Letter from Thomas J. Coyne (for Charles Bewley) to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(R. 3/29)

I hear from a confidential source that Dr. McRory in private letters to Rome has expressed himself as not at all opposed to the sending of a Nuncio, and also that certain Irish bishops when in Rome spoke in favour of the project. I did not hear the names but suspect, from what I have heard of their general attitude, Drs. Harty and Mulhern. Apparently one of the considerations which has weighed with the Vatican, though I gather that it has now been got over, is the possibility that a Fianna Fáil government might withdraw the Minister here. You will remember that in my report of Oct. 18th,¹ I mentioned that Mgr. Pizzardo had been speaking to me on the general political situation and de Valera's prospects. I did not at the time realize the entire relevance from this point of view, but see now what he was aiming at. I told my informant that (1) there was very little prospect of de Valera coming back with an independent majority over the Government and Labour, and without such a majority he could not withdraw the Minister to the Vatican; (2) if de Valera did obtain such a majority, he would possibly appoint a new Minister to carry out a different policy, but he would never withdraw the Minister altogether. If there are any convenient quotations from de Valera's speeches, in which he expresses himself in favour of a Minister (though of course not of the present unworthy holder of the office or the policy which he endeavours to forward), I should be grateful for them. I cannot find anything exactly suitable in the Dáil reports, and in any event quotations from de Valera will have far more effect than quotations from Messrs. O'Kelly, Lemass, Corry or any of the rest.

I have not wired this, because I am anxious to see Cardinal Gasparri's attitude before taking any other step.