The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-09-03
IQs BeraIa Of Freedom.
LAWRENCE, X. Il.
Saturday Morning, Sept. 8, 1859.
Ths Temporal Power of the Pope.

Inc IolldWlnS artlcle upon the cnarac-
ter of the Temporal Government of the
Pope, appeared in the New York Courier
previous to the reception of the intelli-
gence of the new settlement of affairs in
Italy. If this is correct picture, it does
not give promise of a brilliant future for
"confederated Italy," under its new "Hon-
crsry President :"
When France and Sardinia shall have
brought Austria to terms, among the i'm
portant questions to be settled will be that
concerning the temporal power of the
Pope. The blending of the temporal and
spiritual power in that diguitary has been
productive of the most disastrous results.
This is conceded not only by Protestants
but by intelligent Romanists. The his
tory of the Popes, so far as their temporal
power is concerned, is one of bigoted des-
potism. The subjects of these potentates
have been so fettered, so totally deprived
of all independence of thought and action,
that at this day the worst governed peo-
pie in the civilized world are the subjects
of the Spiritual Head of the Roman Cath
ole Church. While in other Govern
ments changes have been introduced
which were dictated by an enlightened
civilization, that of Rome remains practi-
cally what it was centuries ago, The
Pope reigns over three millions of people,
most of whom are poor, and among whom
is large number of paupers that these
three millions have to pay tax of $l4,
100000 that the taxes are unepually
distributed, the burden falling on those
least able to bear it; that while the pal
ace may pay on its income only 81 Be
per cent, the small house may pay Sc 75i
that the cost of collecting the revenue is
thirty per cent; that the public works
consume twentieth part of the revenue
the interest one-third, and that the rest il
disposed of somewhat unsatisfactory
that the Minister of Finance eau mauag,
matters so as to accommodate the Govern
ment at any time ; that his Estimates
consist Of a very short statement, few
copies of which are published {; that th,
present debt of the government amount
to $70,O00,000 and that it continual,
applies for aid to the Jews, whom it de
bars from almost every privilege of citi
zenship-whom it prohibits any publ
employment, whom it will not allow I
hold farm for himself nor manage it 70
another, and to whom it gives no redres
if his wife run away with a Christian sub
ject.
The investigation will also show tbs
the present Pope is mere creature {
Cardinal A ApfnnalIi Of
mind, but utterly unscrupulous-whos
inordinate wealth and tortuous conduS
are excused by some Romanists on tn
ground that he is only deacon, not
priest; that from all offices the lay ell,
ment is rigidly excluded that while pt
litical crimes are treated most severel
real crimes are seldom punished th
schools for the lower classes are few an
far between, and that as the parishes a
obliged to maintain them, there are FRI
quently no schools in some parishes, b.
cause the money raised for the purpose
pocketed by an official; that prostitute
is vice that is not checked, but rath
winked at /; that lotteries are allowed b
cause they prove source Of revenue
that all commercial industry is paralyz'
because all manufactures of any impo
tance constitute privileges bestowed upt
the friends of the Government that Il
product of the harvest is taxed tiUenty-ti
per cent. that agricultural produce pa
tax on export; that while breeding CO
tie is one Of the most valuable resourc
of the State, it is overburdened with ia
es; that while the cultivation of the lal
is diminishing, the quantity coming in
the hands of the priesthood yearly is
creasing; that the farmer lessee of
priesthood is forbidden to break up t
best land, and as he applies no manu-
the inferior land which he cultivates mi
soon become exhausted. In fact this
vestigation viii prove that if the Pc
had determined to ruin his people and
possessions, he could not have found
system better adapted to the purpose tt
that he now pursues.