13 DECEMBER 1879, Page 3

The Nonconformist leaders held a conference on Wednesday, at the

Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, to consider their policy in relation to the coming electoral campaign, and came to sober and sensible conclusions. They passed a resolu- tion to the effect that "while the friends of religious equality -ought, at the approaching general election, to regard the dis- placement of the present Government as a matter of primary importance, and to that end may strive to avoid divisions in the ranks of the Liberal party," they are, at the same time, bound to promote their own special end by all means legitimately in their power. This is, of course, perfectly reasonable on their part, and not a conclusion to which the most hearty friend 'of the Established Church can object. When an anti-State- Church politician can secure a majority which a friend of the State Church could not secure, the primary importance of getting rid of the Tory Government should induce even warm friends of the State Church to vote for him. And in like man- ner, when a friend of the State Church could secure a majority which a friend of Disestablishment could not secure, the same urgent necessity should induce even bitter foes of the Establish- ment to vote for a Liberal who cordially supports it.