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

The Atlantic cable has announced signi-
| perial ukase has been Issued by the Gar, de-
claring all the relations of Russia with the
| Pope abrogated, and annnlling 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
ceasing to recognize the temporal authority Of
the Pope. So far as Alexander is concerned,
| it formally excludes Pho Mono from the circles
of sovereign Princes in Europe His example
cannot fail to have great weight. The EN-
peror Joseph, Of Austria, q 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, humliated by its recent reverses can
moi interpose effectually in behalf of the tenn
poral sovereignty, and is even reported to
have abandoned il. The French Emperor.
although he has succeeded to the title Of s'Edest
son of the Church." is not too much inclined
to interpose, notwithstanding the influence of
the Jesuit advisers of the Empress Eugene.
"F0r," as Catholic writer remarks, che has
been the determined but polite enemy of that
sovereignty ever since. With his elder brother
he engaged IN a conspiracy, in 1881, to destroy
the Papal governments; and Russia, Great
Britain and Prussia, all anti-Catholic States,
will abandon the Papal throne 10 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 eytorted 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 sstamp
out' Polish nationality by violent interference
with the united Greek and Roman Catholic
Churches in Poland.
letter from our correspondent at st.
Petersburg, published yesterday, states that
the Russian Emperor has followed up his
great emancipation ukase by ukase abolish
ing The feudal lies which hsve hitherto bound
The erf to the land and the landlord in
the kingdom OF Poland. This is new step in
the progressive policy which the far-sighted
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 dcstinies OF Poles and Russians
Az the same time it indicates that he has not
lost sight OF the aggressive policy bcqueathed
to him by his predecessors. One OF the strong
motives which lmpe him thus to develop the
resources of the nation is his wish to WELD its
increased wealth and power in furthcrance OF
his ambitious projects in the East. He may
suspect that the Jesuts 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 his own, not
only within the limited jurisdiction of the
mrtropolitans OF Warsaw and Mohileff, but also
within the patriarchates Of Constantinople,
Antioch, Jerusalem and Alexandria. There,
as well as wherever else Greek Christians are
TO be found, the spiritual supremacy OF the
Gar "a the head of the Greek Church has been
tacii'y acknowledged. It is not impossible
That at no very distant day the old quarrel be-
tween the Greek and the Latin Churches
as 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 the scattered families of the Slavonic
race under one common head, revering the
dubious cnpola which is distinctive ornament
OF Russian churches, and adoring the Gar.
according TO the commandments In the cate
chism OF Peter the Great, as not only Emperor
and King, but High Priest, Pope and vicegerent
OF the Lord God on earth. Such he ia acknow-
lodged to be by the frat article of the Russians
poiitico-relgious creed. The Emperor of Russia
In linking his fate with that Of the rcsurcent.
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 ameliorating their condition,
and by his determination to cut off oil relations
with the Pope, he Is perhaps preparing for
struggle for supremacy in the East And this
may result in war stimulated by religious
passions as well az Ivy political and commercial
motives.
The LATEST TENEMENT HOUSE, DrsAsrEa.-
The last shocking disaster, the result OF our
tenement house system, was the death by suffo-
cation Of three families, in Division street, on
Monday night The fire by which these nine