A remarkable letter from Mr. Chamberlain was read at a
Unionist meeting in Ruabon on Tuesday. It was dated this day week, and was on the subject of the hopelessness of pursuing farther for the present the great social move- ments of the day, if the General Election should bring back Mr. Gladstone with the great Home-rule Question hanging round his neck and hampering all his movements. During the whole weary discussion which would so be stirred up, "the progress of all other legislation would be stopped, and England, Scotland, and Wales will have to wait outside in the cold, while the unreasonable demands of the Irish people are being attended to." Well, that is true ; and it has been pointed out hundreds and thousands of times. But when Mr. Chamberlain goes on to maintain that " every Welsh Dis- senter who votes for a Gladstonian at the next Election, votes first for the indefinite postponement of Welsh Disestablish- ment," he does make a somewhat original remark ; for it may well be asked what he votes for, as regards Disestablish- ment, if he votes for Lord Salisbury's Government. Mr. Chamberlain appears to think that in that case the Welshman might get his Disestablishment sooner. It is true he is voting for a Government which not only will not give it at once, but thinks it altogether inadmissible. But Mr. Chamberlain's idea appears to be, that when once Home- rale is finally knocked on the head, the Liberals will throw over that heavy load of ballast, and will take in, in its place, their old freight of Liberal measures, in which Disestablishment for Wales may be included.
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