The " Conference " of Disestablishers held at Birmingham on
Tuesday,—it is called a "conference," we suppose, because there is not even a semblance of " conferring " on the policy to be adopted, every resolution being cut and dried beforehand,—was successful enough ; nay, apparently,—if we may judge by Mr. Miall's extremely moderate and moderating speech,—a little too successful for success, a little too disposed to put aside all political considera- tions except those of the special end in view. The Conference insisted repeatedly on the want of a rallying-cry for the Liberal party, and was disposed to suggest "Religious Equality and Disestablishment "for the vacant post, forgetting that those who re- commend such a cry to a party, instead of recommending their party to the cry, are doing the very business which Mr. Miall is always and quite rightly denouncing,—subordinating religious duties to political exigencies.
