New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-12-18
TIE POPE AND ms TERRITORIES.

TIE POPE AND MS IERRIOhiLo'
The Oldest dynasty in the civilized world is just
going out Of existence. line Of soyereigns which
has lasted for eleven centuries, which was already
gray with the SHOWS Of a thousand years when The
Manchoos founded the ancient dynasty Of China, and
whose sccpter lad been transmitted through nearly
hundred successive hands when The imperial purple
first fell upon the shoulders of prince Of The houseot
uapsburg; which has survived assaults from without
and revolutions from within; has been ramploi under
the es Of oonqueror and has todden upon the necks
of srointed kings; has been driven from its capital
with outrage and insult and has returned again and
aroin 90 enforce obedience and awe from the proudeSt
empero, Of Chrstendom; This monarchy is now about
to become extinct. and its misunderstanding
fourth representative to renouncc forever the temporal
crown Though Plus TX. may yet cling for few un-
easy days to the semblance Of civil supremacy there
can DO little doubt that the Pope5 will hereafter DO
known in history. as they were known during The
early centuries, simply as spiritual pastors.
The history of the Papal power. from the times
when the Romans appealing to their bishop Tor that
protection against Barbarian enemies which their To-
climate soyereigns the Eastern emperors, were too
weak or too indolent TO give them, laid The iounda-
ton Of the temporal independence of the States oil the
Church down TO the day when the French soldiers who
had so long supported the tOtterng pontical throne
left tho Romans free take back the power which they
had originally given is a history more startling, and
varied in it, changes, and more dramatic in its incl
dents than chat Of any other monarchy in Europe.
Now dOmneering over the whole civilized world, now
reduced to tho very humbleSt rank among Independent
sovereigntes the Papal States have presented con-
tinuay shifting scene Of alternate magnhcence and
abasemeni The triple crown has rested on the brow5
Of great saints and Of great sinners Now 1t has sur
mounted face furrowod with the lines OF prayer
and pcntential ygils now adorned mail-clad form,
less familiar with the sanctuary than the tented
field Julius has asprcd TO rival the military Prov
ess Of the old Caesars, while Leo has emulatcd the
glorics Of the Augustan age. An Alexander Borgia
has reveled in unspeakable wickedness aud Sixtu5
has taught a corrupt state aud demoralzed clergy
to trembe at the rgor Of his reforming Hide
brand has made the humiliation Of emperOrs his life
long study, while Plus VI and Plus VII. have
each in turn been dragged away into captivity by the
great coDqueror OF Europe.
If the danger which now hangs over Plus TX. were
of the same neture as the dangers which have hung
over so many of bis predecessors, we might admit that
there was still some chance Of his retaining the
sceptcr Many Pope has been in sad straits, and
has got out Of them safe aud sound. But in former
times il used TO be the a,bton and ayarice OF rival
monarchs which threatened the possessions OF the
HOLY See; now it is the logic OF inevitable progress
the natural sequence OF the change which has
taken place all through society. The world
has made up its mind that crown aud
mitre ought not 20 be worn on the
same head; that a people ought not to be bur-
dcned with a Government which they hate. and
which stands in the way Of their national happiness
and development. 1t would be as unreasonable 70
expect the Popos subjects TO live much longer under
the rule Of an ecclesiastic to require the British
Government to enforce all the customs Of feudasm
or the new Knights of the Atlantic Cable to celebrate
their promotion by gorgeous tournament.
We are far from believing however, that the down.
fall Of the Papa civil power is to be the downfall Of
the Roman Catholic religion. On the contrary. we
have little doubt that out Of Der worldly losses The
Church will reap spiritual profit. She has
never been glorious when she gathered together
her children in the darkness of the Caacombs, gave
up her ministers TO be scOurged and burned and torn
by wild beasts labored in poverty aud disgrace, and
initiated the Divine Master who despised OF men
and had not where to lay his head. Sac Is nowhere
so prosperous to-day as in our own country, where
the State gives her no help but an equal and just
federation. There Is a contamination in the atmos
phere Of courts which always affects religion and the
corruption of politics spreads itself even to State
Church Relieved from the incubus Of an ellete aud
odous political system, the Roman Catholic Church
may be again in the future, as she has some
times been in the past, leader and guide OF the
peoples in some Of their nobest aspirations.