The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-12
The Pope and the Cx.r.

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The Pope and the Cxar.
| The Atlantic cable has announced signi-
fcant historical event in the fact that an i'm
perlal ukase has been issued by the Gar, de-
claring all the relations of Russia with the
Pope abrogated, and annulling all the special
laws which have heretofore been made in
accordance with those relations. This may
mean we presume, that Russia, as one Of the
greatest continental Powers, leads of in
ceasng to recognize the temporal authority of
the Pope. So far as Alexander is concerned,
| it formally excludes Pic Mono from the circles
Of sovereign Princes in Europe. Fills example
cannot fail to have great weight The EN-
peror Joseph, of Austria, = the only monarch
Of considerable power whose recognition Of
the Pope as temporal prince has Ia tely been
| regarded as unqualified aud sincere. But
| Austria, hnmiliated by it's recent reverses can
( moi interpose effectually in behalf of the tenn
| poral sovereignty, and is even reported to
have abandoned it. The French Emperor,
although he has succeeded to the title Of "Eldest
son of the Church." is not too much inclined
to interpose, notwithstanding the influence of
the Jesuit advisers of the Empress Eugene.
"For," as Catholic writer remarks, che has
been the determined but polite enemy of that
sovereignty ever since. With his elder brother
he engaged in conspiracy, in 1881, to destroy
the Papal governments; and Russia, Great
Britain anA Prussia, all anti-Catholic States,
will abandon the Papal throne TO the logic of
events."
This telegram from st. Petersburg at least
implies that in the weakened temporal condi-
ton Of the head Of the Western Church the
autocrat of all the Russias, who is likewise the
head Of the Eastern Church, sees and seizes an
| opportunity OF abrogating the conventions
with Rome extorted from Nicholas. his late
father, by Gregory XVI, and the concurrent
force of royal and public opinion in Europe
soon after attempts had been made to ''stamp
out" Polish nationality by violent interference
with the united Greek and Roman Catholic
| Churches in Poland.
| A letter from our correspondent at St.
Petersburg, published yesterday, states that
! the Russian Emperor has followed up his
l
ing Che feudal lies which have hitherto bound
| The serf to the land and the landlord in
the kingdom OF Poland. This is new step in
the progressive policy which the far-aighted
and mighty ruler Of Russia has adopted.
Such policy must tend to strengthen
The empire by eleyating and enrich
ing the people of Poland, attaching them
to him and his dynasty, and uniting more
closely the dcstnies OF Poles and Russians.
| Az the same time it indicates that he has not
lost sight OF the aggressive policy bequeathed
to him by his predecessors. One of the strong
motives which lmpel him mus to develop the
resources of The nation is his wish to WELD its
increased wealth and power in furtherance of
his ambitious projects in the East. He may
suspect that the Jesuits have lately shown but
little gratitude to Russia for the protection
accorded TO them in that country alone when
Pope Clement had suppressed their order
everywhere else in Europe. They may have
been secretly influential in favoring the French
imperial policy in opposition to bis own. not
only within the limited jurisdiction of the
mctropolitans Of Warsaw and Mohileff, but also
within the patriarchates of Constantinople,
Antioch, Jerusalem and Alexandria. There,
as we'll as wherever else Greek Christians are
to be found, the spiritual supremacy Of the
Gar IA the head Of the Greek Church has been
tacily acknowledged II is not impossible
that at no very distant day the old quarrel be-
tween the Greek and the Latin Churches
AZ to the custody Of the holy places
in Palestine may be revived. The Greco
Russian Church already numbers about
fifty millions, without counting the millions Of
Eastern Christians who would readily unite
with all tho scattered families Of the Slavonic
race under one common head, revering the
dubious cupola which is distinctive ornament
OF Russian churches, and adoring the Gar,
according to the commandments in the cate
chism or Peter the Great, az not only Emperor
and King, but High Priest, Pope and vicegeren,
OF the Lord God on Garth. Such he Is acknow-
lodged 10 be by the first article of the Russians
poitico-religious creed. The Emperor Of Russia
In linking his fate with that Of "the resurgent
ignorant and colossal democracy over which
he rules, rises and spreads with them, strength
ems them and is strengthened by themE BY
his schemes for ameiorating their condition,
and by his determination to cut of all relations
with the Pope, he Is perhaps preparing for a
struggle for supremacy in the East. And this
may result In war stimulated by religious
passions as well as by political and commercial
motives.
THE LATEST TENEMENT HousH DHAsrER.-
The last shocking disaster, the result OF our
tenement house system was the death by suifo-