The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-14 00:00:00

being remembered only occasionally, in the " fury
of modern Popery." After a long catalogue of
black charges, founded on the text that "all laws
human and divine have been trampled under foot,"
the Pope actually quotes Scripture, to be sure it is
to the cream of the Clergy—the "great and criminal
rebellion" has filled the land with "calamities,
crimes, and misfortunes, and, to use the words of
the P.rophet—By swearing, and lying, and killing,
and committing adultery, they break out and blood
toucheth blood." And this from the Pope who has
filled Southern Italy with rapine, blood, and mur-
der by the brigands he has equipped, sent forth,
and sheltered when they fled from justice.
But griefs follow each other like JOB'S messen-
gers. First, these spoliators of the Church profess,
with " brazen impudence," that they wish to give
her liberty, which, of course, means the " brazen
impudence" of VICTOR EMMANUEL in offering to
declare the Church free, when the Romans are
permitted to free themselves from the temporal yoke
of the Head of the Church. Next, some of the
secular and regular clergy—Father PESSAGLIA, we
suppose, at their head—" led away by a fatal spirit
of error and rebellion," give their assent to these
impious designs. Again, as if to wrap the very
horizon of ecclesiastical temporal power in dark-
ness, in the Catholic " offing" of Central America
itself temporalities are falling and crashing; in
Mexico, temporalities ecclesiastical seem in
a bad a case as the temporalities of bond-
holders—" they have pillaged ecclesiastical pro-
perty, despoiled the altars, driven away
the virgins consecrated to God, and after outraging
bishops, have sent them into exile." A streak of
consolation is found here, however, or a little of
the oil thrown in ; for the Mexican Bishops have
come, his HOLINESS says, to Rome and " given
him great consolation by the display of the virtues
they possess in a high degree." One could wish
they had had the virtue of preaching honesty
successfully to the Mexicans. Worse still, the
near neighbours of Mexico are not much better
than she. In New Granada they have made a
"criminal decree, forbiding ecclesiastics to exer-
cise authority" without authorisation from the
civil power. They have even dispersed the blessed
Jesuits, " who have rendered such great services
to religion and society ; and, infandum! they com-
pelled the legate of the Holy See to leave their
territory within the space of three days."
So, after damning everyone and everything
from Turin to Mexico and Granada, the Holy
Father falls back "in the bitterness of his sorrow"
—in " his pain and anguish"—on the vener-
able fathers,—the Perugian father, and all the rest
of the Vatican,—and on the beloved Bishops of
Italy. If theologians and clergy are seduced
bishops remain faithful. Speaking of them it is no
longer common anathema grease, but " balm of
Gilead," "ointment of Spikenard,' or something of
that sort. Here is a drop or two "he offers up in
all humility of soul, the most earnest thanksgiving
to the GOD of all consolation who deigns by the
remarkable piety and generosity of the Episcopacy
and the faithful, to give him alleviation and strength
in the midst of his grief and bitterness." SOLOMON
says that " dead flies cause the ointment of the
apothecary to send forth a stinking savour," we know
not whether money-begging has any such effect on
Papal ointment for faithful bishops, but certain it is
that all this luscious praise of Bishops in the form of
a draft on Heaven, is in immediate connection with
their "pious and spontaneous donations," and the
" grave embarrassments" and the enormous and in-
creasing charges" (for equippingbrigands to ravage
Neapolitan towns) of the Holy See.
But enough—the conclusion of this memorable
specimen of Pontifical Reviling closes, of course,
with appeals to the SAVIOUR, to the "Holy and
Immaculate Virgin MARY," who certainly owes Pope
Pius a good turn, and to GOD himself, which, at the
close of a document so thoroughly worldly in its ,
cravings, and in the temper in which it utters them,
reads to us like profanity. Whether the POPE be
above advice it is not ours to say; but assuredly if
he be not, his friends, and those who care for the
credit of the faith of which ha is the head, would
do well to prevent the issue from the Vatican of
such bootless and revolting abuse, such transparent
worldly ambition, such notorious lies, and above all,
of such disgusting cant.

The principle of non-intervention now regulating
our Foreign Policy is not by any means to be re-
garded as a modern discovery. Diplomacy has
been for a long while tending towards it. The fact
is now merely that what has hitherto been more
implied than expressed, is at length proclaimed very
candidly. There is no longer any beating about the
bush—any groping in the dark—any mere throwing
out of hints. Formerly, for example—and as the
the date we are here forthwith going to specify will
indicate not so very long ago either—the style
adopted by the boldest of our Foreign Ministers
was about as gingerly and as cautious as well could
be. Thirty years ago—it was on the 22d of March,
1831—our present Premier, then Foreign Secretary
(writing to Lord HEYTESBURY, who was at that
period her Britannic MAJESTY'S Ambassador at the
Court of St. Petersburg) could only thus insinuate
the notion that England could do no more than
simply advise the councils of the CZAR in regard to
the affairs of Poland :—" His MAJESTY'S Govern-
ment," wrote Lord PALMERSTON, at the date re-
ferred to, are fully sensible that it is a matter of
great delicacy for one Government to make any
communication to another as to the manner in
which it may think fit to deal with subjects who
have been subdued after an unsuccessful revolt; and
they have:too high an opinion of the generous and
high-minded sentiments of the Emperor of RUSSIA
to doubt that his victory will be used with as much
moderation and mercy as may be consistent with
the future security of his authority ; but as far as
you may find it useful and proper to touch upon
this subject, you will conform your language to the
sentiments entertained upon it by his MAJESTY'S
Government." As if there ware a positive delicacy
about putting the matter quite frankly, and avow-
ing, as we do not hesitate one instant to avow under
similar circumstances at this time that our foreign
policy (be it in reference to Poland or to Italy, to
the Hungarians or to the Montenegrins) is regu-
lated simply by the principle of non-intervention !
Upon that principle we were striving to act
thirty years ago ; and further hack even than
that. Only—we ell;
hesitated
inasmuch a
tatedtoacks thefor the
open adoption of the -
principle referred to nowadays
in so many words • sump ifies all our foreign relations
—saves times, save words, nay for that matter tends
directly to save both
lives and money—the fact of
that open adoption of it is most assuredly matter
for flank congratulation. Nor must it be
supposed
for an instant that the out-spoken acceptance of the
principle of nop-intervention as the prominent and
paramont guiding principle of our Foreign Policy
derogates in any essential particular from the dig-
nity, the self-respect, or the independence of a great
nation like England. For what in truth is really
signified by it ? Not that England will ever refuse
to interfere when her own interests or her own
honour are anywhere concerned either directly or
indirectly. Simply that she will not consent any
longer under any circumstances, to admit the pos-
,