HC Deb 13 July 1875 vol 225 cc1422-4
MR. WHALLEY

moved, that a Select Committee be appointed— To inquire and report to the House as to the residence in this country, in contravention of the Act of 10 Geo. 4, of any persons being members of the Order of Jesus, commonly called Jesuits, and as to the names, present residence, and ostensible occupation of such persons; also as to the amount and nature of any property vested in or at the disposal of such persons for the purpose of promoting the objects of such Society or Order; and, so far as may be practicable, to inquire and report as to the doctrine, discipline, canons, laws, or usages under which such Order is constituted, and by which it is directed and controlled. The course proposed by that Motion was, in his judgment, the only way in which the object he proposed could be attained; and he would only ask possible opponents whether any more fair tribunal could be nominated than that of a Select Committee of that House? Every country in Europe had found it necessary to expel the members of this Society, and there was a widespread feeling in this country upon the subject. On a recent occasion the Vote for the Royal Con- stabulary in Ireland, amounting to £1,500,000 a-year, was suspended, and even yet we could not maintain the peace in Ireland. Notwithstanding that, the Prime Minister had had the effrontery to advise the German Ambassador to go to Ireland and see what a happy and contented people we were. He would appeal to the hon. Member for Wexford, the leader of the Jesuits in this country, to corroborate what he had now stated.

SIR GEORGE BOWYER

I beg to state that I do not represent the Jesuits in this country, directly or indirectly.

MR. WHALLEY

He hoped the hon. Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. Newdegate) would follow him. It was not many weeks since the hon. Member was understood to say in the columns of a public journal with which he was connected—The St. James's Chronicle—that his (Mr. Whalley's) Protestantism and his sincerity were seriously open to suspicion, in consequence of his intimacy and the intercourse that passed between the hon. Member for Wexford and himself. Another reason he had for bringing this question forward was his belief, founded upon knowledge which he was not at present in a position to lay before the House, that the Jesuits were mainly instrumental in promoting the disputes which the working classes had chosen to commence with their employers. The Press also had been dragged, step by step, into the Jesuit interest—whether for money or not he could not tell—and reliance could not be placed upon these ordinary channels for trustworthy information. What, he asked, was the state of Ireland now? It was this—that the large police force of the country not being able to keep the peace there, the Government were obliged to keep a large military force there, all owing to the intriguing policy of the Jesuits. He merely asked for a Committee of this House to inquire into the question, and if granted he would lay such a body of evidence from all parts of England and Wales before it—evidence of half a million of people—in reference to recent legal proceedings—to that great national scandal—a scandal in the eyes of all Europe—["Order, order!"]

MR. SPEAKER

informed the hon. Gentleman that he was speaking upon a a Question altogether irrevelant to his Motion which he had placed upon the Paper.

MR. WHALLEY

pleaded that the indulgence of the House had tempted him to digress. With regard to the Jesuits, he assured the House that he was not prejudging the case; and the question was whether they were to allow those "pirates," those "black pirates," to remain in this country.—["Order, order!"] Those Jesuits were coming by hundreds, nay, more, by thousands, into this country and making it a basis for their operations; and Germany, sensible of it, had given the warning; but if ever there was an occasion more than another for the extirpation of those nests of hornets—those Jesuits—it was the present. ["Order!"] What had been the effect of the Catholic Emancipation Act? They were glad to see Roman Catholics amongst them; but those Jesuits were pursuing a course of proselytism; and in fact, it was as Cardinal Manning told them it would be. He was disappointed that the right hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Gladstone) was not present to support him. He did not expect that the inquiry could take place and be completed this Session; but if the Committee was appointed there would be ample opportunity next year for continuing it, and he therefore moved the Resolution which he had placed upon the Paper.

[The Amendment, not being seconded, could not be proposed.]