The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-22 00:00:00

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in Ireland, where the succession ,
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was not interrupted by the 4qctiipt. _ j-, -$ 4",.
Roman Catholic body acquiesced in' , {hg i,
suppr , 'on of territorial titles under tile (-VA;
provisio of the Relief Bill. Ancient custom,
comb' d with ecclesiastical ambition, has, indeed, in
many cases, prevailed over the law ; but there is a
wide difference between a titular pretender who has
lost his dominions, and a new potentate appointed by
a foreign Power, without the consent of the so-called
subjects. Perhaps this insolent and foolish encroach-
ment may satisfy Lord Grey that he was in error
in assigning a secular rank to the Roman Catholic
Bishops in the colonies. When prelates preside over
real congregations, and are themselves personally
esteemed, there is no danger that their rank in society
will be lower than that to which they are fairly en-
titled ; but the principle of attributing official prece-
dence to the nominees of a foreign authority is in
no way countenanced by any rank conferred, whether
wisely or unwisely, by the State. Even those who
are most prejudiced against the secular pre-eminence
accorded to the dignitaries a the Establishment
cannot deny that, however objectionable they may
deem it, it is founded on actual law. Foreign rank
and titles have a claim to courteous recognition so long
as they are professedly foreign , but it would be im-
prudent to acknowledge the pretensions of a Russian
Prince of London, or of a Turkish Pasha of Ireland.
Dr. Wiseman is, we believe, a respectable gentleman,
but we know f no Archbishop of Westminster.
The whole question is, perhaps, insignificant. In
protesting summarily against an impertinent pre-
tension of a not very formidable Potentate, we can-
not persuade ourselves to be seriously irritated by an
encroachment that is confined to words. It is the
tendency of this proceeding to revive sectarian ani-
mosity which alone materially concerns us. We have
already appealed to the moderate and prudent mem-
bers of the Roman Catholic body, to use their in-
fluence to check the political priesthood in the
teasing activity of their movements. Let them preach,
and argue, and convert at their pleasure—we shall
neither interfere with them nor blame them ; but it
can never serve the interests of their cause to insult
the vast majority whom they cannot influence. Their
wisest leaders know how thorougly England is op-
posed to the spirit. of their Church. They cannot
hope to turn the current of popular feeling; but they
may, we fear; 'easily revive the jealous antipathy from
which they have in former times suffered so much in-
justice. At present they are alienating and alarming
all the friends 'of peace and toleration, who could look
with complacency on the uneasy exertions of a sect
but for the reasonable tear that these may soon arouse
the dormant passions of a more powerful enemy. If
the Pope selected his counsellors from Exeter-hall .he
would certainly have been advised by a sagacious
enemy to consecrate an Archbishop of Westminster.

THE NEW ENGLISH CARDINAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—l am confident that I shall not in vain ap-
peal to your sense of justice and fairness for permis-
sion to say 'a few words, as a friend of Cardinal Wise-
man, respecting your observations on his elevation to
the spiritual office and rank of Archbishop of West-
minster. . _ _

wilthsuthbeinCit
any exercise of temporal jurisdiction :within
this realm by the Pope, for the erection of a bishopric
is net in se an act of sovereignty or temporal juris-
htuhraeththoef
Racotmien. question does not, if im-
partially considered, imply, as I am certian it was not
intended to convey, any slight or disrespect to the
Crown or the British nation, nor infringe the royal
prerogative. The case stands simply thus :—The
Roman Catholics in England have for some time felt
that their Church ought to be put on a regular and
perfect foundation, instead of being, as heretofore, in
a mere missionary form, under the government of
vicars apostolic. The desired change could only be
made in accordance with the discipline of the Church
in one way, i. e., by the appointment of diocesan
bishops.
The statute 10 George IV., c. 7, s. 24, forbids the
Catholic clergy from assuming the style of any
bishopric or archbishopric of the Established Church.
It is necessary, therefore, that the proposed diocesans
should be created under new titles. Hence the erec-
tion of the archbishopric of Westminster, which is a
purely spiritual office, and no more illegal than that of
the vicars apostolic ; it neither affects, nor professes to
affect, any temporal legal rights, but merely regards
the spiritual concerns of tluse of her Majesty's sub-
jects who are, or hereafter may be, in communion
The erection of that office does not, moreover, in-
volvedietion. _ _

In support of this position I need only refer to the
fact that the Crown of England a few years ago
erected a bishopric in parts beyond the sea where her
Majesty's writ runneth not—to wit, at Jerusalem.
The warrant under the Royal sign manual and signet
for the consecration of Dr. Alexander, the first bishop
of the newly created see of J-rnsalem, recites (among
other things) that, by stet. 5 Victoria, c. 6, it is en•
acted that the bishop or bishops to be consecrated
under its provisions, " may exercise within such limits
as may be from time to time assigned in any foreign
country by ;be Queen spiritual jurisdiction over the
ministers of Botish congregations of the United
Church of England um.d Ireland, and over such
or :
_i rindth o
we r i t
arey.
other Protestant congregations as may be desirous
oAfnpdlathcieng,atrhreamntseclovnees
I nurse.
asr
histheir
fellows
graciously pleased to assign Syria, Chaldea, Egypt,
and Abyssinia as the limit within which the said
Michel Solomon Alexander may exerci,e spiritual
jurisdiction pursuant to the said Act, subject never-
theless to such alterations in their limits as we from
time to time may assign."
Here we find the British Crown creating a Pro-
testant bishopric of Jerusalern,and a.signing to it a dio-
cese including Syria, C'naldea, Egypt, and Abyssinia!
And I need scarcely remind you that Italy, including
Rome itself, is within the diocese of the Protestant
bishopric of Gibraltar, and that the Right Rev. Dr.
Tomlinson, Anglican Bishop of Gibraltar, has actu-
ally performed episoopal functions in Rome. Yet the
Roman Church and Government made no complaint.
I trust that these observations will be received as
they are meant, and that after this explanation her
Majesty's Catholic subjects may welcome their illus-
trious prelate on his return home next month without
incurring any imputation or suspicion of disloyalty to
their beloved Sovereign, or of any breach of that
proper respect which they owe to the opinions and
feelings of the txmjority of their fellow-countrymen.
I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
The Temple, Oct. 16. G. B.

TO 'FMB EDITOR OF THE DAILY NEWS.
Sir.—At the present moment, when the return of
Dr. Wiseman to England as " Cardinal Archbishop
of Westminster," is almost hourly expected, the fol-
lowing anecdote, which has only been partially cir-
culated among the Roman Catholics, may not, per-
haps, be uninteresting to the general body of your
readers.
Among the Catholics it :is universally known that,
for a period of years which extends far beyond the
recollection of the present generation, it has been the
custom, especially in the southern district of England,
to recite in the mass a collect or prayer for the safety
and prosperity of the Sovereign and Royal Family of
this kingdom. This prayer was, I believe, originally
introduced by Dr. Richard Challoner, Vicar Apostolic
in London, and was approved and adopted by all and
each of his successors in the London vicariate until
the unhappy accession of Dr. Wiseman to the govern-
ment of that, district. This personage had long since
exerted himself to get it suppressed. During the life-
time of his predecessor, and whilst yet he bad no
connexion with London, he artfully represented his
wisbes to the Pope, or to the Propaganda, and oh-
tained an injunction ordering Dr. Griffiths to remove
It from the missal. Dr. Griffiths, however, was better
affected towards his Sovereign, and accordingly so
represented the real case in an energetic appeal to
Rome, that the injunction was recalled, and the prayer
was allowed to retain its accustomed place in the mass.
So matters remained twill death unfortunately re-
moved Dr. Griffiths from the scene of his zealous but
unostentatious labours, and a series of intrigues at
length inflicted his present successor on the London
district, in the ostensible character of coadjutor to Dr.
Walsh. Now, however, was the time for the long-
desired abolition of the obnoxious prayer for his Sove-
reign's safety. Assembling the clergy in• the Chapel
of St. Patrick, near Soho-square, he descanted on the
impropriety of allowing the name of an heretical
Prince to appear in the mass ; assured his auditors
that the Holy Father had expressed his strong dislike
of the custom which had hitherto prevailed ; and then,
omitting of course all allusion to the fact that he had
himself suggested whatever notions the Pope enter-
tained on the subject, and that the Pope, on being
better informed, had actually cancelled the order for-
merly sent to Dr. Griffiths, went on to signify to them
his desire that henceforth the prayer in question should
he entirely omitted. This desire, he added, be had not
declared in any public ferns ; the matter. wits not
adapted .for the public eye. 4e hid, therefore, mcp-
tiontd it to them in this private manner, and he ex-
pccted that they' would attend to it.
.It. has been
rat-
tended to, though with painful unwillingness , and
your readers may ascertain, the fact for themselves
at any mass in any chapel in London.
1 am, &c.,
London, October 14.

vis.

TIM NEW POLICE UNIVERSITY.
(From the Cork Southern Reporter.).
Mr. Editor,—Allow me to ask w.hrth(q: i! n-
tended to make the propo‘ed Catholic umvertity a
police institution ? I put the question, because of the
following passage, which appears in the address of its
sponsors recently issued :
Should the Sovereign of these realms ever have to
invoke the loyalty of the well •disposed against the
designs of turbulent men, the youth brought up in a
Catholic university would be found in the falai rank of
the defenders of order and, hence, the British states.