Extracts from a letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(Secret)

My Dear Secretary,

[matter omitted]

As I said in my telegram 61¹ in reply to your 85² I had given the Minister's two Press interviews to Mgr. Montini. Yesterday the 12th Nov. the matter arose naturally in response to my inquiry whether he had read them.

[matter omitted]

He said he had read them with great interest and had shown them to the Holy Father, who, he said, was equally interested. Though I had repeatedly spoken to him about the intention of the Minister to repeal the Act, this was the first time he really showed great interest, very probably because on the other occasions he was preoccupied by other matters.

He understands the motives for the repeal perfectly and he expressed his astonishment that we could have allowed the anomaly to continue so long. I explained again Mr. de Valera's motive for retaining the tenuous link when the Act was passed as well as the fact that he and his whole party now completely supported the Minister's policy of repeal. Moreover the whole country was unanimous in its desire to break the last constitutional link. Mgr. Montini, to whom I had so frequently spoken of our good relations with the British and of the absolute necessity of a complete and clear cut legal and constitutional assertion of our independence as a state as the future basis of relationship, has no doubts left about the wisdom and justice of our policy. His sensitive attitude following the adoption of a strong attitude by the Minister on the Nuncio issue has completely altered and he is now anxious (and very vocal about helping us generally) to give some positive evidence of the H.S.'s interest in the place to be given to Irish Catholicism in the esteem of the world.

[matter omitted]

The attitude of the Minister on the Nuncio issue, and my detailed tabulation of our grievances, as well as of the probable reactions of our people to any semblance of intrigue have probably combined to make them much more aware of our sensibilities and much less inclined to offend them.

Finally, in this, as well as in the Nuncio issue, we may have easy minds about the Holy See. The more concrete forms taken by Montini's friendship for us are in themselves an indication that our policy and methods are being successful.