The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-22 00:00:00

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CONGRESS AT

MALINES.

At the meeting of the Congress, an Wednesday, an inte-
resting discossioo took place onthefollowingproprritionof the
committee :—" That as it is incontestably proved by medical
observation that suicide* are promoted by imitation ; that as
the publicity given to the occtu Lance of suicides may Goose.
queotly exercise a disastrous influence the responsib".ty
which cannot be 'assisted by the Christian conscience ; the
Cower hopes that catholic journals will refrain
from publishing suicides, unless they should have
an historical importance which would neesmitate
their being made known." M. de Bans, rector of
the University of Louvaio, proposed to add to the proposi-
, tioa of the committee that "mimes, disasters, and accidents"
should be suppremed. This proponal was opposed by H.
Dipird, who said that • catholic journal ought
to be like any other journal, but under a more moral
editorship, and exercising • stricter sripervision. A jolllJv'
was an organ of publicity, and • joirmal.st shotod
be bound to per over in silence inch which were the
talk of au entire town. There were eons and daughters of
Eve who only looked for crime., disasters, and accidents.
People enjoyed them, and looked to that part of the jooroal
when they were to be found. A paper most be re. rapidly
by people who were busily employed. In con-
sequence of these observations, H. de Ram 'Adm. his
proposition and the resolution of the oommittee with
regard to the publication of suicides was adopted by a large
majority. The presence of Prince A. de Broglie and H. de
Montalembert was hailed by the most enthusiastic applause,
while the names of Garibaldi and his chaplain, Pantsleo,
which were referred to by K. Nardi, auditor of the Rota, in
Rome, were received with hisses.
At the evening sitting AL de Montelembert addressed the
congress on the subject of " A Free Church 'a a Free Stets."
He complimented Belgium on her constitution, which was
the best and least imperfect of any in oxidises.
Though showing great veneration for the church, and
love of religion, the speech was an exhortation to
catholica to push forward on the track of liberty. Except in
Belgium the catholic, of thine days had not taken tidy/atone
of the great revolution which has founded modern society.
They regretted the ancient regime, but the ancient regime
whatever ire grandeur, had one capital defect—it was dead
and would never be restored to life. The democracy existed
in the half of Europe, and would to-morrow erist in the
other half. They must not fall down before he sovereignty
of the people any more than before the right eh ;as, but
they could not help recognising the forces which were
moving society. He was not a democrat, and still leas en
absolutist, bat as a politician and an historian he consulted
the past, he contemplated the present, he interrogated the
future, and everywhere he saw the democracy—the
deluge rising. As a man he should be tei rifled at this,
but as • Christian he felt no fear, because with the
deluge he saw the ark. Therefore he boldly laid down th's
amnia—catholic, had nothing to regret in the
ancient —nothing to fear from the new regime.
Catholics must frankly accept liberty—entire liberty—
not merely political but religious liberty. They mrst
temper the democracy by liberty and reconcile catholicity
with democracy. They most absolutely renounce r"
kinds of privileges in favour of catholicity and resist every
backward tendency which irritated modern society. There was
no other rat left in these days for a theocracy. In the in-
terest of spiritual freedom let them boldly proclaim indepen-
dence of the civil power, as the Belgian bishops had often
done. Count F. de Carcil then spoke on the subject of the
harmony of nations, and the pmaistence of nationalities.
The 4th section of the Congress, to which was assigns 1 the
consideration of the question of Christian Art, decided
in favour of the liberty of art, and in opposition to 01
icons. ;lam.