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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 1

Note A

Note A.

The following passages occur, in a letter from Lord Clarendon to Dr. Murray, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, dated "March, 1848," marked private, but since fortunately made public:—

"My dear Lord,—Your Grace had the goodness to promise me that you would convey to Rome, for the consideration of the Pope, the amended statutes of the Queen's Colleges in Ireland, as the British Government has no official organ of communication with the Holy See.

"I was happy of having the opportunity to consult your Grace before any alteration was made, because, as a Catholic prelate, you well know what guarantees and provisions were requisite for ensuring religious instruction to the Catholic youths who might frequent those Colleges, and I was anxious that such securities should be given with the most entire good faith, and in a manner perfectly satisfactory to the Irish prelates, who, like yourself, desire to see the true interests of morality and the Catholic religion promoted by these institutions. . .

"As entertain a profound veneration for the character of the Pope, and implicitly rely upon his upright judgment it is with pleasure that I now ask your Grace to submit these statutes to the consideration of His Holiness, believing as I do that they may be advantageously compared with those of any other similar institution in Europe."

Is it not humiliating that a Minister of State in this Protestant empire should write such a letter, asking the approval of a foreign potentate to an Act which had received the signmanual of our Gracious Sovereign? One can almost rejoice to see a Government which had been guilty of such crouching before the Pope spurned from his foot! The bold and outspoken bigotry of Dr. M'Hale is quite refreshing when compared with such servility.