Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-08-10
ANSWER OF GREAT BRITAIN.


ANSWER OF GREAT BRITAIN.
To the application of the Pope for assistance
in re-esta6lishing the Papal authority a
Rome.
The following letter was addressed by the
British Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Brit
ish Minister at Rome -
FOREIGN OFFICE, March 81, 1849.
NY Lord have received your Excellen-
cy's dispatch of the 18th instant, transmitting
TO me the copy of note which your Excel.
lency had received from the Apostolic Nun
clio, enclosing the copy of a note which had
been addressed by Cardinal Antonelll 10 the
representatives of all friendly powers, request
ing them to cooperate for the purpose of re-
establishing the Papal authority at Rome.
] have to instruct your Excellency to say
TO the Nuncio that her Majesty's Government
have received, and have attentlvely consider
ed, the communication which he has made 10
them through your Excellency, and that you
are instructed TO express TO him the deep re-
greet with which her Majesty's government
have witnessed the differences which have
arisen between the Pope and his subjects, the
assassination of Count Rossi, the departure OF
the Pope from his capital and states, and the
proclamation of the republic at Rome
The British government is, for many obvi-
GUS reasons, not DESTROYS of taking an active
part in any negotiation, which may result from
lhe application which the Pope has addressed
10 some of the Catholic Powers of Europe,
whose territories are nearer than Great Britain
in geographical proximity to the Italian Pc
ninsula. But the British government will be
much gratifed if the result of those negotia-
lions should be, such reconciliation between
the Pope and his subjects as might enable the
former, with the free good will and consent of
the latter, to return to his capital, and there
to resume his spiritual functions and his TEN.
poral authority.
But it is the opinion of her Majesty's gov
crnment that such reconciliation could
scarcely be effected, or if effected for the mo-
ment, could never be permanent, unless the
basis upon which it was founded were TO be,
that the Pope should engage to maintain the
constitutional and representative system OF
government which he granted last year to his
subjects, and unless the separation between
the spiritual authority and the temporal pow
ers and institutions of the State were so clear
ly and so distinctly established as 10 put an
end to those manifold grievances which the
mixture Of the spiritual with the temporal
power has for so long a period OF time produ-
ced in the Roman States. The great impor-
lance of admitting laymen to administrative
and judicial functions in the Roman States,
pointed out to the late Pope by the memoran-
dun presented in 1882 to the Roman govern
ment, by the representatives of Austria,
France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia
and the events which have happened since
that time, not only in the Roman States, but
in the rest of Europe, have tended 10 make ii
still more important that such reform should
be carried out into full and complete execu-
ton.
Your Excellency will give the Nuncio a
copy of this despatch.
am, &c., ... PALMERSTON.