The Express.
London, England, 1860-01-10 00:00:00

TEE DECLARATION OP TSB ROMAN CATHOLIC

LAITY.

Si: John Simeon has addressed the following
letter to Lord Petra, haring reference to the Declaration of
the Catholio Lefty, which appeared in the Srprew a short
time ago.
"Bwalnetoo, Isle of Wight, Deo. 19, 1869.

"Dear Lord Petre,—A copy of the Declaration of the
Catholic Laity of Great Britain has been sent to me by post,
and as your name stands at the head of Cho list of subscribers
to the document, I trout that I am right in addressing my
reply to TM.
"I regret to find =yeti! differing in opinion from so
many of my fellow catholic*, and were matters of but
alight importance involved in the question at issue I would
gladly content myself with tacitly withholding coy signature
from the Declaration. I feel however, that such important
principles are at stake that I should not be doing justice to
myself if I did not briefly state the reasons which prevent
ma from adding my name to your own, and those of the
rd
other noblemen and gentleman who have heady it.
"1 he great obstaale which prevents me from Ting my
humble sanction to any document of the kin however
thationaly worded, I. the petnelple which it to ves—that
the inhabitants of the Papal dominions stand in a diluent
pesinon from that of the people of any other country, and
are debarred from the right that has been practically con-
ceded to all other nations of chnigiog "r modifying their
form of government according to their own view of their
necessities, or their political predilections.
"Now, to this theory It is impossible for me to subscribe.
I can see nothing in the circumstances of their oath which,
in my opinion, con justify a foreign intervention for the pur-
pose of compelling their submission to • form of government
to which they may be disinclined.
" Taking this broad, and to my mind indefeasible, prin-
ciple of justice as the beats of the argument, it becomes un-
necessary to go into the other questions which are raised by
the Declaration; snob as the necessity of the temporal domf.
Won of the Pope to the welfare of cethollo Christendom, the
character of hie rule, or the means by which his authority
has been shaken in the revolted provinces.
" Still I would, with reference to these points, venture to
say that I cannot in all impacts agree with you.
• I feel a groat disinclination to any view which hu a
tendency to confound the spiritual authority of the holy
see with the temporal power of the Pope, sad I cannot but
fear that a danger of such • confusion lurks in the projected
movement.
" Again, I cannot, as • liberal Englishman, honestly avow
any feeling of sympathy with • despotism, however admin-
istered; and I cannot conceal my strong impression that
the existing state of things at Rome and in the Romagna
of itself affords a proof that the temporal administration of
the Papal dominions has not been in all respects such as to
instil an ardent attachment to it into the beans of those
who have been subject to its role.
" These are, however,matters which in no respect affect
the principle on which base may decision, and on which I
feel bound to decline interfering In a question which, In my
ophiloo, ought, like others of the same kind, to be left to
he mottled between the governor and the governed.
" Once more expressing my sincere regret at finding my-
self unable to agree with no many persons whose faith I
share and whose opinions I highly respect,
" I nimilo, dear Lord Petri, yours very sincerely,
" The Lard Petro, &e." "lons Stitrox.