The New York herald., 1864-12-06


suiacient Of substantial power to make II inls
pendent and respected. Challenges did muot
S0r the cause Of civilization. From that time
dates the humanizlng and beneficial iuhQeace
exercised by tho popes over the semi-barbariau
rulers Of the epoch, who would scarcely have
respected them II they had not been placed on
IN equal footing In their double capacity as
princes and heads Of the Church they naturally
became the referees and arbitrators in ell dis
~putes in which an appeal to the sword could be
avoided. How much the world gained from
their mediation in such matters history attests.
1t may well be set off as counterpoiss to the
corruption and profigacy which at . later
period cast their slime over this venerable in
stitution. But even these may be said to have
contributed In q measure to the interests OF
progress. The arts and sciences fourished in
the sunshine of that refinement and lux
nrious indulgence which the Church fss
tered. We should have had no Michael
Angelo or Raphael but for the field
opened to their genius by ecclesiastical taste
And in science, notwithstanding the barriers
subsequently opposed to the spirit of inquiry,
there is no question that we owe its first great
developments to the patient Investigations Of
the monks, prompted by the requirements Of a
newly founded society. The sovereign posi-
ton of the popes enabled them to concentrate
around them the elements Of civilization
which would otherwise have only slowly pro-
duced their fruits. In the diffusion of educa-
tion, o taste for the arts and thirst for intel
-
plished nearly as great work as that en-
braeed in its religious functions The moment
that it lost its political and educational in
duence all necessity for its temporal attributes
passed oway. No longer having power to
Influence the councils of kings, or the organi-
-zation Of even parish school, it has ceased to
he an institution in either sense useful or re-
spectacle. The consciousness OF this, instead
of inducing it to resign willingly its political
status has driven it into reactionary course,
In the vain hope of preserving it, The
Insane acts TO which it has been
&mpelled by this motive have rendered it not
only curse to its own people, but nuisance
TO Europe. Not satisfied with thousand years
Of political power-the lifetime of empires--it
That reflect disgrace on the holy creed, with
which it is associated, its feeble sway. Europe
cannot suffer such q cause Of trouble and dis
quietude to exist longer in its midst. To do 50
would be to keep the embers of revolution con-
tnually smouldering, and to impair the in
fuence of religion and morality.
In undoing the work Of his predecessor,
therefore, the modern Chsrlemagne acts in no
way inconsistently with the policy Of that great
benefactor of the Church. The latter invested
1t with political influence to advance the inte-
rests of humanity and to restore to Italy the
unity she had lost. Napoleon divests it of
shis influence for motives precisely analogous.
The only difference in the positions Of the two
anonarchs is that Of circumstances. These have
been reversed while the policy remains unal-
"4ered. II is fortunate that France possesses
second ruler with sagacity aud boldness enough
20 carry It out.