The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-02-01

That, suppose, Mr. Chairman, depend
entirely upon the foundation of the right
and the demand which may be made fo
Its exercise.
The question which concerns tis here, ant
which arises ont OF the charges made by the
honorable gentleman from Massachusetts,, i:
not whether The right has been claimed
but on what grounds this right was asserted
II it was divine right, right inherent in
the spiritual Office of the Bishop of Rome a:
the successor of ST. Peter; then, sir, confess
it may never lapse and its exercise may
be renewed with the reception of addition.
a! power. But, sir, if j, was righ! confer.
red FOR special occasions, by those interes.
ted IN It's exercise, conferred by monarcbs
for thsir own safety, and approved by the
people for their own benefit, who were rea.
dy, willing and able 10 contribute means for
giving It's exhibition power, then Il would
of course, cease with The change of circum-
stances iu which ifwas conferred; and those
who invested the Pope with The right, be.
cause they could assist him with powv, and
because general safety required the exercise
of that power, retained in iheiI own hands
the right TO Withdraw or nvalidate their for.
mer bestowal, and leave in the hands OF the
Roman Pontf only his spiritual rights over
Kings or people, dehorS the limits of bis own
temporal dominion.
To understand how the Pope ever possess
ed any power over Emperors and Kings,
aad By such power, influencing their suo-
jects, we must enter more minutaly into tho
circumstances Of the far distant age in which
| it was conferred and exercised, than The time
here allowed for speech, or the space me-
cessafy for an essay would justify. We
must enter into the spirit of the middle ages,
and see how naturally Christian monarchs
Chen all Of on Greedy formed combinations,
and how much human fights aud Christian
principles owe TO combinations and jeal.
ousies which, while they distinguished, and
really illustrated that period, would now be
regarded, If they could exist, as the resort
of men of bad principles, TO perpe,uate ty.
rannical power. But such was the state OF
the times, and such the unestabished condi-
ton of religion and civil government, that
it became matter of the deepest moment
to Christian Princes, that The latter shoald
combine 10 support the former. And in
combining, the Christian (Catholc) Princes
formed legue, by which peace, order, and
religion were, as far as possible, 10 be main
tanned among them by reference to the in
fiuences which the Pope, as spiritual SOW
sreign would naturally. have 10 enforce tenn
poral and iernre-ar,- pUwOr--'rirb- fs;-.s- -..L
people, and with Kings through heir people !;
and this influence was augmented by the
submission on the part of individual sover-
eigns TO the DEGREES of the Pope, founded
on the power which the united sovereigns
had conferred on the Pontif, and founded on
that alone.
Christianity, at that period, had not
wrought ont its work OF social good vice
and disorder were rampant, and the passions
of men seemed TO be allowed indulgences
little realized in these times. To secure
something like order, religion, and catholic.
ity, among the Christian nations, and to Sc
cure the ultimate social effects oi the true
principles of religion, the Christian Princes
conferred upon the Pope a power, which
previously he had not attempted to exercise /;
never, indeed, claimed TO possess. The spir-
iual power was always admitted as of di-
vine right, the gift Of God. The temporal
power was conceded, was conferred, by the
Emperor and Christian Princes, not 10 ag-
grandize the Bishop of Rome, but 10 enable
him 10 decide betwixt them in thelt various
disputes, and 10 keep alive the faith upon
! which the power Of the Princes evidently
rested. No one then pretented that The
fight TO depose King was divine right in
the Pope. He claimed the power 10 cot off
from the sacraments of the church all who
do not conform 10 the rules Of that church, a
figh, claimed and exercised by all churches,
suppose as every church surely must be
| Judge of the qualifications Of its members,
and must so far as it's influence extends, ex-
| ercise The power TO bind and loose. That is
question purely theological, ard cannot be
discussed here.
certainly do no injustice 10 any one in
saying that snch was the disorderly state of
Europe, that, if dependence had not been
placed by sovereigrs in the influence Of the
Pope's spiritual power, no King could have
maintain ed his possessions without an ack-
nowledged physical superiority; and no
people could have retained show OF free
dom, could have counted on life itself, il the
avarlce and bloody cruelty OF the Barons
could have found any advantage, or even
momentary qualification, by sacrificing eitb-
er. And this was moi ALL It was admitted
that every crown should be held By the ten-
ure of Christianity in ils wearer and yet
Paganism and infdelity were continually
grasping at the scepire.* Kingdoms were
constantly changing. Monarchs were dri-
ven from their thrones by violence; and
their SUCCESSORS rarely thought of any other
object thar the permanency Of their own
power. Meantime, the Papacy was perma-
nent; and, in propottiou 10 the tfoubles, dis
orders, and disasters Of tie times, the Papa
cy acquired strength; strength in lbe con-
slant appeals TO iis arbitration; strength in
lis Interchangeable qualities and strength, il