The Duke of Argyllsaid, having more fully considered the circumstances which had taken place with regard to the rev. Mr. Candlish, he could not but express his great regret that the noble Marquess opposite should have found himself obliged to act with regard to him as he had done, and this opinion was founded upon his conviction that the rev. Mr. Candlish had broken no law in having disregarded the interdict of the Court of Session, forbidding him to exercise his purely spiritual functions in any place he might think proper. The competency of these interdicts of the Court of Session he entirely denied. The constitution of the Scottish Church, confirmed by the Act of Union, was entire liberty to the ministers of the church to exercise their spiritual functions wherever they chose, and the interdict 452 appeared to him to be an incompetent attempt to deprive them of their liberty; and he more particularly regretted that Mr. Candlish should have lost his appointment, as thereby Scotland had been deprived of the services of one so peculiarly fitted for the duties of the situation that had been intended for him. As this question would shortly be brought before their Lordships for decision, he would not say more upon the subject at present.
The Marquess of Normanbyunderstood the noble Duke to express his regret at the course which had been adopted with regard to the rev. Mr. Candlish, and the reason which he had assigned for this opinion was, that that gentleman had not violated the law. He would not now enter into a consideration of that question, ft would be highly improper that he should, as there was a legal inquiry into the circumstances at present going on. He thought that the fairest course to pursue would be, to say nothing until the report upon that inquiry was laid before their Lordships.
§ Subject at an end.