LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE "CLERICAL CONSPIRACY." pro TIM EDITOR OP TER " SPRCTATOR.".1
SIR,—I quite agree with the Spectator of July 18th, that "the demolition of Mr. Parnell's personal ascendency is a result which no reasonable Unionist ought to regret.' All the same, even Parnell's fall would be dearly purchased by the triumph of Irish Clericalism. To understand this, it is necessary to bear clearly in mind what the Roman Catholic Church is in Ireland. It is a close, self-governed. ecclesiastical corporation, from whose government the lay- element is absolutely excluded, and which is entirely in- dependent of the State. its clergy claim supernatural powers in virtue of their ordination, and its prelates have of late boldly insisted that where morals are involved in politics— that is, practically, whenever they choose to assert that this association exists, and it must always more or less exist—they have the right to direct their people to vote according to. episcopal orders. Every parish in Ireland contains two or- more priests, who yield, with rare exceptions, complete- obedience to their Bishops, and enter into electoral struggles- with an ardour and pugnacity which are stimulated by the feeling that their personal prestige, as well as the welfare of their Church, is deeply concerned in the result. The Roman Catholic Church in Ireland is an invperium in imperio, and with a Home-rule Parliament existing, it would be by far the stronger imperiton of the two. No local and subordinate- Parliament could possibly work save as the obedient instru- ment of this powerful and highly organised clerical oligarchy. This Irish Protestants have always seen, but it is a mistake- to suppose that their recognition of it implies approval of either the public or private conduct of Mr. Parnell. You say :- —" The sacerdotal power in Ireland would find it desirable to discourage the influence of anything like Fenian politicians." This surmise is probably correct as regards the- Catholics; but then, sacerdotal government would make Fenians of all the Irish Protestants. "There are hearts- to be lost as well as hearts to be won in Ireland," as- Lord Salisbury once admirably said. A really independent Irish Parliament would probably, after a furious struggle,. reduce the Roman Catholic Church to the subject position it fills in France and Italy; but the feeble and limited" statutory Parliament" designed by Mr. Gladstone would be a mere creature of the priests, and they and a few score venal politicians are the only people in Ireland who would regard it with anything but contempt. It is useful to note that even with all the help the priests can bring him, the followers of Mr. Gladstone in Ireland are now considerably less than one-- half the population.—I am, Sir, &c., AN IRISH UNIONIST.
[We do not see how the Protestant distrust of the Catholic hierarchy bears on the question whether or not the Catholic priests were justified in using their political influence against Mr. Parnell's ascendency. We think they were.—En. Spec- tator.]
Previous page
