The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-21 00:00:00

MR. GLADSTONE'S COURSE.

A correspondence between Mr. A. A. Rees, a Baptist
minister of Sunderland, and Mr. Gladstone, has just been
published. Mr. Rees wrote a letter in which he urged
that, to be consistent, Mr. Gladstone should not stop at
attemping to disendow the Irish Church. Having shown
that the plea that the Irish Church is the Church of a
minority applied equally to the Church in Wales, Mr.
Rees went on to say: " Permit me to say, further, that in
my deep conviction your ground for upholding the State
Church in England—namely, that it is practically the
Church of the majority—is mere quicksand ; in plain
English, that is not a principle, but an expedient, which
may, and I believe will, undergo an essential change in a
very few years hence, by the continued increase of
Romanish Nonconformists and infidels, in which case, on
your own shewing, the Establishment should cease in Eng-
land. The clergy see their way clearly, and hence their oppo-
sition to you as the virtual antagonist of the Establishment
on this side of the Channel. Their ground for upholding
it is steady—it is a principle ; a false one, I believe, but
still it is a principle—that does not shift with circum-
stances, viz., that the Church of England is the Church of
Christ in these realms, and therefore ought to be sustained
by the Government, whether the majority of the
people adhere to it or not. In conclusion, it is as clear as
light to me, that to build an establishment on your
chosen ground is to build it where it must perpetually
shake, and must at last fall— (I believe that establish-
ments, not el:lnv:hes, will ultimately fall wherever
they may be built)—and that therefore your only consis-
tent, honest, and honourable course is to agitate for the
disestablishment of all Churches whatsoever. One word
more. If establishments are right at all, and if it be
right to disestablish the Irish Church because it is the
Church of the minority, then I don't see how you can
avoid the conclusion shall I call it the reductio ad
absurdum?—that it is right to establish the Irish Romanist
Church because it is the Church of the majority." Mr.
Glaestone, in reply, wrote as follows :—" Penmaenmawr,
August 14, 1868. Sir, I quite admit that you have
stated your views with force and clearness, but I have not
adopted my own course respecting the Irish Church with
so little caftideration as to be prepared to depart from
it.—l am, rev. sir, your faithful servant, W. E. GLAD-
STONE. The Rev. A. A. Rees."

His Majesty the King of Prussia has nominated
Mr. Charles R. Darwin, the eminent naturalist, Sir Charles
Wheatstone, and Monsieur Victor Regnault, of Paris, mem-
bers of the Prussian Order of Merit.

ETRETAT.—This pretty little French watering-
place is just now full of visitors, and amongst them is
Mrs. P. if. Lee (known to the London public as Miss
Neilson), who has been giving dramatic readings at the
casino there.

REMARKABLE VISIT OF WINGED ANTS.—The
COUIT:CI' des Alpes reports a fact of rare occurrence. Enor-
mous quantities of ants, very large, black, and having long
wings, have descended on various localities of Savoy.
Point Beauvoisin and Chambery were literally inundated
by them. Nothing is known ns to whence th .y came, or
whether their appearance is due to some violent storm, or
to a natural migration like that of locusts.

An anecdote is told of a German student in theo-
:ogy, who, after waiting an unconscionable time for admix-
'ion, appeared before the examiner " bearded like pard."
The learned examiner fell back astonished, exclaiming :
" A student in theology with a beard ! " " A beard ! "
cried the student, with an air of equal astonishment,
and, putting his hand up to his face —" bless me, why it
must have grown while I have been waiting in the ante•
room ! "

ROYAL SUPPORT OF ART MUSEUMS.—A corre-
spondence between the Prince of Wales, president of
her Majesty's Commissioners for the Paris Exhibition,
and the Duke of Marlborough, Lord President of the
Council, has recently been laid before Parliament. It
thews that during the Paris Exhibition a conven-
tion was entered into by several princes of the reign-
ing families of Europe, whereby they agreed mutually
to assist the museums of Europe in procuring casts
and copies of national objects for the promotion of art.
The following princes have already signed the conven-
tion :—Great Britain and Ireland : Albert Edward,
Prince of Wales ; Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. Prussia :
Frederick William, Crown Prince of Prussia. Hesse: Louis,
Prince of Hesse. Saxony : Albert, Prince Royal of
Saxony. France: Prince Napoleon (Jerome). Belgium :
Philippe, Comte de Flandre. Russia : the Cesarewitch ;
Nicolas, Due de Leuchtenberg. Sweden and Norway :
Oscar, Prince of Sweden and Norway. Italy : Humbert,
Prince Royal of Italy ; Amadeus, Duke of Aosta.
Austria : Charles Louis, Archduke of Austria ; Itainer,
Archduke of Austria. Denmark: Frederick, Crown Prince
A Denmark.

MEDICAL CANDIDATES FOR PARLIAMENT.—SOIIIO
other additional members of the profession have appeared
in the field. Dr. Humphry Sandwith, 0.13., who was on
the staff of Sir Fenwick Williams during the gallant
defence of Kars in the Crimean war, comes forward as an
advanced Liberal for Marylebone. His high public
standing and the interest he takes in all matters con-
cerning the profession entitle him to very large support
from the numerous medical electors of Marylebone. We
understand that Sir Dominic Corrigan has been requested
to stand for Dublin, but has declined ; he fully intends,
however, coming forward for one of the Irish provincial
boroughs. Mr. Alfred Smee, F.R.S., of London, intends
to try his fortune again as a Conservative at Rochester.
Dr. B. W. Richardson has issued his address as a can-
didate for the representation of the Universities of
Edinturgh and St. Andrews. lie comes forward on inde-
pendent principles. Mr. Mitchell Henry, late assistant-
surgeon at the Middlesex Hospital, comes forward in the
Liberal interest for the representation of Manchester. He
seems likely to be well supported. He was presented with
a requisition, signed, it is said, by 11,000 of the electors of
Manchester, inviting him to become a candidate for the
representation of the city at the next election.--13ritiM
lifajco? Jciurnal,