§ MR. HINDLEYsaid, he begged to ask the hon. Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the interview which Sir Henry Bulwer, our Envoy at the Court of Tuscany, had with the Pope, some time ago, took place in pursuance of instructions from the Government; and whether there would be any objection to lay any communications which might have passed upon the subject between Sir Henry Bulwer and the Foreign Office upon the table of the House?
LORD STANLEYsaid, he was perfectly ready to reply to the question of the hon. Gentleman, and he should. do so with the most entire unreserve. The hon. Member's question, as he (Lord Stanley) understood its general purport, was, that he wished to know what was the cause of, and what were the circumstances attending, Sir Henry Bulwer's visit to Rome? The cause of Sir Henry Bulwer's visit to Rome was this: At the time when he went there, Edward Murray, a British subject—concerning whom there was another question on the paper—was lying under sentence of death. There was no fault whatever to be found with the manner in which the British Consul at Rome, Mr. Freeborn, bad conducted the negotiations respecting Edward Murray, and his. consular duties generally; but considering the interest the case had excited, both in England and in Italy, it was thought desirable that there should 588 be present on the spot an official of higher rank than a Consul. That was the object of Sir Henry Bulwer's visit to Rome; and, being in Rome, Sir Henry Bulwer did certainly avail himself of that opportunity to hold several interviews with members of the Papal, Government on subjects interesting to both, countries; but Sir Henry Bulwer went to Rome charged with no instructions, invested with no powers, and not in any. manner accredited to the Papal Government, Whatever interviews might have passed between him and members of the Papal, Government were entirely of a private and unofficial character. Under those circumstances, he (Lord Stanley) did not think it would he advisable to lay on the table of the House any communications relative to those interviews. As the subject had been brought under the notice of the House, he might take that opportunity of remarking that certain alleged reports as to the conversations to which he had referred, which had appeared in the columns of the daily press, were totally and absolutely incorrect.