The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-14

velopements Of social Life In that citv IT, exbi-
bition of picture which has attained the ecu.
liar notoriety enjoyed by that of Mr.. Psrs
would prove exceedingly lucrative.
The Position OF the Pope-What II to he
Dome with Him 2-The Mecca or the
Catholic World.
The revolution in commercial circles In
Europe, caused by the bold free trade policy
of Napoleon the Third, had the effect Of hiding
the Pope from view for a little time. But now
that the now commercial system has been
fairly inaugurated, much of the surprise and
excitement has passed away, and the old ques-
ton once more arises-what is to become Of
the Pope and the Popedom? The question ia
one of vast importance, whether we consider
the influence 1t exc rcises on the civilization Of
the world, or the immense numbers of people
who are interested in its solution. Independent
of the millions of Cath olics all over the world
great proportion OF whom are opposed
to the temporal dominion, of his Holiness there
are thousands of other people watching the
development of the problem with the deepest
interest But although tn, re is o thick sort OF
nebulosity still settling owe the Eternal City,
the question of the temporal sovereignty OF the
Pope may be said to be alre, ,dy settled. His
Holiness is perfectly helpless, and must fall
back upon the spiritual inheritM nee of his pre-
decessors before the era of Cons, antine and Of
Pepin. In those good old times the success
sors of St. Peter had not rood OF
land that they could call IL cir own,
and yet they found their spiritua charge
rather difficult matter in itself. 1t is plain
that Plus the Ninth has to come back tt the old
spiritual plan, which is by far the best for the
church and for himself If there be a Coz ,gress
for the arrangement of the affairs of Italy ; the
question may be resolved by that august b. ody;
but if there be no Congress, then the Enpe ror
Napoleon will himself dispose of it. En- ia ct,
the progress of liberal ideas and the march OF
human freedom have made such giant stride o
of late, that such an anomaly as the Popedon-
half spiritual and half temporal no longes
be permitted to stand in the way Of eiviiiza
ton.
Situated as his Holiness now ID; her
will before long find himself compelled to ac4
cept the liberal terms offered him by the EN-.
peror of the French. The result will be that
Italy, which will then be very nearly free
{" from the Alps to the Adriatic," will be con-
solidated and become the sixth great Power Of
Europe. The Pope will exercise a spiritual
rule over this new confederation of twenty
seven millions of people; and the Italians, who
are now so testy and i'll humored under his
temporal rule, will be loyal, patient and obe-
dent to him as their spiritual shepherd Plus
the Ninth will thus be neceseitated to
fall back upon the position of tho
Popes in the time Of Charlemagne; and il
will be impossible for the Catholic church or
any other hierarchy to stop the progress of the
world for the future. The spiritual mission of
popes and priests is more than enough for them,
without dabbling in the science of human gov !
eminent, of which they can Know nothing
Trained and educated in converts and in clois-
ters-shut out from the great humanizing in
fiuences which are continually at work in the
world about them-they are not fit to grapple !
with the duties of the statesman and the
legislator, but are especially designed to deal
with the musty themes Of theology and polemios.
Their mission is exclusively to the souls OF
men; and while men have to labor to earn
their bread by the sweat of their brow, they
will never be brought to submit to any rulers
but those who are willing to advance with
the progressive impulse of the age. Priestly
rule being entirely opposed to this, their places
must be filled by those who will encourage in
dustry, foster commerce, and give the widest
impulse to country's Development. The old
Catholic idea, as we all know, has always been
restrictive. To the Catholic church it has
been nothing but good pictures, good statues,
and very good souls But these ideas
are now motheaten, exploded and decayed,
and can no longer stand in the teeth Of the en-
lightenment of mankind.
But although the Pope must be shorn of his
temporarily and his mimic sovereignty, yet his
position will be desirable if not an enviable
one. Falling back upon the great old city of
Rome, with all its historic recollections,
its intellect, its architecture, its science
and its art his Holiness will be able
to build up for himself monument
more lasting than the brazen memo
rial spoken of by one Of the most
favored poets Of ancient Rome By con-
tentiDg himself with the exercise of his
spiritual authority, he will find time to collect
all the ancient wonders and curiosities of the
Eternal City-to concentrate them in some
central focus, and to make the Seven Killed City
the great museum Of the world. What tri-
umphant work woald this be for the Pope.
People would flock to Rome-like the Mahom-
medansto Mecca-from every part of the civil
lied globe That splendid city would form
the greatest worlds fair that has ever
been known under the direction and con-
troll of the Pope. 1t would be Bar
NUNS Museum on large scale, without
any of the humbug of Barnum's enterprise.
All the magnificent paintings, sculptures, and
other works of art, of the ancient as well - the