Mr. E. W. Forster on Tuesday took advantage of a
banquet given by the Leeds Cobden Club to declare his views on the subject of the Irish Church. He was for total disestablishment, as a measure of justice to Ireland, and believed that Irish Episcopal- ians could, and would, show that their Church was able to stand by itself. He believed that the Liberals, in bringing forward the question, had accepted a great responsibility ; for if justice were now refused, Ireland would lose all hope ; and he himself, were he an Irishman, should agitate for Repeal, even though Repeal, as he believed, would produce immense evils to both countries. As regarded the party effect of the debates, he thought Mr. Disraeli would not dissolve till he could meet the new constituency, and was willing, for his own part, that he should continue in power until the new Parliament assembled. He had done more for liberalism than Liberals themselves, and though the speaker doubted whether the course pursued last year could be tried again, still he was content " that the present Government should put the last touch to the old chapter," that is, we imagine, com- plete the legislation on Reform.
