, 1860-01-28
TAc Address Of the Nine Bishops.

II RON Inc \. l. EVe0lfg t0Et
Archbishop Hughes md the SufIraean Bisl-
ops Of his province have issued IN Address to
the clergy anil laty Of the Latin Church, ia
which they cndeayor to vindicate the right of
the Pope 10 retain the Ecclesiastical States ua-
der his dominion. We should say, perhaps,
more properly, the Pone and his Cardinals, ior
the Cardinals, after all. are the real mosing
power Of the papa1 government This docu-
1nent will be read will good deal Of interest,
proceeds. and t4e reasons which it alleges in ia
vor Of allowing The Church to retain tie world
1y power it has exercised SO long.
One at least, of these reasons ls nt t of q l.
ture 10 hare much effect upon those who ue-
licve, with tho AUTHORS Of our Declaration o.
just powers from the consent Of tile governed"
The Archbishop and his suffra2ans insist with
great carnestuess that the title Of the Pope to
the provinces which have -evolted from him,
mud whtcl it is proposed shall not again be
brought under the rule, is legitimate, "the
most legitimate TINT Gun be put forward By any
sovereign ia Europe" Arguments addressed
to govern the people Of ltomagua, whether they
like his government or not, and his right to
shoot them down if they offer to choose i GOV
crnment for themselves, arc likely to persuade
nobody If mere legitimacy forb,ds tie substi-
tuition lof one government for another, VIC
HluHEu greatly Nllcu We &kIEN Du luE YOKE Ql
Great britain. The title Of George the Third
to the American colonies was legitimate enough,
but that was not the question with us. His
government was oppressive; We did not choose
TO live under it, and we threw it oil. In like
manner hare the people Of fomagna thrown oil
the yoke of Plus The Ninth, never, VIC hope, to
lie reimpose.l. They have followed our exam
pic, and it will be to the shame of cur country
II any considerable part Of our population
shonld question the right Of an oppressed ma.
tion 10 break its letters, whether they be forged
by the nlinous Of II Pope or King.
\ great deal is sald in this Address Of the te-
merity Of Grcat EFitain in taking the part Of
tn. ltal.ans and admitting the right Of revolu-
zion. On the right Of revolution the present
British Government is founded; on the right Of
revolution rests the independence and freedom
of our own Republic. If the right Of reyolu-
ton be not admitted, Great Britain goes back
to the form of absolutisul from which she was
delivered by the expulsion Of the Stuarts; if
that right be denied, the United >tates 10 buck
under the dominic. Of England. 1t was revo-
luton which gave rise TO tile republic ot Switz-
rrland, IN example Of free government TINT has
:,ubSisted since tue middle ages. 1t IVES revo-
Iution-a revolution against which the Catholic
Church did not protests revolution in which
atholics took part-that separated Belgium
from Holland. Whatever American denies the
right Of revolution, denies his country and blas-
phcmes the creed Of liberty.
We haze looked over the address for some de-
Unite expression of IN opinion that the people
1t Komagna are attached to the government Of
the Pope, but, although IN attempt is made 10
raise a doubt US to their dislike of the Papai
rule, the t1gncrs Of the address wisely leave the
matter there. The people of Ro1nagna have
rryo1ted. they hare g1vcu The same proof Of
discomfort that VIC gave when we threw of
.lt british YOKE, and the world will be salts
l;.,l with that evidence, whatever the priests
may say.
lie question of reform in The States Of tl,c
Church is not overlooked in the address. "1f
reforms are necessary" say the Bishops,
1--WE arc sure that they will bc granted, but
:uy sovereign or statesman upon earth.' We
answer, that If reforms in civil Affairs can
lot BE- had without dictation, dictation is
very well, aud the more Of It the better.
1T matters not what the ruler who is to make
these reforms he called, whether Pope, kinr, or
l.mperor; the administration Of civil affairs is
Il ml.ttcr which relates to this world, and if he
abuses the power Of his office he must be forced
10 amend his course, in cage he cannot be per.
suaied.
but the Pope will not be called upon to make
any reforms in those parts Of his dominions in
which his latc subjects hare thrown of his yoke.
The Latin clergy will find it out Of their power
i, rol: back the lido which has swept those
provinces from under his sceptre. Every cir.
cumstauce which indicates the policy Of the
European sovcrciEus goes TO show that the 1tal.
ian revolution has introduced a permanent
change. It was Napoleon the First, we be.
lieye, who said that all the temporalities which
the l'ore requires arc palace and garden,
rnd his successor on the French throne seems
to be nearly Of the same opinion.