The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-12-16
80 won1.n srry.r. novks.


against an instruction of his own people
have been withdrawn. To thoughtful minds
the simple statement of this passing fact
furnishes most pregnant proof OF the .ptopo-
slt;on which heads this article. Within
comparatively recent period of the World
history this continent was unknown to civil
lied man, the Pope's word was law to Eu-
rope, and his power seemed not only absolute
but perpetual And yet, to-day, IN the on
ward progress of the World We find America
cpmpeting with Europe in the march OF
civilization, the Pope powerless, and sove'
reign only in name and we, in keokuk, on
the Mississippi River, in daily communication
with the Worlds old Capital, on the banks OF
the Tiber.
Could GAIL1IEo, while languishing out the
remnant Of his miserable days, blind and
deaf from age and i'll treatment, in Papai
Prison, have foreseen how, in loftier and
broader sense than he meant, the World
would still move on in spite Of Pope and In
QUESTION, the glorious panoramic vision would
have gladdened his dying hour. And while
suffering as martyr, in the cause Of science,
at the hands Of ignorance and bigotry, and
spiritual despotism, he would have rejoiced to
know, that in the onward progress Of the
World in scientific discovery, and free thought
and free discussion, the Pope would be con-
strained to reverse sentence so disgraceful
TO the tribunal which pronounced it, and SO
honorable to him who suffered under it. And
could the philosopher provision have pene>
trated the future to our day and witnessed the
evacuation of Rome by the Pope's French
guards, and the retirement of the Pope 10 q
neighboring town for safety, his breast would
have been filed with astonishment and pity.
The Papacy, as temporal, as we'll as q
spiritual power, an,edates the oldest and the
most powerful monsrchies Of modern times:
and for centuries it exerted an uncontrolled
influence over the minds of the people, as
well as over the destinies of the Rulers, Of
Europe. The Popagave law as well as Re-
hgion 20 the Nations, and crowned and de-
throned the sovereigns Of the continent dur.
ing some periods Of modern history almost at
his pleasure. He parcelled out the Islands
Of the Seas, the unknown countries Of the far
East. and the later discovered New World,
and gave these lands of the Heather to the
Christian Kings Of Europe as an inheritance.
The mghtiest monarchs were constrained to
render him fealty and obedience, to humbly
hold his stirrup, and even to PROSTATE them
selves abjecty in the dust while he placed
his foot upon their necks. The highest no.
bes and the humbleft serfs, the proudest la.
dies and lowliest maidens were alike eager
to render him the most servile homage or the
most mental service. Kings quaked in the
presence of his messengers, and Nations
trembed at his power.
Such had been the impression produced
upon mankind prior to the time of GAILILEo,
but since then the onward movement of the
World has stripped the Pope of his power
and his terrors, and now his Bulls and Proc
lamations which aforetme reused Europe to
arms, or filed nations with dismay, fall upon
listless ears and are treated with cold neglect
or excite q passing expression of contemptu
GUS pity or scoding ridicule. The spiritual
power of the Pope is now for the main part
confined to the circle Of his own ecclesiastics
and their immediate tlocks, and has no nhu.
ence over the World at large. And in the
scientific, literary and religious development
of the age the Pope and his influence il
not taken into the account as a motive or eff
fective force, and if regarded at all il is sim
ply as clog upon the wheels Of progress.
His ideas and system we're inspired under the
spiritual ard temporal despotism and bigotry
of the middle ages, and are without sympa>
thy with, or adaptation to the spirit of our
time The people over whom be maintained
absolute temporal rule, rose in the spirit of
liberty near score ofyears since to throw @
the oppressive yoke, and but for the interpo
sition of foreign powers. and French army
garrsoned in Rome, would long ago have re.
pudiated his authority. And now when the
French bayonets have been Withdrawn, the
spirit of independence and the idea Of Italian
unity will soon lead the people once more to
throw of the papal yoke; and ere
many months, the temporal Sovereignty o.
the Pope in Italy will cease, and in the very
nature of things pass away forever.
There is no room for papal kingdom in
Italy, for Rome is needed for the Capital of a
Liberal mohsrchy to include all Italy, and to
constitute one Of the chief powers of Europe.
Foreign bayonets to maintain ecclesiastics in
power have filed the hearts of the people
with disgust and bitterness, and at the ear
lest opportunity, they will rise and crush on,
the Sovereignty Of the Pope as a temporal
power in Itary, never again to be reinstated
there or elsewhere.
The world moves, and no generation has
been permitted TO witness more striking evi-
dences Of the fact than that which behold:
the humilating close of the long and splen-
did career ofthe papal sovereignty in the Old
World. and the virtual extinction of human
slavery in the New World.
But it does not follow by any means, that
the Catholic Church falls with the Italian
Sovereignty Of the Pope. On the contrary i
she accepts the situation, and wisely pond
ers the lesson Of the epoch, the event may
{ pfys q be the initiation Of q new era O
greater spiritual glory, and more wide spread
benefits to the human race. The Catholi,
= CbuTch has united centralized organization
and outnumbers,by millions, all the discordan
u Protestant denominations combined. AZ
Church she has lost no country Of any not
from her communion since the era OF tn
Reformation and she has given ample eyi
dence, since that great event. Of her zeal an,
her power in The prosecution Of mssionar.
iabors, and her cess in proselyting, boil
in Christian and ..hen lands.
The Catholic q "a has seen dark and ter
rible days, during and chequered history
bu, it has always eAperienced reaction il
periods Of spparen'fy hopeless depression
by Which il reganysi altbat was possible t
humsh effort and human wisdom. But il sh
Il would now maintain her ancient fame, sh
must Acceptable s'ri,uation " and make tn
best OF il by c1ttifis OFF the ercrpsAnre n