Mr. Chamberlain has written a sharp letter on Mr. Glad-
stone's adhesion to the proposal for disestablishing the Welsh and Scotch Churches, which, he says, is so obviously dictated by his desire to receive the support of the Welsh and Scotch Members for his Home-rule proposal, that it can hardly strengthen the cause of Disestablishment in the least, while it will weaken the impression of Mr. Gladstone's moral inde- pendence. That may seem to be hard upon Mr. Gladstone, but as he has formerly protested against treating the Welsh Church separately from the English Church, and has been exceedingly cautious in relation to the Scotch Church. we do not think that this treatment of his rather sudden conversion will really seem prejudiced to the minds of impartial poli- ticians. Indeed, we doubt whether Mr. Gladstone himself would deny that his views with regard to Disestablishment have been very seriously affected by his wish to carry Home- rule.
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