the Irish Church ought to con- tinue; the House of Commons has formally decreed by a heavy majority that it ought to cease ; consequently, the Government has on a cardinal point of immediate politics lost the confidence of the country, and is bound by all precedents to resign. Mr. Disraeli went on Friday to Osborne, and it is of course within the range of possibility that he may adopt a manly course ; but, aware that he can never be Premier again, he is as likely to try to stick on, announce that he shall dissolve in February, and confine the work of the session to formal business. We hope he will, for we do not want the Liberals to be discredited by the attempt to lead this bad Parliament—the worst we ever had,—but if he does, it must be on the plea that the Constitution is suspended by his Reform Bill. His statement is to be made on Monday night.
