The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-21

clincd to the belief that the ship canal would be
attended with the least expense. VIII the New
York Chamber Of Commerce move in the matter,
and urge UPON Congress the necessity of adopt
ing some pan by which the dangers of He'll
Gate can be oideds
ABDUCTION or THE JEWISH CHILD MORrARA.--
In another column will be found u number of
official documents connected with this case, which
have been recently transmitted to the Jewish
congre cations of America by Sir Moses Monte
fore, President of the London Committee Of
Deputies for the Jews. The statement published
by the Mortaa family has naturally excited
strong feelings of indignation amongst their
relyonares all over the world, and sects of other
denominations opposed to the Romish church
have not failed to take advantage of it. A strong
prima faoe case has been made out against the
Papal authorities and their continued silence.
in presence of the bitter invectives published
against them by the French and English journals,
would lead to the presumption that it is well
founded. Should this prove to be the case, we
have no hesitation in saying that grosser in-
tringcment Of the natural rights Of the parent
over the child, or more despotic exercise
of ecclesiastical authority, has never been
committed. 1t is mistake, however, TO
charge to Roman Catholic doctrines this
excess of fanatical zeal As has been shown
in the indignant disclaimers of the French clergy,
there is nothing in the canons of that church
which asserts, theoretically, the propriety of
such high-handed proceedings. This outrage
may therefore he set down amongst the many
fatal errors resulting from the combination of
temporal with a spiritual jurisdiction in the
government of the Romsh church. 1t is con-
sistent feature Of such an unnatural union of
powers, and it will always be liabl. to occur
again, not only in Rome, but in every country
where such an anomaly is permitted to exist.
We have seen similar arbitrary interferences
with natural rights practised in Protestant coun-
tries-in Great Britain for example, where Jews
have only been recently admitted to the full pri
vileges of citizens-and if the Roman govern
ment is somewhat behind the rest of the world
in federation, some allowance should be made for
its peculiar ecclesiastical constitution, which pre-
disposes it towards Ligotcd policy.
York and of Philadelphia have already taken
steps to cooperate with their brethren in Great
Britain in procuring the restitution of the boy
Mortara to bis parents. Although we do not see
how foreign governments can be called upon to
forcibly intervene in this matter, we believe that
something may be done through the medium of
diplomatic circumstances. II will not do to as
sert right by the violation Of another; and the
Roman Pontiff may reasonably object that, as
sovereign prince he is entitled to the indepen-
dent exercise of his functions and ought not to he
coerced in his relations with those subject to his
authority. Strong representations, however,
backed by significant hints of the course which
the European Powers may pursue in the event Of
fresh popular movements occurring in his States.
would, we have no doubt, have due effect on the
mind of his Holiness, and incline him to adopt
towards his Jewish subjects policy more consis-
tent with Christian charity and the actual tencts
of the church of which he is the head.