The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-27

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND REPuBLfcs-Irs
NOTIONS RESPECTING FORMS or CIVIL GOVERN
MEkT--ITsELF PURELY DEsrorIo-OPPosD TO kk-
vOLUTIOks--ITs AUTHORITY OVER GOVERNMENTS
Its NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AID IN OUR REyoLv-
TIOEARY STRUGGLE. -
WASHINGTON CRY, April ii, 1852
Mr.. BENNETT The Archbishop says Up. lD;
ssThe Catholic church has no recogn ized theory
the subject of forms of civil government. The little
republic of san Marine has preserved its lndepon-
dence and its republican forms Tor ourtoen hundred
years, in the very heart of tho Papal Statos"
His object in introducing in this connection, this
little republic of twenty square miles, (about
ms large as the area of the city of Washington
with seven thousand inhabitants, could only have
been to show that the Pope is not unfriendy to u
republican form of government. Tho Pope is called
the protector of San Marine. Cromwell was called
the protector of England But rather think the
insgnfcance OF that little repabc is its best pro-
tector. II is suffered to exist small Indian in
dependencies have been within the limits of some of
our States-their feeblcness and isolated condi-
ton being guarantee for their good behaviour
But, ii the Pope has any kind regard for
republics, line opportunity for manitcsting il
recently afforded hiui-and what did he do WHY
did he fly from his own dominions at the first shout
OF his own people for liberty Why did he not for
bid the approach of the French army and return to
Rome, and unite with Mazzini in administering the
republican government organized by the people 3
The fact u.s. the Pope has not proved himself the best
OF friends to those republics which within, aud
contiguous to, his domain. That the independence
OF some six or seven has, within the last three
turtles, entirely disappeared, is think, very good
evidence Of the fact How did he serve Florence 4?
Did he not send army with that of the emperor,
Charles ". and put an end to the republican form OF
government and this without the least provOcaion
but simply to reduce that State to the despotc an |
tyrannical sway of his own bastard son, who married
the cmperor's bastard daughter. ! refer the reader
to Sismondi's Italian Republics.
As to the notions OF the church in regard to form
of civil government, although from his extreme re
pugnance exhibited OF late years to the change
threatened of certain European governments from
monarchical to republican, the Pope has clearl !,
shown his prediction for the monarohical form
yet confess do not see why republic may no
be as convenient for the purposes of the church,
the people are faithful and obcdient-as monarchy.
Indeed, kings and emperors have given the Popo a
world of trouble. Many-yery many-has he deem
ed it necessary, in the plontude OF his power, to
depose, releasing their subjects ut the Same time,
from the obligation of their oath of allegiance.
But the Pope may argue-and it is not without
forcc-that, as in republic, the people themselves
manage the civil affairs, and therefore in the habit
of thinking and forming opinions temporal sub
jecs, it is almost inevitable that they will ut length
conclude that they capable of reasoning and
deciding on spiritual subjects also and such peo-
pie must be more difficult to manage than mo-
march whose subjects trained up to blind obe-
dience to the church, and especially if that sove.
reign is u faithful son of the church, and has an
armed force sufficient to keep the people in subjec-
ton
AS to the Roman Catholic Church itself, the Arch
OisnOp OOe5 not, ana cannot, deny that 1t purely
despotic-in this country in all others. Each
officer of the churchhowever subordinate and infe-
rior-is absolute in his sphere as the Pope himself
is in his: The bishops, even in this country, can
when they please, exclude the people from the
churches built with their own money, and can with
hold from them those rites and ordinances essential
in their belief to salvation. Here is power ever the
very souls of mon. H. Chevalier, a living French
author, and Roman Catholic, observes truly that
1t is pdisputable that Professionalism is republican
while" Catholicism is essentially monarchical."
The Church, says the archbishop, 8 is not an
approver ofrevoutions except where they are clear
" justifabe." But who is to decide this question
The people Oh, no. Who then !! Why, the
church, OF course, and none but tho church. And
who is the church in such case ? The Pope Of
The church, he says is in favor of exist
ing authority until to the contrary should APP
pear" But the people are not to judge of this
cause or the Pope would not have urged on
the French army to the destruction of the late
phia, the 3lst January, 1850, the archbishop de-
.c!ares (pa. 49, that the people of the United
States have no right to change their government
when they please; and in his Liverpool dinner Speech
he well says, that the Catholic church is not demo-
cratic. Now, put it to the people Of the United
States how do these doctrines and principles suit
their taste !? II is time for them to think on thes
things. Archbishop Hughes considers this as much
a Roman Catholic as a Protestant country. If
80, it is proper that it should be much influenced
by the great Roman Catholic principo-papal au
thGritycas by the great Protestant priaciple-th
Independence of thought and opinion and which the
church of Rome calls heresy.
s. The principle of passive obedience" he OBJ
serves " on the part of subjects or of absolute and
irresponsible authority on the part Of sovsregns
never was, and certainly never will be, approved
principle of hers"
This is correctly stated. The Pope, as the church,
has, for many centuries, claimed responsibility to
himself from all governments and by virtue Of his
authority vicar of Jesus Christ he claims also all
the earth inhabited by nfdes-that is, all who re-
iect the faith of the Roman Catholic church-and
hence the partition by Alexander W., of all the
countries in the world inhabited by nfdes, between
Spain and Portugal. And this is another reason,
doubtless, why Archbishop Hughes may claim this
as Roman Catholic country, though he does not
say so; for the bull declares that all of meri
dian limo one hundred leagues west Of the Azores is
given to Portugal, and all west of that line to
Spain This country of course fell to Spain. Now,
here was claim openly asserted by the Pope to this
country, and transfer Of it regularly executed.
Nor has Aexanders claim ever been acknowledged
to have been by any Of his successors
Although the Pope has often declared the sub
Jects OF certain monarchs to be released from all
obedience to their soveregns it would not be easy
to find single case where sefshness was not the
motive. While am on this subject, permit me to
take little pains to establish the position, for their
sake, who are inclined to doubt it, that the Pope
contends for superiority and authority all
governments. But l wish to remind the reader
first, that the present Pope has expressly declared
his intention to transmit to his successor, unim-
paired and perfect, all his rights and powers, as he
received them. No Pope has ever acknowledged
that his rights and powers jot or little less
than those of any other Of his predecessors If some
have not exercised them, it was either because it
was not deemed necessary, or it was not expedent,
or else they destitute of the ability to enforce
their behests The highest dignitary Of the church
burst not disobey the Pope, for all are under the
most solemn obligations of implicit obedience to the
church, "without restriction qualification" says
Charles Butler; and when the Pope speaks from the
chair Of ST. Peter ca cathedra tits then the church
that speaks. In biography of the late Bishop
David, coadjutor Of the Roman Catholic Bishop Of
Louisville, Ky, and which find IN the "Mctropo-
itan Catholic Almanac for 1885, it is remarked Of
him, as great virtue, that, che had ever taught
the duty Of implicit obedience to the voice Of supe
riors; and, in regard to himself, he was always
consistent with his own principles. No matter how
great or how painful the sacrifice, he was prepared
cheerfully, to make it, whenever tho command
his superior made it duty, Blind obedience