MR. GLADSTONE'S RUSSIAN PROCLIVITIES.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 124, 24 November 1881, Page 3

MR. GLADSTONE'S RUSSIAN PROCLIVITIES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING POST. Sib— Although I much approved your article on the Eastern question and Afghanistan, there is one excuse you omitted to make for Mr. Gladstone for his wellknown Kusßian proclivities, and that is, that he belongs to a small section of the Anglican High Church who entertain the chimerical idea of the union of the Eastern and Western churches, or the Anglican and the Greek, the Emperor of Bussia being the head of the Greek Churoh. The reason given by those who wish for that consummation is that it wonld strengthen the belief in the Apostolio succession, which has never been denied to the Greek Church, although it has to the English Reformed Church. Anyone who ha* read Motley's "Kise of the Dutch Kipublio," Froude's " History of England," or Striokland's " Queens," will ■cc how rpligious crotchets (for they cannot be dignified Dy being called convictions) will sway even the greatest B'atesmon. The "blood-guiltiness," which Mr. Gladstone named the BeaconeGeld Indian and African policy, is likoly to be intensified under his rule, if wo judge of the Eussian advance in Central Asia toward Afghanis tan, and the civil war in the Transvaal, the Dutch being always eevore taskmasters to their dark brethren, and the " 10 little niggers " are likely to be reduced to "0." 'Jhe "bloodguiltiness " in Ireland is also fearfully increased. I am, &c, Anglican. "Wellington, 19th November.