ESTABLISHED CHURCH IN IRELAND. THE ADDRESS.—PERSONAL EXPLANATION. (Hansard, 25 June 1867)

§ EARL RUSSELL

My Lords, I wish to call attention to a statement made by the noble and learned Lord (Lord Cairns) yesterday, which I told him I should question in the House to-day. The noble and learned Lord said that in a work which I published many years ago I made a statement as to the condition of the Irish Church which might be applicable to those times; and that I had re-published this statement in 1864 without stating in any way, either at the beginning of the volume or in any other part, or even in a note, that this state of things had changed. I felt convinced at the time that such a change had been made. I have since referred to the volume to see if I was right, and I find in it this statement of what took place in 1833:— Another task of equal urgency was to restore tranquillity to Ireland, and suppress the agrarian disturbers of that part of the kingdom. In the year 1833 a severe but temporary measure was passed for that purpose. At the same time, the Irish Church was reformed, the number of bishops reduced, and the Establishment rendered more efficient."—P. lvii.