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MR GLADSTONE ON DISESTABLISHMENT.

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MR GLADSTONE ON DISESTAB- LISHMENT. AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT. Mr Geo, the chaimvin of the Denbighshire County Council, having addressed a lengthy com- munication to Mr Gladstone on the Disestablish- ment of the Church of England in Wales, has received the following reply London, -July 3rd, Dear Sir,—If I rightly understand the purport of your letter, dated June 23rd, which has reached me this morning, you consider, and rightly con- sider, that my speech on Dr. Cameron's motion involved the principle of Welsh Disestablishment; but you think I ought also now to assign to this question a priority in time, as compared with the question of disestablishment in Scotland, especially with reference to expressions used by me iu private conversations at Hawarden. As respects that conversation I conceive no inference can safely be drawn from it, except when it is taken as a whole; and that if taken as a whole, its purport is not to exalt Wales as against Scotland, nor Scot- land as against Wales, but to show that it is impossible at the present period to determine any question of priority either as hot ween them, or as among the various measures to which the Liberal party id pledged. Tt is only when we have come much nearer to the period of action that the come much nearer to the period of action that the order of action can be usefully considered, and this on principles not affecting the present case only, but of universal application to parliamentary questions. "For the sake, moroover, of both Scotland and Wales I deprecate, so far as I may, a discussion which I think not only premature but injurious to both. At any rate, as responsible for my own action, I cannot take part in iI, and firmly believe that in so doing I take the course most likely to expedite a settlement in both countries. ou kindly suggest that by undertaking the Welsh question myself I should open a way to surmounting such executory difficulties as it presents. J have, however, gone great lengths in undertaking, even contingently, to deal, if my health and strength are continued, with the Irish question, which, independently of its own great- ness, disturbs and obstructs all progress whatever. To enter at my time of life into any other engage- ment, or to hold out a prospect of my being likely to take a part iu ulterior controversies would be an act of the highest imprudence, I think also of pre- sumption. But I have no doubt that the particular difficulties to which I referred are capable of being confronted and overcome as soon as a favourable judgment of Parliament shall supply the neces- sary means, and that competent persons will, with- out difficulty, be found to perform whatever work is needful. At the same time I thank you for the favourable opinion which the expression of your wish implies.—I remain, dear sir, your faithful and obedient servant, W. E. GLADSTONE." Let us summarise (says the St. James's Gazette) an interesting exchange of letters between Mr Gee and Mr Gladstone relating to the proposed disestabiish- ment of the Church of England in Wales :— MB GEE TO MB GLADSTONE. JUNE 23. What are you going to do for the Welsh Dis- senters ? We demand an explicit declaration that you will personally lead the movement for dis establishment and diseudowment. And we can't allow poor little Wales to be postponed to gallant old Scotland. No shuffling, if you please." 1\1. GLADSTONE TO MR GEE. July 3. rt B1 ese my soul, Mr Gee, who ever said anything about postponing poor little Wales to gallant old Scotland ? Such a discussion would be highly invidious and, at the present time, very incon- venient. Don't you see that I want all the Scotch votes as well as all the Welsh ones ? No my advancing years prevent me from taking up your cause. Ireland blocks the way. Wait a bit; trust me and you shall see what you shall see."

CHURCH VERSUS DISSENT IN WALES.

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