The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-07 00:00:00

THE TEAL RILICTION IN THE PAPAL BUTTE.

The Times expecte to hear within the next twenty-
four boors that the contest in the Papal States has been
brought to the walls of Rome. Further than that matters
wall not, it expects, be suffered to proceed. The Zouaves
end other foreign mercenaries will be sufficiently strong to
protect the Vatican, and before the Roman malcontent•
a-e jo;nrd by their outward auxiliaries, the royal troops
a*" pour in in the name of public order and in defence of
the person of the Pontiff. Still, though the Pope may be
indulged in the mere name of his departed sovereignty, the
Romans will put forth their claims to aelf-government.
How the Papal court a R 1 manage to thrive in the full glare
of a liberal press, and in the strong tide of new-world
ideas which it has for so many years striven to keep out
is more than the meet fervid imagination can sonosive:
A t' rat step towards the consolidation of the church on •
new heals might be the appointment of Trent or Coastlines
or any place away from Rome and Italy for the meeting
of the approaobirg cecumenioal council. With the resters_
Lion of Italy's rights to her capital • new era may be ex.
petted to commence for the Roman church.

The Poe says Italy cannot go to Rome by any wafters',
news wears 11 About forfeiting the confidence of Europe ;
what is done should be done openly, in the daylight, and
so as to confront and confound all sinister suspicion.
The Tdegraph thinks that as Italy cannot do anything
central, to the with of France the insurrection will not
do more than lead to the occupation by Italy of the part of
the papal dominions which lay beyond the immediate
boundaz:es of Rome.

The Star is surprised at the exultation with which D:.
Meaning yesterday spoke of the Pope's present position. h
is not yet quite certain whether France has really or only
in phrase withdrawn from the protection of Rome. If
the papal power is in actual truth left to itasif Dr. Man.
nines predictions will prove singularly ill-timed.

THE CHOTICH CONGRK/SB.

'lce above congress, the Daily RCM observes, has
knows bow to mako excellent use of the nstural curiosity
on the part of the multitude to see and hear men with
whose names they have been familiarised. But the late
working men's meeting at Wolverhampton partook in no
way of the character of a conference, for the leaders of
the church in perfectly aware that they have no power
to make any changes which the alienated muses might
desire to see effected. The addressee at the meeting show
probablytheincreasing sympathy of the eoclesiasticalclasses
with the people. Bat there seems to here been a little
aptitude for popular sympathy inthe way in which the desire
for the religious welfare of the working men was expressed.
When the Bishop of Oxford recommends the church as
having "the great andtrulyrepublican principleofthewhole
world," and tells the working men of the black county " I
think we can help you to break through came distinctions
and to be brothers one to another," we perceive rather the
influence of the audience on the speaker than the speaker's
own del;berate view of the church's work. How far can
such teaching possibly be reconciled with the aristocratic
constitution of English society and the hierarchical form►
tion of the English church ? Might not republicanism in
religious sentiment be construed by the masses u justify
lag an attempt to carry out equality and democracy in the
church itself ?

The Herald is stwprised that whilst churchmen can
meet and dimes every other subject, the question of the
union of church and state, and its various details, one of
the most urgent and critical of all, is uniformly and uni-
versally shirked by the church's authorities? Our con-
temporary thinks some other meeting should be called spe-
cially to conaider this subject.

IS TOPICS.

The Times is not yet quite prepared to believe in an
organised or dedoite Fenian comrpiracy of which the recent
outrages are expressions, but after seeing what the Fanians
have actually done, and hearing what with some probabi
lity they are said to have attempted, it thinks it perfectly
reasonable that the authorities and the people should be
on their guard. Nothing but such vigilance is needed to
reduce the plot, whatever it may be, to its true dimensions.
A very small knot of ruffians may do a great deal of mis-
chief by the aid of surprise, but they count for nothing
but their own number. when once society is on the alert.
. _

The death of M. Fonld and the loss which the Emperor
sustains are spoken of by SOON of our contemporaries. The
Poet thinks the late statesman far beyond comparison the
meet able financier France bee ever pussessel, and his
death leaves French finance in estate o bewilderment. He
was always one of the warmest supporters of the English
alliance, and, now that international interests are so
oleerly interwoven, his death is a blow that Mad be felt
even in shim country. He was a great admirer of Mr.
Gladstone, and in many respects was a statesman of like
tendencies.