The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-04-05


churches or religious communities However, will
endeayer to re-stae my objection and make it 80 clear
that the ground which take cannot be possibly con
founded by anybody with the of Directing to a
mission to foreign government, because lis head Is
the member of church
This mission must be recommended to us by some con-
slderauOns either OF interest to ourselves or hs genera
welfare OF society 1t is recommended oy me president
the ground of recent interesting political events In
progress Italy under the direction OF the present rope
and secondly, on the ground OF exercising Que over
sight commercial interests III that part Oh Inc
world Now. with regard to the latter II seems TO De
conceded, as understand, by every gentleman in the
Senate who has taken part IN this discussion that we
have commercial interests with the Papa States that
require this mission; that these interests small
and nconsiderable and have been sufficiently provided
for by the three American consuls in the Papa States
they may safely be left to the same superintendent in
future The honorable senator looks down with scom
the idea OF troubling ourselves with any such sublu
nary matters as commercial interests; and, soaring
entirely above any of those earthly regions which we
occupy, has gone on transcendental excursion in
pursuit oil reasons why we should institute this mis-
sion to Rome Now the President Of the United States,
N his message, has made the commercial interests
OF the country one OF the grounds which he thinks
this mission ought 10 be established Being myself rather
plain and not at all given ranscendenta views Of
any KIND. cannot iorbear thinking that an American
Senate may be more properly engaged in considering
the commercial interests of this country require the in
stituon of this mission. The general impression
TO he that they do not require it. On what other ground
asked that now at this particular time, this mission
shall be established, and either minister charge sent
70 the Papal States The recent political events in
spoken OF as there had been real change IN the
political condition OF the people Of Romeas if Pope Plus
the TX had adopted some measures by which absolute
power should be mgated, and some degree OF popular
rights established The senator speaks OF the Pope as II
he were engaged effort to establish civil and religious
s al saeS As
part of the world Well, then, when such movement
dses take place, hope shall have reasonable and Just
evidence of its existence before that sympathy can be
awakened Now, | ask the honorable senator from
Ohio, who is no doubt familiar with all these events
the establishment either OF religious or civil free
dom' Has he granted 10 the people of his States
legislative chamber Has he given them any partcipa,
ton in the privileges OF governments Has he permitted
freedom OF speech and of the press Has he abolished
the censorship Has he granted universal religious toe
he received from his predecessors Has he nterposed
single barrier any form to the exercise Of that absolute
control over his subjects which he has received from his
predecessors and which he to hand down to those
who are to succeed him Not at all He has made
some municipal reforms He has shown himself 10 be
kind and good master to his subjects but only has he
done nothing, by which their condition the subjects OF
an absolute sovereign may be mgaed, but he has ex-
pressly dsavowed the intention OF making any such
change But the senator from OHIO we are to send
to the people of The Paa States upon the ad
vancement that they have made in the establishment OF
their Liberties under the patronage OF their sovereign Pom
tiff Do they assemble in conventional Do they meet
in legislative bodes' Have they any representation
whatever by which they are recognised as power in
dered' Not at all, They kindly benefcently gov
emed, and as Tar as their personal welfare is concerned
they are wisely governed by the sovereign Pontii But
seems to that the senator foges the nature OF that
sovereignty 1t the first bishop OF the church that
the Pope possesses any temporal power. The govern
ment 49, as has been very well expressed by Matte Brun
'An elective monarchy having for its domain the EARTH
which only occupies point; and for its empire the
heavens, from which ii looks kings its interiors"
When the Pope dies, how is his appointed
The succession is not by hereditary descent; there
Mr. WEBSTER lin his seat) From one of their own
Mr. BADGER. Yes; and that college consists, be-
ieve OF seventy members bishops priests, deacons
hsy meet and Select one OF Their ood :; the @
that body. They choose the Pope He is elected by
body OF priests, and succeeds to absolute power
the people Of the Papal States. It is therefore,
absolute, unbroken and unmitgated despotsm. In
using that term, reproach TO the present
Pontif who 49, as sincerely believe, greatly in advance
have occupied the Papa chair. But the government is
OF necessity despotism although it by means follows
that the individual who exercises the power may be in
his heart dcspot Yet, the present Pope has made
approximation to freedom in the American sense OF the
term. What do we understand by freedom? Not merely
the protection extended by kind and benefcent ruler
1t TO be subjected to the government of known law
1t to have guarantees that rights shall not be in
vaded and amongst these rights is the of the
sae % RS hs aa
the assent of people Now il is impossible, in my
view of it, that the Pope establish such system of
free government in his dominons. We all know that
ii is of the claims put forth by the sovereign Pom
tiff, that he constituted "prince all nations
and Kingdoms -" he pucks up, pulls down, destroys,
plants and builds at his sovereign peasure-exercsng,
in Short all those powers claimed by Pope Plus the Fifth
in his famous Bull of accommodation. We know that
the church of which the Pope the head changes
Other things may change but the Catholic church changes
not What was once claimed by her is ever claimed by
her II is true, in the progress Of civilization in modern
the nations and kingdoms Of the earth has fallen into dis
ton and because, perhaps there is disposition to
ry out. But this power is still claimed II is impossi
BILE, then, according to this view of the Papal
thorty and government that the Pope could divide the
authority with the people of his States which has been
annexed to his spiritual kingdom in order to give exter
nal dignity and responsibility.
1t seems to me, that when this matter comes to be
carefully considered it must be regarded simply
mission from this country to the first bishop of the world,
because it is only eccleslastc that the sovereign
Pontf exercises temporal authority The point of my
objection is, that this misson-nOt the senator
from Ohio supposes to member OF particular church.
but that sending mission spiritual sovereign
who is the head of the Catholic church. And | said,
and repeat that the Protestant communities OF this
country will regard that step great departure from
the principles which have regulated our diplomatic inter-
course with other nations. do not object TO the mis-
sion because the person to whom it is to be sent is
member of particular church, because he happens
be the head OF the Catholic church obectto because
he is spiritual poentate, and there interests of
the United States in his domnions which require the
presence OF diplomatic agent of this country. II is on
Mt En- hl.rhr II