The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-09 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 9, 1851.

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genes of that Peninsula; plotting
.against the consti-
tutional freedom whisk Piedmont is consolidating as
ea example for all Italians ; willing to sell the poll-
' deal islisence of Ma starch in France to the highest
bidder against human progress • interchanging
cots with that very progress;
whom his
r summoned to meet him in the
courts of heaven for his imperial cruelties
to women ; driving thought, intelligence,
learning and science away from the temples of reli-
gion ; teaching and imbuing, as Mr. GLADSTONE has
shown, the mind of youthful purity and innocence
I with principles demoniacal and views anti-social ;
and attempting, in the name of that Redeemer who
above all things declared his kingdom not to be of
this world, to disturb the tranquillity, if not to tear
to pieces the integrity of this empire.
A popedom so allied, eo acting; thus associated,
thus dependent, cannot last. It were to disbelieve
in the goodness and mercy of Almighty GOD to his
creatures to suppose it could. It triumphs for
a while ; but a day of retribution and punishment
must be approaching. England has but to let loose
the democracy of Europe; to give rein to that dema-
gogy which is eager for the fray ; to withdraw her
moral resistance to those calamities which are im-
pending over the continent ; and Italy would itself
settle for ever thepopedom. Popery,Romanism, the'
faith, the church of Rome, might and probably would bo
left. But that subtle, faithless, relentless, celibate
court of priests, which is the hugest fraud as
well as the most remorseless cruelty ever
practised on mankind, would be swept away, with all
its congenial organisations, by those who have felt its
heavy, icy, clammy hand most.
Human endurance has limits ; they have long been
passed in Italy. A chaos of communism would be
preferable to the destruction of humanity now in
progress in that unhappy land. Its rulers and oppres-
sors have taught the world their own worthlessness,
and the Pope PIO Novo has blessed them for their
tyranny. Both must go together, the popedom and
Italian despotism are in the same boat, it is ready tosink
with their weight. Lord PALMERSTON, in sending
around Europe Mr. GLADSTONE'S pamphlets, has
warned the world of the approaching storm ; has in-
timated the policy of England when the swelling
waters of the deluge shall arise ; has notified that,
though we may pick up a drowning prince here and
there, it will be from motives of humanity, and not
from a wish to restore him to power. No : they
have neglected all opportunities, thrown away the
means of safety, cut oft all retreat, sown the whirl-
wind, and must reap the storm ; and, as there is a
God in heaven, Italy will rise again free from a
popedom.
Yet this is the man, this the court, these the
princes, who mean to bring back England to their
sway, to the fold of corrupt religion, to the flock of
political tyrants. One's blood boils at the thought,
ridiculous and absurd though it is. And for that
purpose they have sent over here a cardinal priest,
who will gloss and flatter our aristocracy, and ride
rough-shod over his clergy—who is at once a courtier
and an oppressor—in whom is the spirit of the court
of Rome incarnate and dominant. Ile has been
bred and reared in the greatness and intri-
cacy of its plots and schemes, and he comes
here to apply them to the face of England
as a network to keep down our free thoughts. The
Port: and the Princes of Italy seek safety and
immunity for their outrages on their own people in
the conversion of England, in the success of their
church here, in the hope of gaining sympathy for
their faith and protection for their politics, through
English proselytism ; and Cardinal -WISEMAN is at
once their ambassador and their missionary. Ile is
fighting a great tight ; nothing less than the restora-
tion of superstition here anti the prolongation of
despotism elsewhere. The SCRWAIIZENBERGS, the
Nessetuones, the old Borituoss, and the young
ORLEANISTS watch him narrowly; he has their
prayers and their hopes.
Such is their policy. What ought to be ours ?
Can any. man doubt ?The downfall of the popedom ;
not by violence, not by force, not by intrigue, diplo.
Lacy, or craft; but, by allowing events to take their
natural course; by abstaining from interference when
it would uphold that remorseless institution; by
announcing to the world that we shall not regard its
fall as a loss, but a gain, to humanity.
Nor does this policy at all affect the Roman
Catholic religion ; with it, as a faith, as
a means, or supposed means, of salvation, England
has nothing to do. Let us continue to give it the
same freedom as we enjoy for ourselves; not inter-
fering with its forms of worship, nor excluding from
place or power those who believe in its sanatory
efficacy. But let us give no support, political, diplo-
matic, or military, to the court of Rome, for it is so
foul and filthy, so noisome and noxious, that he who
touches or toys with it must be defiled. It is a fraud
and a cruelty, and in these days England cannot
consent to
i support
ce an instrument of human oppres-
sion, or plan other hands the tools of human
torture. We have not at last crushed the African
slave-trade to turn to the enslaving of Italy.
We know well that the maintenance of the pope-
dom is necessary to the conception of the Church, of
Rome; that without Italy in its present state, to
serve as a model and an example of superstition and
splendour, the church of Rome would greatly alter.
But that is its affair, not ours. That which we ad-
vocate is the policy of this country not supporting,
or upholding, or maintaining the popedom, as a
power or principality, necessary to the
_present Eu-
ropean system, or balance of power. That was the
mistake we committed in lsl3 ; let us then gain
wisdom wherewith to meet coming events ; for
already they cast their shadows before them.