The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-02-27
THE POPE AND L. d.

Whether there was lack of appreciatlo
of the principles of courtesy in the slur
or of ingenuousness in the disclaimer, W
must decline for ourself the imputatlo'
: so classicalIy commended to our accept
ance. We would not "rather reign IL
hell than serve in heaven" but prefer K
pass our lives amongst our equals IL
Keokuk even to rel gning as Pope in
Robe.
Intelligent readers will be struck with
admiration at the truthful ingenuousne' IS
of the statement that Protestants shave
full liberty of worship and a chapel in
Rome, as in all other Catholic cities -
Now, what this immense liberality
amounts to is simply tbis-since the Ke-
formation, amongst other privileges OF
ambassadors at foreign courts has been
included that of freedom of worship for
themselves and attendants. And under
this principle Protestant ambassadors at
Rome aud other Catholic Courts have q
chapel at which their Protestant country
men may worship, and the same rights
are exercised By Turks and Algeripes.
But this privilege does not extend to ma
tive Protestants in Italy, Spain and other
Catholic countries under the influence of
the Pope.
Next our friend finds fault with our
reference 10 the events Of history, rather
than to the expressions Of the letter OF
Plus Ninth, to show the position OF the
Popedom on The question of civil and re-
ligious liberty and the supremacy of the
Papaey. We were invited TO that line Of
Argument by his assertion that Pope Plus
made the same claims that his predeces-
sors had made before him. The state
ment of L. D. was ia substance, and the
dogma of the faith is, that the Pope is in
fallible and the principles of the Popedom
Interchangeable. And in this view the in
famous Borgia with all his crimes, as the
head of the church and the Vicegereut OF
Jesus Christ. possessed the same infalli-
bic illumination Of the Spirit and is enti
tied to The same authority over the con
science OF believers in the Pope's infalli
bilty that Plus Ninth or Jesus Christ
lf s--- I, :. - tn~l 4 J,a,~;ro
but strictly gicsl aud esseulial to the
supremacy Of the Pope, and without it no
man can be Catholic.
Again, l.. d. asserts that on our theory
of the will of the people and the rights
of the majority, the Devil ought to be
'the supreme ruler of the land Well,
if he possesses the qualifications pre-
scribed by the Constitution and is duly
elected by a majority of the people, We
don't see, as matters now stand, bow even
the Pope could prevent it; and we should
console ourself with the hope that be
would make better ruler than many of
the self styled Vieegerents of Christ who
have reiened at Rome.
While We do not assent to the very ia
vorabe estimate of the beneficial infu-
ence of the Popes in the early ages Of
modern European history, we have no
disposition to deny them some merit. 1t
would hardly be possible to conceive that
there have been no good men amongst
the hundreds who have worn the tiara
and officiated as head Of the universal
church of the blessed Redeemer. Un-
doubtedly there were many good mt n
amongst them, to whom mankind are IL
debted for efficient efforts in behalf Of
Christianity and civilization. Our objec-
tion was taken to tie unwarranted inter-
ference If the Popc in matters affecting
civil and religious liberty, the rights of
conscience and free discussion, as devel-
oped in the progress of Christian ciyiliza-
tion Northern Europe, and more perfectly
In our own land And as Illustrative of the
opposing principles and policies of the two
systems, We suggested the contrast be-
tween England and the United States on
the one hand and Spain and Italy on the
other, where these systems have had their
fullest development. And if l.. D. or
any other man prefers the type OF civil
iaation and civil and religious liberty in
the latter countries, the system itself is
responsible for their perversion of judg-
men1, and we hold that no greater calam-
ity could .befall the world than to extend
that system over Europe and the United
States. The father of our country said
that "viriue and Intelligence are the safe
guards of our free institutions" Does the
system of which Plus Ninth is the pro.
mulgator, and which has had full sway
for centuries, exhibit as its results virtu-
Gus and intelligent masses in Spain and
ally? Or If we were looking for the most
xrirfuous and intellrent AMONGST the