Mr. Gladstone addressed a select assembly of Wesleyans at the
National Liberal Club on Wednesday, and went as near to making a " No-Popery " speech as Mr. Gladstone could go. He chose the Embassy of Sir Lintorn Simmons to the Pope, on the subject of certain Maltese questions, for the theme of the first part of his speech, and Mr. Justice Harrison's recent charge in East Galway for that of the second part of his speech. He appeared to make it a grave accusa- tion against the AtinifitryltEat any mission had been sent to the Pope at all. He denied that there was any Court at the Vatican, though Italy has herself certainly acknowledged the Pope as a Sovereign, and guaranteed him his sovereign rights. Indeed, Sir George Errington was Mr. Gladstone's own emissary to the Pope, though he was de- spatched in secret, and the nature of his mission wormed out by the astuteness of Pamellite opponents of Mr. Gladstone in the House of Commons, in the day when Mr. Gladstone had Parnellite opponents. Mr. Gladstone now appears to affirm that a mere go-between is not an emissary, and that Lord Odo Russell and Sir George Errington were mere go- betweens. We prefer the more formal emissary.
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