Later in the evening there was a curious collision in
Committee between the Bishops of Lichfield and Oxford. The Bishop of Lichfield (Dr. Selwyn), led away by Mr. Disraeli's ingenious Paradox that the Roman Catholic religion is already "estab- lished" in Ireland, because it leans upon a foreign potentate, argued for the omission of Clause 2, which disestablishes the Church in Ireland, on the ground that when disestablished it can- not be on an equality with the Roman Catholic Church, which will still be established in the sense of leaning on Rome. For some reason or other, this paradox,—no doubt in itself flimsy enough, —excited great wrath in the breast of the Bishop of Oxford. He came down upon his right reverend brother with astonishing warmth. If Dr. Selwyn had meant it for a protest, he might have chosen, said Dr. Wilberforce, a better form of protesting ; if intended for an argument, it was an entirely fallacious one. He was "lost in astonishment" at hearing that the Roman Catholic Church is at present the Established Church of England, Ireland, and Scotland alike. To say that the disestablishment of the Protestant Church would leave the Roman Catholic Church the only established church in Ireland, was "nothing more than a play upon words, and trifling with their Lordships." No doubt ; but 'why this specially holy zeal against it ? It was Mr. Disraeli's pet argument, and only modestly endorsed by Dr. Selwyn. If Mr. Disraeli had remained Prime Minister, would it have seemed quite so contemptible to Dr. Wilberforce? Might it not have then seemed to Dr. Wilberforce "trifling with their Lordships" to assert anything else ?
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