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He encloses a circular addressed by this diocese to the Duke of Wellington and the Bishop of London and relating to statements attributed to them during the debate on his lordship's motion concerning the sees of St Asaph and Bangor. He also encloses copies of letters which have passed between him and them on the point in question [No. MC1/134]. He hopes that what they have done will remove that argument out of his lordship's way. It appears that the present alarming state of South Wales is closely connected with Dissent. These things cannot be thrown away on the present administration but must show them that to weaken the Church in Wales in the present condition of our social state is only another, and not a small, step towards confusion.

He thanks his lordship for a liberal supply of copies of his admirable speech. The St Asaph Clerical Committee will hold a meeting on Dec. 12 to agree upon a form of petition so that he trusts that every parish in North Wales will be prepared by the opening of Parliament. He rejoices to learn that Lady Powis is in communication with the chairman of the different counties with regard to the Lunatic Asylum.

The Clerical Committee of the diocese of St Asaph will hold their first meeting on Tuesday next and he would be glad to receive from his lordship or Lord Clive any suggestions for their guidance. He anticipates success to their petitions if they do not give their opponents an advantage by taking such false steps as may lead them to suppose that they will be satisfied with the revenues without the more important consideration of the preservation of their see. He had an opportunity of opening their campaign at a meeting of their rural deanery in Herefordshire. They added to their petition a strong prayer for the immediate appointment of a bishop to the new see of Manchester, and he believes that it is the intention of the Government to carry that appointment immediately into effect. The insertion of some prayer in their petition would show that such an appointment is not dependent on the suppression of their bishopric. He hopes that Sir William Clive may be able to attend their meeting.

He invites Lord Lyttelton's opinion on the subject of introducing Manchester into Welsh petitions. It is usually best for people to mind their own business. But the case of St Asaph and Bangor is a special one and he is inclined to think that Welshmen will be justified in urging the episcopation of Manchester inasmuch as the Bishop of London and other authorities have said that funds are not the difficulty. This being admitted, they have the additional argument that Wales is not to be sacrificed and its Church is not to be unionised because Sir R. Peel & Co. finds a difficulty in the creation of another ecclesiasical peer. Copy extract.

He considers the address of the Committee at St Asaph to be very valuable and will endeavour to make it further known. He is most anxious that petitions should be prepared from various quarters before the meeting of Parliament. He was glad to hear that all the parishes of North Wales would petition and hopes that petitions will be poured in from counties also for they are very infuential with Governments in general and there cannot be too much public interest and anxiety shown on the subject. He cannot altogether despair of the Bishop of London's abandonment of all opposition if he is strongly pressed by his lordship and others and, if he yields, the Archbishop of Canterbury is more likely to give way. He thinks that their cause stands better in many respects this year than it did last year and it is to be remembered that they have now another bishop who is favourable to it, that is, the Bishop of Lichfield. These things may seem to encourage those who may have been disheartened and indisposed to a second struggle. But the cause is so holy that it must ultimately prevail.

They are already beginning to stir the question of the Welsh dioceses again. The Master of Trinity seemed to think that the sense of the University had been expressed last year and that nothing more was wanted than to recirculate the petition then agreed to. The Master of St Johns, however, is quite for another petition and the Vice-Chancellor (the Master of Peter House) is equally well-disposed towards it. As there seems, therefore, to be some little difference of opinion as to the propriety of a second petition, though none as to that of its object, they, who are in favour of a second petition, propose to strengten the Vice-Chancellor's hands by a well-signed requisition praying him to bring the question before the Heads with a view to submitting it to the Senate. He thinks that they will serve the interests of the cause better by petitioning Parliament only and not the Crown.

In reply to questions from Sir James, his lordship said that they were determined to make another attempt at the repeal of the union of the sees of St Asaph and Bangor, probably in the House of Lords, but that the day had not been fixed. Sir James then proceeded to point out that it was not merely a question of Wales but that it also involved the question of the place of the bishops in the House of Lords. The repeal of the union of the sees involved three alternatives - an additional seat in the House of Lords, or a bishop without a seat in the House of Lords, or the abandonment of the see of Manchester. He added that the establishment of the see of Ripon had been most beneficial to the West Riding of Yorkshire, that he had had some conversation with Sir Robert Peel on the subject, that the subject had received the most dispassionate consideration by the Government, and that it was a difficult question involving intricate points. Sir James then inquired whether the question extended to the repeal of an Order in Council, having the force of an Act of Parliament, to which his lordship answered in the affirmative. He also inquired as to the state of the law regarding the second vacancy. His lordship replied that the law was imperative and that, even if the surviving bishop were willing to take the charge of the other see, the appointment to Manchester could not take place till after the death of the bishops. Sir James also admitted the unanimity of Wales and the voice of the Universities and Churchmen generally.

He encloses a second petition from the clergy of the deanery of Marchia in the diocese of St Asaph. An address from the clergy of the diocese to the Archbishop of Canterbury has been agreed upon and is now in course of signature.

He requests his lordship to direct that any good recent forms of clerical and lay petitions against the union of Bangor and St Asaph may be sent to him for use in his archdeaconry. He ventures to ask whether, as the real objection in the mind of the Archbishop and others seems now to rest solely as to the seat in the House of Lords, there would be any objection to putting forward a proposal that the junior Welsh bishop should not take his seat in the House. The objection to excluding the junior bishop seems obvious. The junior bishop might be the Bishop of London. But probably Wales would gain and none lose by her junior bishop not being called away from his distant diocese.

He is in Anglesey on the same business as his lordship is in Ludlow. He has no doubt that the Committee will print the petition from Oxford. If petitions will carry the point there are plenty. As the Government has had one beating it may have two, and perhaps it will. Many members will find that they can vote against the Government.

He encloses three petitions against the union of the dioceses of St Asaph and Bangor - one from the parish, one from a district in the parish, and one from the clergy of the deaneries of Bromfield and Yale. The members of the Church in general are deeply indebted to his lordship for what he has done on behalf of the Church in North Wales.

He has sent his lordship a petition from the parish against the intended union of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor and begs his lordship to present it to the House of Lords.

He encloses some petitions which he begs his lordship will present to the House of Commons. He has a great many more which he has sent to different members. It is much better to present them separately than all together because it makes much more show in the papers, which is of great importance. He is also sending several to the Lords, which he hopes Lord Powis will present. The one from Malling is the most respectably signed petition he ever saw from that neighbourhood. Every signature is that of a person who understood the petition. So also with all the others, for they did not ask labourers to sign. His lordship will see how numerously the clergy have signed. They are all very unanimous about Maidstone, and very good Catholics.

The Duke of Wellington and the Bishop of London have given permission to print their letters and he hopes that the publication of the 'whole affair' will be of service to the cause of the Church in North Wales. The Duke, however, is evidently under a great misconception and as he might, therefore, found arguments or make observations totally unexpected by his lordship, he thinks he should enclose copies of his letter and his Grace's reply [No. MC2/184]. His Grace imagines that his brief note to him in the original correspondence [No. MC1/134 (f)] is supposed by the Bishop of Gloucester to be a reflection on his character. This is altogether gratuitous and erroneous and probably arises entirely from a hasty perusal and an off-hand answer. His letter to the Bishop of London [No. MC1/134(d)] agreed verbatim with that addressed to his Grace, 'mutatis mutandis'. His lordship's answer [No. MC1/134 (e)] is immaterial; it merely gives permission to print, and is written in the courteous manner of an educated gentleman.

He asks his lordship to present a petition from Meifod against the union of the dioceses. Archdeacon Newcome approves of the suggestion that a deputation of archdeacons should wait on the Archbishop, but Clive and Clough consider that some points of delicacy are involved in the plan. He does not, therefore, think that it will be carried out.

He will be unable to be present at the House of Lords. Redesdale has his proxy. He wishes his vote to be given in favour of the motion.

He has just discovered in time that the Bishop of Clogher has by mistake executed an archbishop's proxy. He has desired that other proxies be forwarded to him forthwith for his execution. The Merchant Tailors' Annual Dinner is fixed for Tuesday, June 11. His lordship will be able to ascertain whether such an incident is likely to be favourable or not. Should his lordship consider it likely that he will lose votes by adhering to the day already fixed he may think it worth while to defer the motion to the following Friday. He suggests Friday because Thursday is named for the second reading of the Brothels Suppression Bill.

He encloses a note for Lord Redesdale, who holds his proxy. He has asked him to make it over to Lord Powis and will be much obliged to his lordship if he will use it against the union of the Welsh bishoprics as he 'should be very sorry to see the Welsh bishoprics medled with'. He is sorry to hear that his uncle still has his attacks but hopes that the warm weather may do him good. They are 'sadly burnt up' though not so much so as in most places. 'Still we farmers are beginning to look very blue.' His mother still continues weak.

He desires his lordship to present an enclosed petition to the House of Lords. MC2/209.

He wrote to Lord Redesdale to desire that his proxy vote be given against the Bill for uniting Bangor and St David's [sic]. Before his letter, however, had reached Lord Redesdale, he received the enclosed from him, and he has, therefore, sent his lordship a proxy vote. He has sent his lordship a small f. prblematicus and two catechisms of Prof. Johnston's in the hope that he may be able to turn his lordship's mind to agriculture.