TITLES AND RANK OF ROMAN CATHOLIC PRELATES IN THE COLONIES.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 394, 23 January 1850, Page 3

TITLES AND RANK OF ROMAN CATHOLIC PRELATES IN THE COLONIES.

A voluminous official correspondence on this subject has just reached us, which, but for its impracticable length, we should transfer in exlenso to our columns, the question to which it refers, being one of considerable, and we apprehend, germinant interest in the Colonies generally. We must content ourselves with preparing a digest of the several communications — quoting only the most important passages. It will oe seen that the series includes the most recent information on the matter, containing a despatch from Lord Grey written in July last. From the first despatch (dated July, 1848,) it appears that Lord Grey's now celebrated circular despatch of Nov. 20, 1847, had induced the Bishop of Sydney formally to address to the Colonial Government the inquiry, " whether it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government that the Most Reverend (Roman Catholic) Archbishop Polding should have precedence over the Bishops of the Church of England in the Colony V Governor Sir C. A. Fitzroy replied that he believed such was the intention of the regulation, at the same time expressing his willingness to refer the question for Lord Grey's decision. On this, the Bishop of Sydney declared that he would not present himself on public occasions at Government House, under circumstances of what he deemed indignity and degradation. Without exactly expressing it in words, he suggested that the arrangement was virtually an acknowledgmentof thePoPß's authority in our Queen's dominions, and observed, — " I trust that my absence on such occasions will be candidly construed as arising only from my sense of the indignity which would be cast upon the Church of England by my assuming, in your Excellency's presence, a station different from that which has been heretofoie conceded to me ; and this impression is stronger, as such alteration in my position is not the effect of her Majesty's pleasure directly signified, but it is attributable to the ace of a foreign authority, which is now entitled, at its own discretion, and as often as it may think proper, to supersede me, and every Colonial Bishop, from the

rank which has been, or may be assigned to us, by our only legitimate Sovereign." From another despatch (December 1, 1848) we learn that Bishop Broughton refused to act on a Committee for the guardianship of Irish Orphan emigrants, on the ground of the precedence given to Archbishop Polbing ; on which, Governor Sir C. A. Fitzroy abstained from appointing Dr. Polding to the committee — a course of which Lord Grey subsequently expressed his decided approval. The scene presented in the next communications is chiefly laid at Melbourne, but a principal actor in them is the same Archbishop Polding, who seems the very McHale of the colonies. The facts, as we condense them from a copious correspondence, were these — Dr. Polding, writing to the (R. C.) Right Reverend Dr. Goold, through the Post Office, addressed him as "Bishop of Melbourne." The letter, as might have been expected, was delivered to the Church of England Bishop, Dr. Perry, who, on perceiving that it was not intended for him, did not open it, but laid the case before Mr. LaTrobe, the Superintendent of Port Phillip, mildly suggesting the illegality of the practice, and pointing out the great practical inconvenience which would result from its continuance.* Dr. Perry's application was forwarded by Mr. LaTrobe to Sir Charles Fitzroy, who caused a letter to be sent to Dr. Polding, representing to him the propriety of conforming to the law and the instructions of the Home Government on the subject of the honorary and titular distinctions of Prelates of the Church of Rome. To this Dr. Polding replied in a letter signed " John Bede, Archbishop Polding, of Sydney," and conceived in the naughtiest spirit of domineering assumption. He tells the Governor, that he has written in a manner " very much out of character and out of place ;" he " begs not to be misunderstood as conceding" that his Excellency had any right " to claim an explanation" from him ; he compares the Governor's communication to a " grain of sand," but adds, — " a grain of sand, it has been stated, in ; certain cases will occasion grave consequences. Such a charge, urged by the head of the Government in the colony, against me iv my position is, by reason of this circumstance, raised from its innate insignificance to the honour of a reply." Dr. Polding enclosed in this missive a professional opinion from Messrs. Dunsmure and Longmore, to the effect that there was no infraction of the law in addressing Dr, Goold, as " Bishop of Melbourne." This view of the law of the case, we should add, was confirmed by the Attorney General and the Solicitor General, who, having considered it at the desire of the Government, stated their opinion " that the provisions of the 24th section of the Imperial Act 10, George IV., c. 7, which was adopted by the local Act 10, George IV., No. 9, are limited to England and Ireland solely ; and that the Right Reverend Dr. i Goold would not have rendered himself liable to the penalty specified in the Imperial Act, even though he had himself assumed the title of Bishop of Melbourne." Dr. Goold accordingly manifested " a determination to maintain his assumption of the title." We have thus given, as briefly as was consistent with clearness, the substance of the extensive correspondence, excepting two despatches from Lord Grey which, from their bearing on the whole question, have an importance which induces us to quote them entire. No. 1, (No. 283.) Copy of a Despatch from Earl Grey to Governor C. A. Fitz Roy,* New South Wales, and Acting-Governor Robe, South Australia. Downing»street, 27 December, 1848. Sir,— l. My attention has been called, in several instance!, to the position of Roman Catholic Prelates in tbe Australian colonies, and the necessity which appear* to exist of establishing some general rules, both as to the respectful attentions which they ought to receive from the Local Governments and also the manner of conducting their correspondence with those government!. 2. Iv official correspondence and intercourse, it is advisable tlut the Local Government should recognise that rank which Roman Prelates are by the members of their own church recognised as possessing in it ; — that is, the rank of Archbishop or Buhnp, at> the case may be, with the proper honorary prefixes attached to those titles. But they must not be allowed to assume for their church in any public and official documents, the style of tbe " Catholic Church." That assumption is injurious to the feelings of other communities, and especially of the Church of England, as it confines the character of Catholicity to tho Roman church alone, and impliedly represents all others as schismatical. The style invariably used for the purpose above mentioned should be that of the Roman Catholic Church, which at once recognises the Catholicity of that community, and does not deny the same quality to others. In a deed, for iustance, executed to carry out tbe provitiom of a Legislative enactment in favour of that church and subject to the superintendence

* We gladly avail ourselves of the occasion offered by the occurrence of Bishop Perry's name* to state the gratification with which we have heard of his ministerial zeal and usefulness generally, and of the Catholicity of his Protestantism in particular. As an illustration of this, we may mention the circumstance (of which we have been informed on good authority,) that he is in the habit of consulting the Wesleyan Superintendent Ministers in his dislrict, before he makes the arrangement for his services,— in order that they may not clash in their respective plans, but be mutually fellow»helpers in their common Master's work. This spirit in a Colonial (who is— or should be —a simply and de»otedly missionary) Bishop, is to us on« of the proofs that the man who manifests it, is indeed a Successor of the Ap>stlcs, which we cordially admit — while wa smile at the pompous folly of the Tractarian figment of Uninterrupted Personal Succession,

of the Government, this latter description should be adopted. 3. The Bishops of that church must be styled as directed by my circular of the 20th November last, by their names — as, "The Most Reverend Archbishop ■ ;" " The Right Reverend Bishop — — ■/' &c, «nd not by the titlei of their Dioceses t which are assigned to them by their own church ; or else as "The Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church at —— — , &d which last would be the proper title in \arious in« stances— for example, in a deed, of which the provisions apply to the Biihop for the time being. 4. In conducting their official correipondence with the Government, either Local or Home, the Prelates of the Roman Catholic Church rauit conform to the same rules by which all other persons in the colonies are governed. They must forward their letters to the Secretary of State through the Governor. In their correspondence with the Governor himself, the usage in their case must be the same with that which is followed by the Prelates of the Church of England.-— If it is customary for the latter to address the Governor direct, the Roman Catholic Prelates may do so likewise. If, on the contrary, the practice is for the Bishop of the Church of England to address the Governor through the Colonial Secretary, the Roman Catholic should conform to the same rule. The Roman Catholic Prelates should also (if the Bishops of the Church of England do so) address the Governor in their own person, and not through the medium of the Vicar-Generaii or other subordinates ; this being the ordinary usage in other colonies ns regards Roman Catholic and Anglican Bishops alike, and one from which I see no reason for sanctioning a departure. I have, &c, Grey. ' * A similar despatch was addressed to the Governors of Van Diemen's Land, and "Western Australia, 271h December, 1848. The following despatch claims special attention as containing the latest expression of the mind of the Home Government on the subject. No. 4. (No. 117.) Copy of a Despatch from Earl Grey to Governor Sir C, A. Fitz Roy. Downing-Btreet, 13th July, 1849. Sir,— l have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No, 27, of February 17th last, enclosing copies of a correspondence which has taken place between the officers of your government and the Most Re /r rend Archbishop Polding". 2. I perceive with regret the intention which appears manifest from this correspondence, on the part of the prelates of the Roman Catholic Church, to assume titles which it is out of the power of Her Majesty's Government to recognise. The course, however, whicn officers of Government have to pursue is plain, and need not be influenced by that which those Prelates may think proper to adopt. You will take care that the instructions conveyed in my circular of the 20tb November, 1847, and also in my dfspatch of 27th December last, are carefully followed in correspondence and other official communications with them. 3. Beyoad this it is not in your power to interfere j as you have been informed by your law advisers that the assumption by the Roman Catholic Prelates of the titles of their Dioceses is not prohibited by any law, you have no power to prevent them from doing so, and can only refrain from sanctioning that ossuinp« tion by any acknowledgment of your own. And, if letters are addressed through the Post Office to the Bishop of Melbourne, they should be delivered to the person who is alone entitled by her Majesty's Letters Patent to this designation. I hare, Sec, Grey. It will be observed that we have confined ourselves almost entirely to a summary and digest of the documents, so as to bring their matter within the space at our disposal. The reflective reader, however, will be at no loss to discover for Mmself, that they are eminently suggestive of graver considerations than the mere apportionment of courtly titles and patents of precedence amongst contending ecclesiastics.

The " St. Michael " and the neglected Wreck. — As we could not possibly have had any other motive than a desire faithfully to perform a public duty in the remarks in our last respecting the St. Michael, we should unhesitatingly have given insertion to any explanation which its Master had to offer in relation to his alleged disregard of a vessel in ! distress near the Island of St. Paul's ; and of this willingness on our part Capt. Prance was explicitly informed when he called at our office on Saturday evening. Notwithstanding his having preferred to make h's statement through the columns of our contemporary, and his having made it in a tone and temper not particularly courteous towards this journal, we are still ready to lay before our readers all of it that is in any way essential to his case. We have to add, however, some evidence on the subject, which has come into our hands since the publication of his letter yesterday, and which casts further, and, as will probably be thought, conclusive light upon it. P&ssing by, as nearly or wholly irrelevant, the ebullitions of Captain Prance's displeasure against ourselves, we extract the portions of his statement which really affect the facts. Now, as to the facts of the case : I bejr to state for general information, that £ was in the cabin oa the occaiion referred to when it was reported on deck that there wai a whale in sight, which was not deemed by me of mfficiertt interest to induce ma to go on deck, and when I subsequently did go, upon looking at the supposed whale, it appeared to me precisely as stated in the extract already given from my log book. Alternately the ooject rose and tunk out of sight, and if it was a wreck, it was utterly impossible that any human being could have lived above a few minutes upon it, and nei'.her myself nor any one on board ever expressed a contrary opinion, or any desire to put the vesneLbaok to attempt to reach it, which would have taken nearly ten or twelve hours to accomplish, but if it had been reached, the s .veil was so heavy that uo aid could have been afforded. Had there been no passengers on board, I ihould have found perhaps some difficulty in clearing up the truth of this matter in opposition to statements ho injurious, but happily there weic, besides private pai-

sengers, u amaH detachment of H.M. troops with « commanding officer accompanying them who are here, and can attest the truth of my statement*. I need hardly say that if there had b ten even the smallest possiblitv of human beings existing on board the supposed wreck, that officer aud his men would have not merely urged upon me the propriety of making every effort in my power to reach the vesiel, but would themselves have been the very first to volunteer thaic services, could they hute been of any avail. Some curious questions might suggest themselves here, as, for instance, how our nautical Polonins has now come to represent, as very like " a whale" and as a " supposed wreck," an object which his log-book not only calls ! undoubtingly " a wreck," but even describes as to the state of its masts and rigging j but we do not dwell on these points. Captain Prance having appoaled to his passengers, — (who of course, are the really competent witnesses), we caused enquiry to be made of several of them. The report we have received is verbatim as follows :—: — " The sh'p was but juit free, and going about seven knots at the time of observing the wreck. It wai blowing certainly rather fiesh, but not so much as to deter the passengers, both male and female, from being all on deck— not merely for the sake of viewing the wreck, but before it was discerned. The Captain was strongly urged to put the ship about for the purpose of hailing the wreck, hut did not. It could not have been much out of his way to have run back about a mile to her, as he would have had a fair wind to do so. Not only one or two, but the principal part of the passengers requested the Captain to go about. The above U the statement of the artillerymen, who would give their names immediately, were they 6ure that by doing so they would not offend their own Capain." Captain Travers has, however, obviated this difficulty by coming forward with the manliness befitting a gentleman and an officer, to bear his own testimony on the matter. He did not, we believe, wish to interfere in it, in any way, but having been pointedly referred to in Captain Prance's letter, he has felt it due to himself and the interests of truth, to hand us for publication the following note, to which we deem it unnecessary to add a single word. To iJie Editor of the New-Zealander. Sir— l beg thro' the medium of your Paper, to be allowed to confess ray surprise at part of the styt^ment which appeared in the Sotithem Cross of this day, relative to" a tup posed wreck seen by the passengers of the St. Michael. Were it not that lam referred to as an evidence of the correctness of this tU'euient, viz. that none of the passengers of the St. Michael urged an attempt to reach the supposed wreck, I should not have deemed myself called upon to notice the letter referred to. lam fully assured that, for one, I myself atked (though not perhaps to use the original words 11 stiwigly urged ") the Captain to pur back: and as amongst some friends here I have remarked that I did make this request, I think myself called upon iv selfjustification to assert the correctneis of my original statement. In justice to Captain Prance, I can (from the opi« nion formed of him during the passage out) easily believe he must at the time of writing his letter, publiihed in the Southern Cross, have forgotten lotna few particulars. I am, Sir, &c, &c, J. Y. Thavkrs. Auckland, 22nd Jan., 1850.

Recent Deaths of Notable Persons. — We glean the following from the obituary notices in the late papers. Major General T. Hunter Blair, expired at Leamington, on the 31st of August ; he had served in the Peninsuia, been severely tvounded at Talavera, and while in hospital made prisoner by the French, and detained in France till the peace of 1814, again severely wounded at Waterloo, but subsequently able to serve for years in India, where he distinguished himself in the Burmese war : — at Bayswater, Lieutenant- Colonel Richard Cole, unattached : — at Benares ; killed by a fall from his horse while on parade, Lieut. R. Curtis Taylor, Adjutant of the 48th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry : — at Cheltenham, Rear Admiral of the Red, Hood Henway Christian :— at St. Cloud, near Paris, Sir Graves Chamney Haugiiton •. — in London, Sir Charles Scudamore, M.D., author of popular treatises on " Gout and Rheu • matism," "Mineral Waters," &c,,&c: — Mr. Beale, oneof the Metropolitan Medical officers, known also by his valuable work on " The Natural History of the Sperm Whale -." — James KENNEY.the celebrated dramatist ; he died on the day fixed for his benefit at Drury Lane Theatre : — of cholera, Henry Hetherington, notorious as the publisher of various infidel works •. — in Persia, John Ross, Esq., M. D., Surgeon to the British Residency at Bagdad : — at Dublin, of cholera, the Rev. Dr. Carter, Dean of Tuam : — also of cholera, Major Jenner, of the Royal Artillery, Master of the Horse in the household of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland •. — near Dublin, Mr. William Murphy, the eminent and opulent Smithfield salesmaster :—: — at Farnham Castle, Mrs. Sumner, wife of the Bishop of Winchester : — at Bath, Lady Hargood, widow of Admiral Sir William Hargood , G.C.B.

$gir The Band of H. M. 58th Reuimeut, by the pormissioa of Lieut. Col. Wynyard,C.B., will perform in the Grounds in front of the old Government House on to-morrow evening, from four till six o'clock.

PROGRAMME. Overture Op. " Fra Diavolo " Auber Melange O|/ " H tydei" Auber Cavattna Op "Norma " Bellini Air and Chorus Op " Precioaa" Weber Waltz .... " Les P*» der Fluers " Marotzftk Qundrille ".The MatumaUo" Jullien I'olkti "The Trumpet" Koenig Song.... •' The Laud of the West" Lover Song —^ -» I'cß'fi