The Express.
London, England, 1851-07-01 00:00:00

GERMANY.

The government paper of Hesse Cassel, of the 28th
ult., publishes three new ordinances which release
military officers from their oaths to obey and
uphold the constitution, lay down a new form
of oath, in which the constitution is in no way
referred to, and proclaim an amnesty, with many
exceptions. Three or four officers, the New Frew-
sische kitany says, have protested against this ordi-
nance. The same journal says that an ordinance of
the like character with reference to civil officials will
in a few days be published.
The following is the 3rd decree, dated 26th June,
relating to the grant of an amnesty:

We, Frederick William, by the grace of God, Elector, &c.,
" Having already, by the instructions issued through our
Ministry, on the Gth of February last, to the permanent
Military Court, notified that against those civil officials of the
Government whose contravention of the decrees and orders
of the 4th, 7th, and 28th of September, 1840, was to be
attributed to mere omission, and abstaining from the execu-
tion of them, a legal prosecution should be averted by a report
of every such case being laid before us, in order that such
prosecution should be suppressed; anil as our decree of
this day furnishes us with the desired occasion to extend
our pardon both to the officials above alluded to, and to
those of the officers of our army who, under the influence of
political excitement, allowed themselves to be misled in their
Interpretation of the terms, and their idea of the purport, of
their military oath, we, in order that in the farther legal
proceediugs that clemency may prevail which we can com-
bine with our paternal duty towards our country, decree as
follows :

"1. We grant a full amnesty to all civil officials for the
above-named contraventions of our said decrees, that have
consis'ed in simple abstinence from executing them; on the
other hand, we leave the sentences of the Military Court to
take their full course against all those who:—
•' A. By abuse of the official functions co-operated and
assisted in an active manner to extend the opposition and
disobedience to the measures ordered by our before-named
decrees, more, especially by threats, intimidations, or perse-
cution of any public servants.
"B. Against those who by forbidding the direct levy of
taxes have occasioned loss and damage to the revenues of
the State.
_ .

" C. Against those who hare resisted the order of our
commander in-chief of the 7th of September last, suspend-
ing them from their offices, and who, notwithstanding the
said order, continued to exercise their official functions.
"1). Against those who refused to comply with the special
and distinct orders of our commander-in-chief, and proved
their disobedience by sending back to him the orders trans-
mitted to them.

-7.lO;liticise officers of our army who without regard to
the declared state of war, applied for their dismissal, but
whose conduct otherwise is free from motives or acts inju-
rious to the service, we extend our full and sovereign
pardon. On the other hand, those officers of our army
who have taken part in any acts prejudicial to the service,
such u holding consultations, councils, and making plans
for a common course of action, ur have supported resistance
to our authority by persuading their companions to act
with them, are ►eft subject to the legal course of inquiry
and punishment.
Po remove all doubt, we expressly declare that the legal
prosecution is to take its course against all who come under
the above category, whether they have in the interim been
dismissed the service of the state, or been placed in retire-
ment on pensions, or whether they are still in the public
service. But we notify our disposition to extend our
sovereign grace to all those who may be liable to punish.
mew, but who, with a full acknowledgment of their guilt,
apply for our clemency in a becoming manner.
" Given at Camel, under our hand and seal,
"26th June, 1841. "FREDERICK WILLIAM."
(Countersigned) " HASSENPFLeO, 4. VOLMAR,
" HATNAU, " BAU311BAC11."

ANGLO-ITALIAN MISSION.

NEW CHURCH OF ST. PETER'S IN LONDON-

THE POPE'S APPEAL TO T}IE PIETY AND

CHARITY OF THE ITALIANS.
Among all the foreign missions that of London
presents the greatest hopes and demand. Those
conversions to catholicism so frequent and remark-
able, that necessity which in the present day pro-
testants feel for instruction in catholic concerns,
those efforts which the ministers of error are now
making to stop the spontaneous impulse of the nation
towards the truth, are strong reasons for conceiving
the sweetest hopes of the immediate return of that
prodigal daughter within the bosom of its affiicted
mother—the Roman church. Not only is the small
number of catholic churches in London a very for-
midable obstacle to the propagation of the catholic
faith in the metropolis, but even to its preservation.
Let it suffice merely to remember that of more than
200,000 catholics who are now in that immense City
scarcely 30,000 can find a place to attend the holy
mass on the days of festival.
The Italians, there most numerous, feel in an
especial manner the loss they experience from the
want of a church where they might freely as-
semble, and without expense listen to the
holy mass, whence they are exposed to the
painful alternative either of entirely neglecting
all religious duties, or of frequenting protestant
churches. This danger of losing the holy faith is
still more manifest to them, because some of their
apostate countrymen, stimulated by protestant gold,
are trying every means to reduce them, and have
lately opened a protestant temple for the Italians,
which, to deceive and ensnare the simple, has been
called, and bears on its faade, the lying title of
" Italian catholic church." fo remove, therefore,
from the Italians the danger of perversion, and to
procure for them fitting means to keep themselves
steadfast in the faith, and persevering in the observ-
ance of Christian duties, the project has been ap-
proved by ecclesiastical authority of building a spa-
cious church in the centre of London, in a fine posi-
tion, in ono of the most majestic streets of the City,
principally for the use of the Italians, and thence of
other foreigners, as well as of the natives. In this
way there will be in the capital of the British em-
pire a church Roman, not only in its faith and prin-
ciple, but also in its rites, in its ceremonies, and in
the practices of sound devotion ; a church si-
milar in its material construction to the an-
cient Christian temples ; a church which, at
the express wish of the Holy Father, will

I be dedicated to the Prince of the Apostles, St. Peter;
a church which will be always governed by a con-
gregation of Italian secular priests founded at Rome,
that the Roman spirit may always influence the
same; a church in which no payment will be exacted
for admission, but which will be freely open to all,
and in which will be found confessors to confess in
any language and preachers to announce the Divine
word in the principal idioms of Europe: a church
which will have annexed to it schools for both sexes,
as well as a habitation for the clergy and other indi-
viduals employed in the service of the church and
the schools.

As the spot fixed upon being freehold, and the
permanent property of the church, does not cost less
than 6,600 g. sterling (or more than 30,000 scudi), it is
proposed that for the liquidation of this sum, as well
as to provide for the expenses of the building, an
expeninent shall be made on the generosity of all
Italy, for whose advantage the work is principally
undertaken.

The holiness of our Lord Pope Pius IX. has, in
his provident zeal for the good of religion and souk,
by means of the holy congregation for propagating
the faith, and of that of the bishops and religious
orders, caused this great work to be most urgently
recommended to the charity of Italian believers, and
to the zeal of the bishops of Italy. Moreover, the
Most Eminent and Most Reverend Cardinal Wise-
man, Archbishop of Westminster, Ordinary of Lon-
don, has equally recommended this most interesting
work. And the Most Eminent and Most Reverend
the Cardinal Vicar has published a second notifica-
tion, dated March 26, 'mai, in which he repeats his
recommendation to the ltomnn charity of this same
most pious object. Finally, his Holiness himself, by
his rescript to the holy congregation for propagating
the faith, dated March' , 1851, has granted an in-
dulgence of 100 days to whomsoever shall contribute
any alms to this end.
The appeal, therefore, is made in full confidence in
the piety and generosity of the Italians, who have
already the merit of having first diffused the light
of the true fhith in England, to contribute according
to their means towards a work so meritorious and
honourable for Italy, and for the actual condition of
London so urgent and necessary.
Alms and donations of every kind are received in
Rome by the Most Eminent and Most Rev. Cardinal
the prefect of the holy congregation for propagnting
the faith ; by their excellencies the Prince and
Princess Doria Pamphily; by the rector of the church
of the Holy Saviour, in the waves at the Sistine
Bridge; at London by the Most Eminent and
Reverend Cardinal Wiseman, 35, Golden-square, or
by the Rev. 1). Raphael Melia, Apostolic Missionary,
51, Lincoln's-inn-fields, and in the other kingdoms
and dioceses by the representatives of the holy chair,
and by the diocesan bishops, who will have the good-
near to forward the funds to Rome, or to London,
according to the directions above given.
At the Printing-press of the Royal Apostolic
Chamber.—Rome,