as his coadjutor, with the right of succession, Bishop Errington. Errington belonged to the older school. The Chapter of Westminster agreed with him. Accordingly Wiseman found himself opposed by the Chapter, with the Coadjutor-Bishop as their leader. The contest which followed was, says Wilfred Ward, "the turning point in the controversy between the conservative policy and that of the new Ultramontanism."[1] It was no merely personal struggle, but a struggle of principles. On the other side, Wiseman pushed forward Manning, whom the Pope sent from Rome and placed as Provost over the entire Chapter of Westminster.
Into the details of the struggle we cannot go. But Errington and Manning fought for opposing principles. Manning, says Wilfred Ward, with his "fixed ideas and firm determination."[2] As to Errington: "iron determination and persistency were stamped on face and figure." "Both men of strong will with utterly opposite ideals and aims."[3] Errington had none of the tactful discretion of the diplomatist in his constitution, and was no match for the subtlety of Manning. And ultimately, on Wiseman's appeal to Rome, Errington was removed by the Pope from the position of Coadjutor, and lost his right of succession to the Archbishopric of Westminster. The main charge against him was that he was anti-Roman in sympathies.[4] Great was the rejoicing among the Ultramontanes at this victory. The succession of Bishop Errington was their greatest fear.
