The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-19 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 19,-1860.

in Ireland. We remark, for example, the small
account that the friends of his Holiness appear to
make of merely spiritual authority when provinces
and revenues are slipping away. 'We observe with
pleasure that the entire collection of Peter's pence
from all the Faithful, up to the latest dates, attains
the enormous total of two hundred and fifty thou-
sand pounds. We note with interest the truly
Catholic subscription for a triumphal sword to the
Commander-in-chief of the Papal army, who has
just returned to Rome to.take leave of the Pope. A
scabbard without the sword would perhaps be a
more appropriate testimonial for the moment; but
there is something felicitously Irish in the sword.
For it is to the Irish crusaders that the neatest com-
pliments were paid by the Algerian general in his
despatches. He can hardly find enough marching
and drill for these unquiet Celts, and wherever
they are sent it is noticeable that these champions
of law and order are always " under escort." It
turns out that all these mercenaries of the Faith
were but counters in a grand game which was to
have been played by Lamorieiere on behalf of
Francis the Second, the Duke of Modena, and the
Emperor of Austria, against the French Emperor
and his Sardinian ally.
The result of this grand ecclesiastical and legiti-
mist conspiracy is agreeably calculated to open the
French Emperor's eyes, and to enable him to make
election between his early friends and his implaca-
ble enemies. If history contained no warning ap-
posite enough, passing events might teach him that
ecclesiastical enmity is not to be bought off by
flatteries or favours, short of unconditional submis-
sion and entire complicity. French troops may
repossess and guard the patrimony of St. Peter, but
Papal and priestly gratitude will cail French troops
gaolers rather than protectors. There is one su-
preme humiliation, however, for which his Holiness
is grateful ; the offered aid of the Spanish Queen.
The religious zeal of Isabelia's soldiers is beyond
suspicion. But it is not a calumny to suppose that
the Holy Father is in need of any intervention, so
far at least as the patrimony of St. Peter is con-
cerned ? The Journal of BOnle assures us that the
populations of the towns and villages, restored to
the dominion of the Church by the French on
the voluntary retirement of the Piedmontese,
welcome back the Papal authorities " with en-
thusiasm." One is disposed to regret that this
timely enthusiasm should have been compelled
to display itself under the doubtful auspices
of French bayonets. At Viterbo the en-
thusiasm of the population displayed itself in
a singular manner. As soon as the return of the
Pontifical gendarmes was announced the population
sent to the French General to say that it would
burn the town rather than receive them. It was
only on the intimation that French soldiers would
at all events precede the Pontifical authorities that
the inhabitants consented to leave their town stand-
ing ; for as to themselves, they migrated across the
frontier with all convenient speed. It is thus that,
under cover of a new French army of occupation,
the Papal Government is in a condition to treat
with contempt the counsels of the French Emperor,
and its agents everywhere to conspire against him.
Napoleon 111. may affect to despise this impotent
malignity, but the time must, sooner or later, ar-
rive when he can no longer decently or safely main-
tain an army of occupation at Rome in the centre
of a freed and flourishing Italy. It is equally cer-
tain that no other foreign troops will take the place
of the French. There remains one of two conse-
quences ; either the Pope as a temporal ruler will
go, or as a Bishop only, and Supreme Head of the
Catholic Church, he will remain. Were we Catholics,
and anxious that the crying scandal of the Church
should cease, we should humbly beg the successor
of St. Peter to put up. the sword in the sheath,
since he cannot cut off the ear of Europe.