Washington telegraph., 1856-12-17
From tie London Times.
Extraordinary Document.

10Th inst publishes the following curious
document, bearing the signature of the
In9uisitor General, with the observation
that comment upon it is-needless =
'EDICT OF THE Holy OFFICE"
eve, Z. r. Thomas Vincent, Airaldi,
of the Order of Preachers, Master in Sa-
cred Theology, and in the towns and do
cesses of Ancona, Osimo Cignoli, Jesi,
Senigallia, Loreto and Recamati, Macerati,
Macerata and Talention, and other lands
and localities annexed, Inquisitor- G eneral
of the Holy Apostolic See especially ap-
pointed against heretical depravity:
Being desirous, as imposed by our Holy
Office, that the Catholic faith without
which, the Apostle Paul writes to the
Jews, it is impossible to please God)
should be In our jurisdiction maintained
pure and imaculate from all heretical con-
tagion; and experience having proven un-
to US that many persons from malice, 9TH
ers from disobedience, and, finally, others
from ignorance, do not fulfil the strict obi:
CATION they are under of denouncing to the
Holy Office the misdeeds which come un-
! der its attTibutioHs, and that serious incon-
veniences and errors result thereirom,
not only against good morals, but epeciai-
ly against the Catholic faith neverthe-
less We, who have especially at heart the
glory of God, the full conservation and
increase of the molly faith, and the saliva
ton of souls, to obviate all disorder, with
the apostolic authority intrusted to us,
command, In virtue of holy obedience,
and under pain of communication, with
out prejudices to other penalties prescrib-
ed by the sacred canons, DEGREES, constitu-
tiOns, and bulls of the SOVEREIGN Pontifis,
by this present edict, all and every person,
whatever his station, rank, or employment,
whether lay or clerical, and within the
delay of one month, ten days of which
are assigned for the first, ten for the sec
ond, and ten for the third peremptory
term, to inform against and notify to US
judically, or to our Wears CT resident Gu
rates, all and each OF such persons as may
come under his acquaintance.
''Wh0 are heretical, or suspected OF be-
ing SO, or harborers or supporters of here
ties, or who may have adhered to or do
adhere to Jewish or Niahommedan, or Pa
gan rites, or have become apostates from
the true Catholic filth;
"Who may have committed acts from
which sufficient proof might be deducted
that they are in open OF secret league
with the Devil, performing acts of sorcery,
Of magic, or necromancy, Offering to the
allowed named (sic) perfumes, incense, or
prayer for the discovery of treasure, or
other unholy purposes; by invocation or
promise of obedience, or other practices
in which his name OF others are invoked;
"Who are familiar with or who practice
necromancy, or no matter what sort Of
magic, with the abuse of the sacraments,
sacred or hallowed things.
"Who not being ordained, should have
usurped with sacrilegious temerity the
right of performing mass, or who are sus-
pected of administering the sacrament Of
penitence to the faithful of Jesus Christ !;
"Who may have abused or do abuse the
sacrament Of penitence, or the locality
(luogo) of the same against the Apostolic
DEGREES;
"Who have held or who hold secret
meetings, in contempt and to the preju-
dice of or against, the Chatholic religion !;
"Who may have uttered or utter heret-
ical blasphemies against God Almighty,
the Most Holy Virgin -Iary, and the
Saints, or who may have or do express
contempt for sacred images;
"Who, despite Of a solemn oath in the
profession of no matter what religion
approved by the Church, or having taken
holy orders, may have or do contract or
try to contract a marriage;
"Who during the lifetime of first wife
take a second, or who, during the lifetime
of a first husband, take or try to take i
second;
"Who may have, or endeavored to i'm
pede, no matter how, the functions OF
the Holy Inquisition; or who, no matter
how, may have acted contrary to the bull
of His Holiness Plus " of blessed memo
nv. which commences as follows 81 de
protegendts;'
s.Who may have published satires
against the Sovereign Pontif, the Sacred
College, high Church functionaries of estab-
lished religious orders; or who may have
published writings, nc matter how, con-
tanning abuse or proclamation of holy writ
.sWho without the regular permission,
should have in their possession writings
or prints containing heresy or heretlcal
works Of an irreligious nature; or who read
such, print such, or allow such to be prin-
ted; or who introduce them or circulate
them, no matter under what pretext OF
motive;
sWho may have, without reason OF
permission, eaten or given to eat to Others
meat, eggs, OF milk on prohibited days
in contempt of the precepts of the holy
church;
"Who may have induced Christian &c
embrace Judaism, or any sect contrary
to the Holy Catholic religion, or who may
have prevented, no matter how, Jews ol
Turks from being baptized.
1t is declared that by this Statement
of cases specified by us as of nature to b
denounced to the Holy Office other case
are not excluded which come under the sa