Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-09-03

may well ask each other, why did the
Pope disband his own soldiers, his
best body guard; that brave company
which had opposed the tide Of Protes-
tantism; which had given vitality to
the church. 1t may also be asked,
4yhy did the kings of the earth de-
soGAA& the suppression of these un-
1apt at fisk ;NHAniekers Of absolutism.
nefIcL insu esssl gwilliongsll
The splendid mechanism of the
system Of Igna atius, of Loyola, and the
wonderful spirit Of his society in every
part of the world, has been long q
subject of astonishment. Who has
not heard Of the extent of Jesuit mis-
sions, their great schools and colleges
their great wealth and unequal!ed
power-or how they supplanted the
old priests and monks as officers and
missionaries, insinuating themselves
into the bosoms of families and the
courts of princes; how they turned
back the tide of Professionalism, and
baptized all liberal movements with
the name of infidelity; how they lea
gued with despots, with both church
and state; how they became corrupt
ed in morals and doctrines; how they
abandoned themselves to intrigues to
retain the power they had gained by
their virtues and talents; and finally,
how they erected most hateful spir-
itual despotism in Europe, and Amer
ica.
All these matters have been end
less subjects of discussion among
philosophers, historians, novelists and
poets, so that the mere name has be-
come a new word in the English Ian
guage, synonymous with deceit, in
trigue and craft. Doubtless they
have been slandered, but no body of
men has been the cause of so much
fear to ProtestaDts, or more eulogized
by Catholics, as martyrs and able ad-
vocates of religion. 1t is difficult to
know the exact truths concerning
them. One thing is certain, they
have not lived in vain; and they have
made their mark on the worlds his
tory, which shall last through all time
for better or for worse.
4-r-R Rhc 6rss blow ,uimedvws the de.
struction Of the order, was struck by
the Prime Minister of Joseph |, Of
Portugal, on account of SEINE private
hatred which he entertained against
the whole society. They had intri-
gued against his. ascendancy, and
this was sufficient to convert him into
a violent enemy. He was second
Richelieu, and he wished to take the
shackles off both priests and people;
he had been in England, and was
strongly impressed with the prosper
ity of its commerce and agriculture,
and contrasting it with his own coun-
try, he finally resolved on the fall of
the Jesuits. 1t so happened that the
King was wounded one evening by a
pistol shot, while passing through one
of the apartments of his palace to
visit his mistress. The Jesuits were
stigmatized as instigators Of a plot
against the life of the King, who, be-
lieveing them guilty, became their
deadly enemy.
The result of this was, that all the
Bishops of Portugal received orders
to remove the Jesuits, which was ac-
cordingly done. The same happen
ed in all the colonies belonging to
the country; their property was con
fiscated, their schools closed, and an
inveterare war waged against them
A like fate awaited them in France,
from Lonis XIV. Louis was ruled by
the Infamous Madame de Pompadour,
who was to abandoned Il too deprav-
ed for even the Jesuits to tolerate
They offended her, and refused to
give absolution to the monarch until
he abjured andrepudiated her. Ma
dame de Pompadour swore to be re-
venged, even though the throne should
|fall: The Prime Minister, who was
r. fs3r1e eyeaturee, and who was
also virtually king, promised 0bcdis
ence to her wishes.
A debt, which had been contracted
by one of the Jeusits, was brought
against the whole order, at the insti-
cation of the Prime Minister, who
used every means in his power, to
turn every unfavorable circumstance
against the Jesuits, SO as to blacken
their characters in the eyes of the
people, and thus render them odious
to all. An investigation intothe Or
der was Immediately set on foot
Everything was forgotten in this great
dilemma, says st. Priest, and sooner
than yield them up, they preferred to
be dispersed on the earth. Louis
XVI considered them necessary as
teachers of religion, and was opposed
to the measures taken for their sup
preston. A French Cardinal, how
ever, continued the lecturer, made his
appearance at Rome, and told the
Pope that all the Bishops, with the
exceptions Of six, had decreed that
the unlimited authority Of the Jeusit
General was Incompatible with the
laws of the kingdom.
The Jesuits knowing IL was irnnos