In delivering this opinion, I think, I am warranted in assuming, that it could not have been the intention of His Holiness, or of the great functionaries of the Pontifical Government, to expose the Apostolic Vicars of Great Britain to a painful conflict of duties, in which their deference to the See of Rome must, necessarily, be at variance with their allegiance to the State-for, they cannot but feel, that, an implicit obedience to such instructions, must greatly hazard, not only the intimate local interests of their Communion, but even the revival of scenes such as are but too fresh in their memory, and, indeed, of which they appear themselves to be well aware.

The principal fact to which I have adverted, was originally made known to me by my Correspondents in England, but I conceived it advisable to ascertain, from the National Agents and Superiors of the British Colleges here, how far my own information was supported by the intelligence they had, themselves, received from their immediate constituents and I found that the fact had not been incorrectly stated to me.

"Liberavi animum meum"-and it may be the last occasion I may have to address your Eminence in your official character. I am on the eve of my departure from a Capital, with which I have long been intimately linked by many ties, both of a public and domestic nature-but, on no occasion have I felt

myself more strongly called upon, than at the present hour, to make an ingenuous avowal of my sentiments-it is dictated by the highest veneration for the Sovereign Pontiff-the sincerest regard for my Catholic fellow-subjects, and a deep and anxious solicitude for the internal peace of my Country*.

I have the honour to be,

With the highest consideration, &c. &c.

His Eminence The Cardinal Litta.

* A Copy of this Letter (in Italian) was transmitted to His Eminence the Cardinal Secretary of State.-The Letters, noticed in page 10, were also transmitted, with the original of this Address, to the Cardinal Prefect of Propaganda Fide.

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE.

The transmission of the Pontifical Bull, "Solicitudo omnium "Ecclesiarum," accompanied with the mandatory Rescript, addressed, by Monsignor Pedecini,-Secretary of Propaganda Fide in the month of February 1818,-had occasioned much uneasiness in the mind of the venerable Prelate-the Senior Apostolic Vicar, in England,-to whom it was addressed-but, in consequence of representations made to His Holiness-a few days subsequent to the date of the preceding Address to His Eminence the Cardinal Prefect,-other Letters were expedited, directing Bishop Gibson to consider the prior requisition-as superseded, or "non scripta."

It is contended by those of the Order or Society of Jesuits, who are domiciliated in England-that, the Pontifical Bull, "Solicitudo," &c. having established the Society in all parts of the world–they have a claim upon the Apostolic Vicars here, to be received and protected, in the letter and spirit of their original Institute, as, in fact, the order was considered before its dissolution by the Brief, " Dominus ac Redemptor"-of Pope Clement XIV.—and, it is asserted, that, the Roman Catholic Prelates of Ireland make no scruple to confer spiritual ordination, "titulo "paupertatis" on such of the Society who apply for it, thereby recognising the state and authority of the Jesuit Institute. The Senior Apostolic Vicar, in whose district the College is situated, has, nevertheless, resisted such applications, in the persuasion, that " great confusion," at least, (to use his own term) would ensue from his acquiescence.

When the preceding Letter was addressed to the Cardinal Prefect of Propaganda Fide, Sir J. H. was unapprised of a measure which had actually taken place, through the intervention of the Nuncio, or Apostolic Delegate at Vienna, (Monsignor, now Cardinal Severoli) in the year 1813-anterior to the publication of the Bull, "Solicitudo," &c.-thereby conceding to the Jesuits, throughout the British Dominions, full authority to receive spiritual Orders-titulo paupertatis-in fact, giving them a distinct substantive establishment, in the plenitude of their original Institute and the application made to the Apostolic Delegate, is recited, in the Document, to have proceeded from the General of the Order, who is domiciliated in a foreign state-(Russia), and who, in this Act, has manifested the exercise of that description of authority, which, in every State, is attempted to be regulated at least, by occasional recourse to the " Regium Exequatur.”—A copy of this Document, which must be considered of some interest—is subjoined*.

-

BEATISSIME Pater,

* COPY.

Attentâ difficultate Illustrissimorum et Reverendium

Vicariorum Apostolicorum in Angliá, Hiberniâ, Americâ, atque Insulis Archipelagi, eos Sacerdotes aut Clericos, qui ex benignitate Apostolicâ sub obedientia Propositi Generalis Societatis Jesu, ejusdem Societatis Institutum profitentes in veste Presbyterorum Secularium aut proprii Ordinis ibi degunt habendi tanquam Regulares præfatæ Societatis alumnos eo quod Apostolicum hâc super re beneplacitum illis non innotescat: Propositus Generalis ejusdem Societatis ea quâ par est humilitate ac reverentiâ supplicat Sanctitati suæ ut declarare dignetur præfatis Illustrissimis et Rdmis Vicariis Apostolicis Clericos ac Sacerdotes supra descriptos ita ad Societatem Jesu pertinere, ut primi promoveri possint ad Ordines Sacros, titulo paupertatis, cæteri verò in privilegiis omnibus ibi gaudeant quibus gaudent Socii in Russid

existentes.

Auctoritate Apostolicâ à SSmo Quo Nro Pio P. P. VII. nobis specialitèr tributâ, sub die 10 Novembris, 1813, declaramus, Sacerdotes

In the discussion of this subject, His Holiness very candidly stated to Sir J. H.-the circumstances connected with the publication of the Pontifical Bull-that the See of Rome had been strongly urged to it, by a letter from the King of Spain-that other urgent applications had also been made, to the same effect-but, though the Bull was " universal"-yet it depended on each State to give municipal validity to it, so far as respected the actual organization of the Society, within its limits.-And this construction might be collected from the reply of the Cardinal Secretary of State, to the representation of the Minister of Portugal-" Se nella Bolla ha exortata, in genere, i Principi a "prevalersi anch'essi del ristabilito Instituto, specialmente per "il vantaggio che la pubblica educazione può ritrarne, si è però "astenuto dal fare qualunque particolare officio per tale oggetto+:" -if, therefore, the official mandatory of Monsignor Pedecini might have been considered by Bishop Gibson-as obligatory"particolare officio"-the subsequent instructions would necessarily leave him to act at his own discretion.-The Pope had fondly anticipated a more favourable result from the general publication of the Bull-but, repeatedly observed, that it was the melioration and internal peace of the Christian world that he had sought, most anxiously, to promote, in this exercise of his Pontifical authority.

et Clericos de quibus in precibus, ita pertinere ad Societatem Jesu, ut isti titulo paupertatis ad Sacros Ordines, servatis servandis, possint admitti, ii verò in regionibus ubi modo ex Apostolicâ benignitate degunt, iisdem privilegiis fruantur quibus gaudent alumni Societatis Jesu in Russiâ.

Vindobonæ ex ædibus S. Ap. Nuntiat. 24 Decemb. 1813, (Sign.) *A. G. Archiepus. Epus. Viterbii Ap. Delegus Joan Bapt. Bearzi S. Ap Nunt. Procancellarius. *[Antonio Gabriele Severoli-Cardinal, &c.]

+ [Letter of the Cardinal Secretary of State to Signor Commendatore Pinto, the Minister of Portugal-dated 22nd Oct. 1815.