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also, that in presence of enkindled religious animosities, intimidation and violence would be more rife during the impending contest in November, the government proposed to protect the voter by largely increasing there the number of polling places—a course often adopted among ourselves after any signal riot. Mr. Gladstone and his friends—the champions of the oppressed voter, threw out the measure, sacrificing their credit for consistency to an unscrupulous resolve that the Romish priesthood should have supreme control over the elections, and that Mr. Gladstone's present allies should triumph at any cost and by any means over the Protestant feeling of the country.
The privileges of class influence are a never ending theme of Radical reproach, yet if any class exists the influence of which has been pernicious to every state which has had the misfortune to experience it, Spain or Italy or Ireland—the Romish Priesthood is such. To it is fairly due the ignorance, the squalor, the low condition and disloyalty of the Irish poor. For 700 years according to their own account they have had a preponderating influence, and to their door it must be laid. What good has been accomplished has been due to the counter-persuasion. Yet with this stern fact before them Radical policy tends to augment this pernicious influence, and to rivet the papal chains more firmly. Mr. Angerstein your candidate for West Kent in his address, admits the Irish Church 'has faithfully preached the truth' and resolves to contribute
