The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-12


subject to his dominion. This you assert to be
the worst and most poisonous arrow that ever
has been cast at the whole Catholic body of the
United States. And why?-because you foresee
that, inasmuch as the proposition, if true, reoog-
nises a power in the Pope at war with the civil
institutions of this country; and that, to estab-
ish its truth, would be to arrest the progress of
Romanisn, amongu US.
You assert, in the article before US, that the
Pope looks upon the members OF the Catholic
Church, every where, subjects of his spir-
itual jurisdiction. The only question, then,
is, how far that spiritual jurisdiction inter
feres with the civil jurisdiction of other govern
ments not subject to the temporal dominion OF
the Pope. In your letter to Mr.. Forsyth, dated
October 21, 1910, after quoting the authority OF
the Church to prove the legality of the institu-
ton of slavery, you say:
81 shall proceed, sir, to select a few Of the
many evidences which the intermediate ages
furnish. to show the continued legality of do
nestle slavery, and to exhibit its perfect COM
patisIlity with the sound principles of the Chris
! tian moral code, adducing the evidence from the
records of that Church, over which Pope Gre
CORY XVI so happily resides, and thus conclu.
sively showing, that in his Apostolic letter, he
does not condemn il as immoral or illegal be-
cause, the Pope Is the divinely constituted and
authorised witness of the doctrine and morality
of the UNCHANGTNG CHURCH, and not a deSpot
acho can alter that teaching at his mere ,oa,
whilst the Church, herself, claims no power
either to add to the depssite of faith, or to
change the principles of that morality for whose
PRONUNCIATION she is divinely commissioned"
Now, here, sir, you have asserted, that the
Church is responsible for the DEGREES promulga-
ted from time to time by the Pope You have
asserted that the doctrine and morality" of the
Church are unchanging, and that the Pope him
self has no power to alter its teaching. This
narrows down the controversy between US, and
enables US, by looking into the canons of the
Church, to judge of its pretensions by record
evidence. 1t happens, unfortunately for you, that
you have admitted that while the temporal pow
er of the Pope is limited to the Papal States in
Italy, his spiritual jurisdiction extends ssthrough
out the whole world p and hence, if can show
that, at any time, the Pope has exercised civil
power beyond the jurisdiction of the Papal
States it follows, that he claims to exercise that
civil power by virtue of his spiritual jurisdic-
ton; and as the exercise of that power is as
sumed by virtue of his spiritual dominion, you
will not deny that it is obligatory upon Cstho-
lies in this country as in Europe
wish to state the proposition fairly, and it is
this; You assert that the Pope Is a temporal
Prince in the Papal States of Italy, and that, as
such, he exercises civil jurisdiction. You assert,
that he looks upon members of the Catholic
church, every where, throughout the world, as
subject to his spiritual jurisdiction, and deny
that it follows, that this exercise Of universal
spiritual jurisdiction, implies any civil power in
the head of the church, hey ond the PaPal States.
This is a question OF authority, and to be decided
by the known acts of the Pope. You assert that
the Pope is the divinely constituted and author
lied witness of the doctrine and morality of the
unchanging church, and deny that he has the
power to alter that teaching at mere will. All
that remains, then, is to see, what the teaching
of the church has been, and proceed to quote
from authority which you cannot gainsay:
mean the encyclical letter of Pope Gregory
XVI, of the 18th of August, 1889. This letter
is addressed to all patriarchs, primates, arch
bishops, and bishops regret that its length
forbids its insertion entire. l will publish it at
early day A few extracts, however, will
show the temper and spirit of the whole. 1t
was written Immediately after he had bartered
the liberties of Poland for the protection of
Austria; and commences with declaring that he
had been compelled to raise the scourge intrust-
cd TO him by the Almighty, to subdue the obsti-
macy of men. After speaking of the discipline
of his church, and denouncing iRnovators, and
1 II, hoe ~ Al.
conducts to the haven of beatitude, he says:
&c Let them reflect from the language of the
Redeemer, that not being with Christ, they are
against Christ that not gathering with him
| they are unhappily scattering, and that, conse
quently, they will, Without doubt, perish eter-
raliy t.nlecs they hold fast the Catholic filth,
! and prescfUe IL whoie d7td unviolated."
| He then proceeds to say:
e'From that polluted fountain of indifference
flows that absurd and erroneous doctrine or
raving, in favor and Gn defence of hbertu of
conscience, for which most pestilential error the
course is opened by that entire and wild liberty
Of opinion which is every where attempting the
overthrow of religious and civu institutions.
and which the unblushing imPudence of some
have held forth as an advantage of religion"
And again, he says:
E'From hence arise these revolutions in the
minds OF men-hence this aggravated corruption
OF youth-hence this contempt among the peo-
pie, of sacred things, and of the most holy inst-
tutions and laws-hence, in one word, that pest,
of all Others iaost to be DREADED IN STATE
ussbuid!ed Hterty IF opiaior-licentiousnes
of speech, and lust of novelty, winch, accord
ing to the experience of all ages, portend the
downfall Of the most iiourishing ESPIREs"
Here it is seen with what bitterness the Pope
denoances the liberty Of conscience, the liberty
Of opisisns, and the freedom of speech, as dan
serous to the State, and to Empires. Again, he
says:
''Hither tends that ,cofst and NEVER TO BE
SUFFICIENTLY BxHcRATED AND DETEsTED LIBER-
TY Or THE PRESS, Tor the diffusion of all man.
ner OF writings, which some so basely contend
Tor and so actively promote, we shudder, vene-
rah hraf hran - ..-t.k r. 4