17 OCTOBER 1868, Page 3

It seems that Archbishop Manning in 1840, when he was

still a Protestant, stood sponsor to Mr. Gladstone's eldest son. Con- .sequently, Mr. Gladstone is abolishing the Irish Church out of friendship for Dr. Manning. This absurd calumny has been seriously repeated in Liverpool, and the Archbishop has therefore written to -the Mercury to explain the facts. His close friendship with Mr. -Gladstone, he says, was suspended in 1851, when he entered the Catholic Church, and for twelve years they never met. Subsequently, public duty renewed their communications, Dr. Manning com- municating with every Government. The Archbishop concludes lie letter by a warm testimony to the transparent truth of Mr. ,Gladstone's mind, and his almost faulty impatience of insincerity -and selfishness in public affairs.