The annual debate on Disestablishment in Wales came on on
Tuesday night, when Mr. S. Smith, who had been ill, rose from his sick-bed to state the case to the House. As he was aware how very shaky are the amateur statistics which exist of Noncon- formity and Churchmanship in Wales, he, rather unfortu- nately, gave the House what ,he thought more trustworthy statistics of Welsh Nonconformity and Churchmanship in. Liverpool and the United States, which may have been true, but were certainly irrelevant. He alleged confidently, how- ever, that the Church could not honestly claim more than one fourth-part of the people of Wales, and probably not more than one-eighth. On the other hand, it was shown success- fully by the Solicitor-General that Nonconformity cannot possibly claim more than a half ; so that, on the admission of both parties, either a quarter or three-eighths of the people of Wales are of no fixed Church, and should be looked after by the National Establishment. Mr. Dillwyn, who seconded Mr. S. Smith's resolution, admitted frankly the great improvement in the Episcopalian clergy, but main- tained that the Welsh are such keen Nonconformists, that if left to themselves, and set free from " territorial influence," they would be a nation of Nonconformists. We- should have thought that, in Wales at least, resistance to " territorial influence " makes a great many more Noncon- formists, than that influence itself makes Churchmen.
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