A hundred years ago
From the 'Spectator,' 13 July 1867—On religious questions the Lords seem almost more liberal than the Commons. When the Offices' and Oaths' Bill, as passed in the Lower House, providing for the opening of the Lord Chancellorship of Ireland and other offices to Roman Catholics, came up for dis- cussion on Thursday, Lord Lyveden moved an amendment, including the office of Lord-Lieutenant amongst those which ought to be open to Roman Catholics. Lord Derby resisted this amendment, on the ground that the Viceroy represents the Sovereign, and that you might almost as well permit the Sovereign to be Catholic—(would it be, in fact, really dangerous to our liberties?)—to which Lord Kimberley replied that the Lord-Lieatenant repre- sents the Crown, first, in Court ceremonials, which a Catholic-might hold just as well as another man, —and next, in granting pardons, which he does by power delegated from the Crown, and not from the Home Office. In this aspect also his Catholicism could not be very dangerous.
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