§ MR. WHALLEYSir, it is with very great regret I rise to put the Question of which I have given Notice, because—["Order!"]—my object in making this preliminary statement is to secure for my Question fair consideration—["Order!"]—because I understand the right hon. Gentleman has complained of the frequency of my Question—["Order!"] Only one word more. I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that my only object is—
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has given Notice of a Question. Any debate upon it would be quite out of Order.
§ MR. WHALLEYI beg then to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the statement of the First Lord of the Treasury, that the laws for expelling Jesuits would be put in operation if occasion require, Whether he is aware that great numbers of Jesuits expelled from other countries have lately resorted here for the avowed purpose of making England 1716 the centre of their operations generally, and of subjugating the British Empire to the policy of the Papacy; and, whether, having regard to the widely-spread feeling that the Tichborne case is an instance of Jesuit intrigue or conspiracy, as expressed in Petitions by about 300,000 persons to this House, it is not expedient to publish the documents and evidence which have been sent to him, or to permit the same to be seen by Members of this House, so far as the same may tend to throw light upon this point?
MR. ASSHETON CROSSSir, in answer to the Question of the hon. Gentleman—and I must say that I do not quite see the connection between the answer of my right hon. Friend and the Question—all I can say is that I have no information at the Home Office—
That great numbers of Jesuits expelled from other countries have lately resorted here for the avowed purpose of making England the centre of their operations generally, and of subjugating the British Empire to the policy of the Papacy.If any have that intention, all I can say is, that from my own knowledge they might save themselves a great deal of trouble, for they would be entirely unsuccessful. With regard to the latter part of the Question of the hon. Gentleman, all I can say is that I have already stated to the House that I do not think that any public advantage could possibly be gained—quite the contrary—by laying these documents on the Table of the House, and I am still of the same opinion.
§ MR. WHALLEYWill the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to answer the latter part of my Question?