§ MR. WHALLEYasked the First Lord of the Treasury, with reference to 949 the statement of the Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench in Ireland, that the Pope and not the Queen exercised paramount authority in certain cases affecting civil liberty in Ireland, Whether he is prepared to take action by further inquiry or otherwise in respect of such declaration now that the litigation in reference to which it was made, and which prevented his replying to a previous question to the same effect, has come to an end?
§ MR. DISRAELIIf I do not give a very satisfactory or clear answer to the Question of the hon. Gentleman it is not certainly from any want of opportunity of knowing it, for I believe it has been on the Paper six or seven times; and I have always come down to the House in order to meet the hon. Member. I confess myself that I do not attach to it a very definite idea. In the first place, there seems to be a Judge in Ireland who has made a statement. Whether it is right or wrong, I do not think it my duty to be responsible for statements made by Judges in Ireland, and I cannot consent to take a course which is very imperfectly expressed by the hon. Gentleman, in consequence of inquiry and investigation, which is to be the result of the statement made by the Judge. That I protest against. So far as I can collect from some of the observations and allusions of the hon. Gentleman, I suppose it refers to a question whether a person is liable to the Papal authority in this country if he voluntarily accepts that authority. It is a voluntary act, and if a person has that confidence in His Holiness the Pope, that he is determined to obey him, I do not see how the Government can stop it and prevent a voluntary act of submission. Those are my views: they may not agree with those of the hon. Gentleman; but I cannot help, as I hope he will see, those individuals in the position in which they have placed themselves. With respect to the opinion of the Judge it seems to be very imperfectly placed before me; but I must say that if it were given completely I should not hold myself individually responsible in the position which I occupy for any observations made by Judges in Ireland.
§ MR. WHALLEYexplained that he attended the House whenever the Question was on the Paper, with the exception of one occasion, when he had postponed it to suit the convenience of the 950 right hon. Gentleman. He should regret to bring the right hon. Gentleman down and not be there to put the Question.