The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-01-28 00:00:00

MR. GLADSTONE AND THE POPE.

The following ccmspondence has been sent for
publication
2, Pall Mall Emit, London, S.W., Jan :.8, 1871.

.81e—it cannot but be known to yen that the letter,
dated Itowning-,trees, Nov. 30, lr7o, addressed by you teethe
Lend of lier 111-I..sty's Government, to Mn. 1,/eitac• in reply
to the Stradbally Memorial, has been the subject of anxious
Inquiry among a large scctiou of the Liberal party.
This anxiety bronght together a private meeting on two
see t rat occasions, principally of the Political friend. and
supporters of an Govern trims, to consider their du,y In res-
pect to the letter, al hen, after much dhcassion, it was deemed
most fair to the Ocverument, and respectful to you, to seek
In the first place an ixplanatiou front yourse4, as thereby
their fears might be allayed, istil any further action be ren-
dered unnecessary.
• • •

The gentlemen assembled were gratified to learn from
your letter that • II er Majesty's Government have not in.or
feral, nor do they propose now to interfere, with the
civil G.iverrment of the city of Rome or the surrounding
country.'
From a British Government, whether Conservative or
Liberal, they wild expect to other decision, than that Italy,
including hi r nationia capital, should be free to carry out its
own civil and political emir gi-ments without interference or
dictation from any foreign Government, whether Romau
Catholic or Prokstant.
-

'lb, passage In your letter which has excited their bare,
and of which they wanid seek some inaccurate interpreta-
tion, is (butte which ion state ' Her Majesty's Government
consider all that relates to the ad, quate support of the
dignity of (too Pope, and to his personel freedom and inde•
pendence In the discharge of Ids spiritual functions, to be
legitimate matter for (heir notice.'
"The nature of that ' notice' would appear to be indi-
cated by your subsequent statement that 'the Government
had already made provision which we uld have tended to
ord every recesaary protection to the perton of the
Sovereign Pontiff."
"it cannot be necessary to remind Her Majesty's Govern-
ment that it was not against the Lobe at a Temporal Sove-
reign, but as a ' s.,vereign Pontiff,' claiming to discharge
within the realm spiritual functions.' which, in his case,
means the exercise of an absolute and iniallible juriseic,
tine, that the legislation of the Parliament of Hegland la the
days of the Reformation was directed. The notice then
taken of the Pope's spiritual functions was to prohibit their
exercise and from these times to the preient their exer-
cise, so far as the Government Is concerned, has been simply
Ignored.
"Now, had her liejesty's Government placed a frigate at
the ailspoeal of the Pope. as an aged and feeble temporal
Sovereign, re Jac ,sod by his pec pie settle representative of an
effete and oppressive pont hal system, no lint m would have
harshly condi rimed them, however he aught have regarded
the charitable i thee as belonging to sonie Chathollc rather
than to a Protestant Power.M etch less would any Liberal have
wished that Her Majeity's Government should have placed
Impediment In the cup of the freest intercourse between the
Pope and the members of his Church toiler Majesty e domi-
nions.
" lint when the Government, stepping far beyond the
province if charity to a dethroned Monarch, or the require.
meets of religious liberty for our Roman Catholic fellow-
subjects, announce that they have taken steps to afford pro-
tection to the person of the Pope at 'Sovereign Pontiff,' and
that ' they consider ail that relates to the ads waste support
of his dignity, end to Ms personal freedom and independence
lathe discharge of his spiritual functions to be leglttmaie
matter for their notice,' It becomes all riff sh subjecte to ask
whither the Papal jerladictien, the essence by the ad neission
•of the Syllabus of all si !ritual tyranny, the deadly foe of all
!Inghauuj and political freedom, is not only to be submitted
to In the case of the Poman Catholics as an Inevitable
neccesity, but to be male the object of the watchful and
entering care of the British government?
"The gentlemen assembled cannot believe that this policy
Is desigued tote Inaugurated by her elajesty's GoVernMent
but as the existence of tome such policy seems to be the
natural, and almost the necessary, conclusion to be drawn
' from your letter, they most respectfully ask for an expiate!,
lion as may enable them still to continue to be the sup.
porters of the present Government.
We have the honnur to be. on the part of the meeting,
" Your obedient aervrinia
A g INSAInn,
THOMAS CHAMBERS.
"To the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P."

Subsequent to the transmission nf the rthove letter,
and after an interview between Mr. Gladstone and
Mr. Kienaird and Mr. T. Chniabers, there was the
allowing c ,rteTondence :
" 2, Pall 3lall Tag, Jan. 19, 1671.
" My dear Giadstone,—With refereedr to our interviews
shout your letter to Mr. Deese, am 1 right in distinctly
understanding from yon, that the expressions need by you
werein so wise intended to pledge the Government to do
anything to mix Itself up in any manner a ith the Pope's
epiritual power, but were merely designed to rupees! their
readiness, should any restraint be placed upon hie person
and personal ants I y the civil power, contra, y to the prin-
ciple. of complete civil and religious liberty, to represent
this personal grievance to the Italian Government, calicoa ly
barring in mind that so many millions 01 Walsh sulocts
are Interested in him through their religious conno lion with
him?
" Ever yours • and truly, "A KinnAlion.
"To the Right lion. W. E. Gladstone, M.P."
"it, Carlton-terrace, Jan. 19,1071.
"My dear Kinnalrel,—You have quite aoenrately under-
stood those ciprawlons in my letter to Mr. Lew to which
you refer.
" With many thanks, sincerely yours,
"W. E. GLAPsiONE.
"lion. A. Klunaird, M.P."

• The following is the letter alluded to :
" Downingatreet, Nov. 30, 1670.
" Sir,— I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter of the 15th hint , transmitting a memorial from
the Inhabitants of Strati batty, In which you state that they
express their desire that tier Maloney's Government may see
tit to use ' such diplomatic intervention as may secure to the
Pope the continuance of such a temporal Sovereignty as will
protect him In the discharge of hie isplritual duties, together
with an adequate Income.' The memorial itself is coueied ,
In larger or less definite language, but I do not tonht that I I
am to recognlze you as the best expositor of the feelings It to
Intended to express.
'in reply I have to state that Der esty's GOVOlllllltlat
have not curing the various changes which have marked the
re'ito of the present lope interfaced, nor have they nee- pro-
pool to Interfere, with the civil Gotemruent of the city of
Rowe or the surrounding conritry.
"but Her Majesty's Government consider all that relatea
to the adequate ,upport of the dignity of the Pope, and to
his personal freedom and independence in the diecharge of
his spiritual functions, to be legitimate matter for their
notice."
"Indeed, without waiting for the occurrence of an actual
necessity, they have during the uncedtaintles tithe lad few

. _
months taken upon themselves to maks provision- which
would havc,tended to • ff ,rd necessary protection to the per-
son of the Sovereign Pontiff.
" the std,jects to which I have averted will continue to
have their careful attention although they have had great
satisfaction in observing that the Italian Government has
declared in the most explicit manner its desire and Inten-
tion to respect and defend the Pope's freedom and indepen-
dence, and to take care that adequate provision shall be
forthcoming for the due support of his dignity.
'1 have, it c , "W. E. GLADSTONE.
" E Diane, Esq., M.P."