Yesterday week, Mr. Parker Smith's amendment restraining the Irish Legislature
from giving privileges to Irish officials, such as the French officials have acquired under the droit administratif, was defeated by a majority of 42 (272 to 230), after a sharp dispute as to the time taken up respectively by Members of the Government and Members of the Opposi- tion in these debates. On the question that Clause 4, as amended, stand part of the Bill, Mr. Balfour asked Mr. Glad- stone how far the clause would prevent the Irish Legislature from establishing a Roman Catholic College, and assisting the extension of confessedly Roman Catholic schools in Ireland, which Mr. Gladstone, with some hesitation, expressed his opinion that it would not do, since confessedly denominational schools are even now tolerated with a conscience-clause to protect those who do not belong to the denomination. This
answer of Mr. Gladstone's greatly alarmed Mr. Plunliet and others on the Unionist side, who contended that it was now clear that the so-called " protections " for Protestants were perfectly worthless, and were mere dust thrown into the eyes of the Irish minority. The clause, however, as amended, was passed without a division.
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