Mr. Gladstone's letter to Principal Rainy, explaining his position in
relation to the Disestablishment of the Scotch Church, is a very prudent one. No one, however ingenious, would be able to elicit from it more than has long been known concerning Mr. Gladstone's views on that subject. He declares that he has never at any time pledged himself not to raise any given political question, for a given time ; and of course, what he has never done in any case, he is not likely to do in this case. He disapproves equally of using the general organisation of the Liberal party for the purpose of forcing on the issue in ques- tion. He thinks the party ought not to take it up till it has been pronounced upon by the Scotch people in some way that is intelligible and distinct ; but if the Scotch people do give a verdict that is intelligible and distinct, he objects to the farther condition that it must be presented to them, and judged as a "main issue," and not merely as a "side issue." Further, he thinks, with Lord Hartington, that the Conserva- tive authors of the Act of 1874, abolishing patronage in the Scotch Church, were the persons who had done most to force on this agitation. Such was the substance of Mr. Gladstone's letter, which leaves those who consulted the oracle exactly where they were, even in relation to the nuances of his political tone. In the precision of its restatement of the position taken up by Mr. Adam and Lord Hartingtou, the letter is almost a marvel of political delicacy.
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