The MARQUESS of LONDONDERRYrose for the purpose of asking the noble Lord the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs a question of considerable importance, in reference to a document presented to the Roman Government by M. de Boutenieff, the Russian Minister, replying to the atrocious calumnies which had been circulated as to the treatment of the Basi- 768 lian nuns by order of the Emperor. He wished to know if the noble Lord had seen the document, as he thought it right the public should be informed of the true state of the case?
§ The EARL of ABERDEENreplied that he had received a copy of the document to which the noble Lord alluded, and had every reason to believe it was to be considered as the official answer of the Russian Government to the reports which had been circulated as to certain persecutions and severities said to have been endured by the Basilian nuns of Minsk. When the subject was brought before the notice of the House a few days ago, he took the liberty of observing that, whether those reports were true or false, the matter to which they referred was one with which the House had nothing to do; and that it would be unwise to take any steps in reference to it. At the same time he expressed his incredulity respecting those reports, and declared he did not place any belief in the truth of the accusations which had been made against the Russian Government; whilst he admitted that there might have been some ecclesiastical severity, and even what might be called by some persons religious persecution, exercised on the nuns, he was of opinion that the horrors which had been described were utterly out of the question. Since that statement was made, it appeared that the person who was said to have circulated the reports in question had no existence, or at least the Russian Government denied that they knew anything of her, and affirmed that they were utterly ignorant of her name. Under those circumstances, and in consequence of the document in question, he could not hesitate to say that the incredulity he formerly expressed had been very much confirmed. He might state, in addition to these facts, that the Roman Government had thought proper to write to the nuncios of the different Courts of Europe, for the purpose of declaring that the statement as to depositions purporting to have been taken at Rome, by order of the Pope, had no foundation in truth—disavowing the depositions altogether, and stating that they had no knowledge whatever of any such interrogatories.
§ LORD BEAUMONTremarked, that though it was quite true the House would have had no right to interfere respecting 769 those reports, he thought they could have stated their utter horror at the substance of them, supposing they were true.