to say that no effect whatever will be produced on
political action. When the Southwark and Birmingham Bishoprics Bill was before the House—a Bill which, we regret to say, was opposed on the very wrong-headed, and even absurd, ground that, as the Bishops did not put down Ritualism with sufficient rigour, there ought to be no addition to their numbers—Mr. Chamberlain declared that he was not only a Nonconformist, but was, and always had been, in favour of the policy of Disestablishment. It will be curious to see whether, after this declaration, Protectionist Churchmen will refuse to give any support to Mr. Chamberlain and his schemes. In all probability they will not be moved in the least by the announcement, for they will know that the Church is perfectly safe, and that the support thus given by Mr. Chamberlain to the policy of Disestablishment will be entirely inoperative. The other declaration was from Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, who later in the evening, when discussing the Crimes Act, declared that " self-government" was the remedy he would apply to Ireland. If, as we presume is the case, this was meant as a declaration in favour of Home-rule and the establishment of an Irish Parliament, it is just about as important as Mr. Cham- berlain's declaration in favour of the policy of Disestablish- ment.
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