The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-08-16

include Hopetou ADD Stockt0n--the army and
the navy, Texas and New Jersey, free trade and
protection, democracy and native Americsuisu,
North aud South--tbey might defy the world
Seriously, however, In the present confusion
ard etfervesceuce of the democratic, republican
aod American factions sections and cliques, North
and South, and considering the distractions which
block up the way to WISE Douglas, Seward and
Fillmore, now is the time to bring out all the
other White House candidates, young and old,
great aud SMALL democra tic, republican Ameri-
can and old lire whg, for they may never have
another chance. To day we ventilate the special
claims Of Cameron, Dickinson and Stockton; to-
morrow we shall be ready for half dozen more
Tho Church In Europe and Amertcn--ltcAi'
gtOus Conficss Oh sho age.
We have Of late bad very frequent occasion
for discussing, in connecu0a with the Italian
war; the present condition OF the Roman Catholic
Church and the amount Of influence which it
retains aid exercises over the Christian world.
The views which we have enunclated on the
subject are those which obtain to q very large
extent in Europe as well as in the United Stases
10 fact it is stated in an article which we oday
republisb from the London Herald, that the
actual appreclable power of the Papacy seems to
be at an end, aud that throughout the greater
portion Of Europe the religion of Rome has
lapsed into nfdelity or mateIialism. To Ger.
tain extent that description of the decayed con-
dirion OF the religious element is true, not only
as applied to Europe, but also as applied to the
whole of the civi lied world but it is true only
in far the idea Of religion is confined to the
observance Of dead forms aud the belief 10
NEUROLOGICAL fables and puerile dogmas. Cere
moDials and doguas, and fables aud rituals
sc m to have lost, in Europe at least, their eff
cacy. The French Revolution swept that away.
But the spirit Of Christianity, which underlsy all
these, aud vivifed the external body OF the
Church, survives the wreck of the form, and would
survive, even though from affairs aud pulpits the
Gospel should cease to be proclaimed. In this
couotry the disregard to forms and ceremonals,
which was distinguishing feature of the Puri-
taDs and Of dissenting sects generally appears to
| baye undergone reactiouary movement, and to
bave suggested in some minds the idea of falling
back upon religious pageantry. Thus it is that
| extremes meet.
| If the Roman Church were Identical as some
OF its un~ise partisans hold il is-with the
| power that exercises domiaion over the Papal
States, tben indeed, its existence would be foul
the purity of the Christian religion. 1t was
| ia vain for Pho Mono or Cardinal Antonelli to
denoupce and stigmatize the Italian movement as
q combination of inddels and revolutionists. la
vain it was for either of them to proclaim that the
anti Papal movements in Bologna, Perugia and
elsewhere, were got up by the enemies Of
public order. No one can be deceived into think
ing for o moment that the rule of the Cardinals is
| pleasant to the people Of the Papal States. No
one is sc ignorant or bigotted az not to know and
coDfess that the temporal sovereignty Of the Pope
is exercised in manner that is deln0ralizing to
the people and utterly disgraceful to the govern
| ment. AS Lord John Russell said in his recent
| despatch to the British Minister at Berlin
! Every knows that Rome and the legations have
been much governed by the popes Ministers than
Loubaidy bS Austrian Archdokes, and that woad Do
AID unsatisfactory arrangement which down
the rule Of the latter and left the former in all lis de-
ormity.
And 60 they appear to be the very worst
enemies of the Roman Catholic Church who per-
sist in identifying it with Papa misrule in Italy.
So universal is the hatred of that mi5rule, that
were it not for the presence Of the French army
in the Holy City, we would coon sec
The stones OF Rome rice up in mutiny
1t is to this insane persistency on the part of
the Papal government in making the Roman
Catholic Church bear all the odium of pontfcal
misrule that the decadence of the religious SEN
timent in Europe is to be, in large measure, i'm
puted. If the Church will not sever its dual
character Of spiritual and temporal it cannot
expect that the world, in estimating the
acts Of the Church, in its temporal capa-
city. will draw the distinction. 1t is not to be
wondered at, therefore, that as our London name
| sake asserts, the religion Of Rome has, through
out the greater portion of Europe, lapsed into in-
| .lity or materialism. A radical amelioration
ofthe government of the Papal States, or def
mite abandonment on the part of the Pope of the
attempt to govern them at all, would do more to
bring back the stray sheep into the fold than
would century's laoors of the Society for the
Propagation of the Faith
Still, it must be confessed that the misgovern
ment of the Papal States has not been the sole
Influence at work 10 producing the present inf
del or materialistic condition of the public mind
The antiprogressive character OF the Church has
had no small effect in producing that result.
Truth and morality never change, to be sure
The principles Of virtue are the same yester-
day, today and forever. But it does not
follow from that that the mode Of implant-
ing or fostering virtuous precepts does not
change or progress. What is truth to the
child is also truth to the man. but the means
Of proving IL to both are widely different.
The child believes it because bis parent or teacher
tells him so; the intelligent man believes
it because his reason is convinced That
makes exactly the difference between the Roman