Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-02-05
RIeATs.
RICHMOND WING.
vpYa1V T50RNTNG. FEB. 5,nse4.I
FRIDAY MORNING. FEB. 5'jlSe4
A "Reminiscences to Rome.

His Holiness Pope Plus the Xth, for the dign'neu ana
mani, time Of his letter to President Davis. Is the
art courteous acknowledgement Of virtual independence
"a, L..a,ded by the narrox-mnded potenates OF En-
rome and. coming from distinguished source we
nav ,rsp n,ixs IL no less because Of the kindly and
christian spirit in which 1t is written, than the great
moral inuercs which l. will exercise, as well in haroPe
a, as the North Nothing better tend to ALLEVIATE
rom the war policy Of that country the large
Catholic element that has heretofore contributed SO
powerfully to sustain it and nothing can be more
potent AZ means 70 excite in behalf the sympalnes
/ Of Catholic Europe.
I; would be eminently wise the part Of our gov
srnmens to send Commissioner 70 Rome, II Tor no
other purpose than as an acknowledgment OF tie
friendly sentiments expressed by His Holiness in his ei-
ter 10 the President The establishment Of friendly re-
aons with him, through an official medium, would IN
aoublelly enhance the sautary Influences which viii be
found 70 result from the happy interchange of kindly
sentiments that has already occurred. The Catholic
Wori f. pleased at any peculiar manifestation Of re-
gard for the recognized head Of their Church Such
manifestation would be peculiarly ALTERING when su a
mating from the distinguished Chief Magistrate of
great Protestant nation; and at no time would it be
more opportuns than the present. when pcOmP: eIh-
on tha; can appeal to people made the object Of such
warm sympathy on the part of Plus the IXsh All
Catholic countries would appreciate the oompi.
meat Of sending Commissioner to R'me as marx
Of distinguished consideration for tbs venerable head OF
their church, and their sympathiss would flow more
f,ely under tie influence OF that manifestation, than
ANY circumstance that could arise in connection with
his struggle or any eIpedient embraced within the
vide vomplsi of diplomacy. The POPes letter, lately
published is we venture - say, begettng its fruits at
toe North, il the arrangement from this war Of the
thousands Of Cs,htlcs who gave such vitality 10 il 10
sae paat The practical Inauguration of official inter
course with Rome VIII produce an estrsngsmsnt of the
moral support Of ths Catholic world, which The Yam
,ees, BY system Of INSCRIPTIONS hsehOOd and de-
,sE ton, managed to cOnciliSte heretofore.
Ia Commissioner is sent, be might or might not as
circumstances MAJ suggest, seek recognition at the
hands o. His Holiness. It would be better, perhaps,
ha he should go instructed to await the spontaneous
action of the Pope, and not mar the compliment in
Ieadedto be conveyed By bis mission, by making a1y
solicitation in thA. regard and thus investing it with the
,uarscser of selfish move or diplomatic expedient
e.scr TO foregO any intmaiOn the SUBJECT of recOg
iitiJn. Colsteral benefits of a moral character
yu rosui from this compliment little less poteu: in
heir influence than formal recognition. If His Holiness
aiuks proper to recognize us be viii do without
spsct to lnkes sentiments, and certainly unsWed by
fankee ,h,eats He is not urmidfp doubtless of YAr
20 intoetanco aud prosecutions in the past and pre-
ably hopes for nothing in the future from race rem
iered nEmcusly notorious as the first in Christsndom
50 revive TIE CrOmWellEn era Of convent and church
.uraings Tle memory Of the terrible scene enacted
in the "Nodern Assshsr by the barnng of sOnVent
siih many Of its bent inmates, is not wholly obl
rated from the memory of dis Holiness. A sad me
neutO OF that tragic event still s1s in the charred
-uus Of that cd6es which remain to-day memorial Of
sas Secursed bgolry and intolerance Of that impOus
az degraded race. That Intolerance, though Tow
lrnant, exists totay in the pen;ude Of former ex-
53s AID 6en5ish bitterness. Cy cles Of calm, as the
history Of pas; PROSECUTIONS shows u.s. permitted to
intervene between each andCatbolic crusade, and We
aos for such display Of 6sndish ourages and malg
niat prosecutions upon Catholics at the North at the
coas Of this war as never before shocked the Eensb
s.,s Of the civilized world The very interest Hndsym
pI by displayed by His Holiness in behalf will be
sde 10 serve as an incentive to this inhuman crusade
Bat besides that sufficient preext will be found in
sue persistent and uniform hostility which the Catholic
josrnss of tho North arc displaying to LncOlns war
poll ,. The great moral influence Of Southern tolera
son viii cease to be effective as a eounteraoting sgent
for we take is that in the excess of Yankee hatred and
dice they viii the opposite extreme in every
characteristics at rbase that distinguishes Southern char
&C sr Tney will scorn to be tolerant because shall
b. Their nature however, tends so lorclbly towards
intolerance and tyranny, that it viii need the incen
I've Of antaSOnis:ic viii to induce them to adopt
these at ributes. They pONess all tho inherent qualities
meIeless tyrants and no artificial influence add
any incentive.
The sensitiVsness displayed by some Of the Yankee
iogrpsls at the partially for US which the Pope mani
sts in his letter. significant of deep seated disat:s
Tao ion in The Northern mind. is exhibited however,
ia a rather subdued lone bu. the Indications of
and maiguity sufficiently clear satisfy that
GfkiDg beneath, sentiments are Of ressntul rage
that vii break forth by and by with the violence of
tornado. Policy SDOirs silence for the present; but
the coveted revenge will be the fearful the ele
of hate intensified by prolonged suppression.
THey dare nos nov make any outward manifestation OF
a1dCahOc tolerance for thas would probably arouse
le Hostility of France and the other Catholic Powers of
Europe and cause them in sheer contempt for Yankee
brsggadcco, to recognize our independence To make
the Pope's letter to President Davis t1s basis Of
Anti Catholic crusade would but expedite the very
suit which they are spending millions of god, in the
shape Of black mail to English officials. a means to
ooViate.
How gratifying It Is TO contemplate the atestation of
moral right and justice which the Pipes sanction that
be based alone upon such principles. imparts to
defensive attitude in this struggle 1t invests
with the seal of righteousness, and mplrs to it the
full sanction Of Christian conviction derived, We
muS presume from close analysis of is merits. Our
cause must b. just else t could not command the ap-
prOval Of HIS Holiness Pope Plus, and we may well
predicate upon that fact WHAT'S but natural sequence
-Provdeotial favor aud inovit1bl, success.
Onr Government should lose no sme in sending a