Mr. Chamberlain presided on Wednesday at a meeting of the
Nonconformist Unionist Association in the Prince's Hall, and justified the connection of the Association with the religions status of Nonconformists, on the express ground that there is a common but erroneous opinion that Mr. Gladstone is supported in his Irish Home-rule policy by an overwhelming majority of the consciences of Nonconformists. In Ireland, the non-Episcopal Churches are all but absolutely unanimous against the policy of establishing a separate Legis- lature in Dublin, and believe that that course would be fatal to the religious liberty and rights of their various denomina- tions; and the disestablished Church of Ireland is on the same side. Mr. Chamberlain dealt very vigorously with Mr. Guinness Rogers's reply to the protests of the Irish non- Episcopal Churches, in which Mr. Guinness Rogers says that the guarantee for the liberty and fair treatment of the Irish Protestants is the supremacy of the Imperial Parliament, with which he maintains that no reasonable man would think for a moment of interfering. The reply is, that in that case not a single member of the Parnellite or Anti-Parnellite Party can be a reasonable man, since every man of them is committed to resist any interference at Westminster with what the Parliament of Dublin may do. Yet Mr. Gladstone can never carry any measure without the full support of Ireland, and in all probability he will concede at once whatever is needed to secure him that support. After Mr. Chamberlain's speech, the Rev. W. MacKean, of Belfast, expressed the dismay with which the Protestants of Ulster regarded the prospect of entrusting their liberties to a Legislature in Dublin.
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