The EARL of EGLINTOUNsaid, that he must thank the noble Marquess for his courtesy in acceding to the request made last night by his noble Friend near him (Lord Stanley) and by himself; but though the noble Marquess had consented to delay the second reading, yet he (the Earl of Eglintoun) could not allow the Bill to go to the country without stating what he believed was the opinion of those who were anxious for the integrity of the Protestant religion, in reference to this Bill. It was only within the last few minutes that he had been able to see the Bill; and he must 285 say that, as regarded its general principles, he saw no objection to it. He agreed with his noble Friend (Lord Stanley) who said a few words last night on the subject, that it was not only right, but advisable and proper that diplomatic relations should be established between the Court of Rome and this country. Not only did he feel this because he thought it was always advisable that the interests of this country should be represented in a foreign country by an authorised agent of the Crown, but because he thought the fact of our having an authorised Ambassador from the Court of Rome in this country would be an acknowledgment of the supremacy of the Queen in Her own dominions—an acknowledgment which never yet had been made by the Court of Rome. He saw no clause in this Bill, he should remark, which prevented the Pope from sending to this country an ecclesiastic as an Ambassador. Whilst he admitted it would be proper and expedient and advisable for us to have diplomatic relations with the Court of Rome; yet he did conceive that it would be a gross dereliction of our Protestant feelings if we allowed an ecclesiastic to come to this country in the capacity of an Ambassador from the Court of Rome. The embassy in London might be made a nucleus for Jesuits. When the proper time arrived, he now gave notice, he should move the insertion of a clause, prohibiting the reception of any ecclesiastic in the capacity of Ambassador from the Court of Rome.
§ The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNEsaid, that he would not complain of the statement which had just been made by the noble Earl. He did not mean to enter into any argument, or to offer any explanation of the provisions of this Bill at the present moment; but he could not listen to what the noble Earl had stated without assuring him that he should not ask their Lordships to assent to this Bill unless he was convinced that he should be able to prove to their satisfaction that it was one not only not likely to injure the Protestant religion, but that when it would come into operation it would be attended with benefit to and calculated to strengthen the Protestant religion.
The BISHOP of EXETERsaid, that in a measure so entirely new as this, it would have been better if all their Lordships had reserved to themselves the right of deciding when the discussion was regularly before the House whether they would favour this measure or not. He, therefore, la- 286 mented that the noble Earl, for whom he entertained the highest respect, should have committed himself by the expression of an opinion in the way he had to-night. He was glad to hear from the noble Marquess that the Bill would be fraught with no injury to the Protestant religion, but that, on the contrary, it would tend to strengthen it. He heard that declaration with gratitude and pleasure.
§ House adjourned.