The Pope now loses no opportunity of expressing friendliness towards
Great Britain. He recently declared, as, indeed, did his more fanatical predecessor, that the Catholic Church was nowhere more free than in this country; and in receiving the "British pilgrims" on January 10th, he again expressed his gratitude to the Queen, and prayed that peace between the different parts of her Kingdom might be restored, and that all causes of irritation might be removed. His Holiness is evidently much moved by the reports from Ireland, where at present the Church is speaking through its Bishops with two mouths, and he will probably before long deliver some final decision. The Nationalists are alarmed, and are endeavouring to prejudice Monsignor Persico's report in anticipation by representing him as too closely con- nected with Lord Salisbury, who, it is absurdly insinuated, edits his despatches. The Daily News, also, which has become on Irish questions a mouthpiece of extreme opinions, is beginning to raise the cry that the Pope must not interfere in British politics. How can he help himself ? The moment the polities of Catholics involve morality or the faith, he is as absolutely bound by his office to give an authoritative opinion as any secular Judge is to give judgment when a case before him is concluded. Rome can delay, it is true, and sometimes does, to the exasperation of her own followers ; but she cannot refuse a verdict.
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