The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-18
The Pope and his Probable Future.

The Pope and his Probable Future.
from the Times
The French troops that have so long sup
ported the Pope and his temporal power al
Rome have at last left the States of the Church
agreeably to the stipulations of the Franco
Italian treaty OF September 1866. The 10th o
December, 1866, was the term fixed for the
French occupation of Rome and on that very
day, with scrupulous observance OF the treaty.
the French tricolor was hauled down from the
Castle San Angelo, and the Papal flag, white
and yellow, with the cross keys unfurled in
its stead. As we are informed by the cable, the
Pope followed the French column to Civita Vec-
CHA, but his ministry, with all the staff of his
temporal Government, remained at the Vatican.
The journey of Pic Mono to the Roman sea-
coast may be considered as trip undertaken
for experiment. 1t VIII be recollected that in
his Allocution of October last devoted to affairs
in Italy his Holiness referred to the possibility
OF his abandoning Rome. and of retiring to a
place where he could perform the functions of
his holy office in greater security" No one
knows better than himself the strong desire of
The Roman people for Incorporation with United
Italy, and he probably expected the recurrence
OF such violent outbreaks as eighteen years ago
compelled him to seek refuge and safety in the
then Neapolitan fortress of Gaeta. When,
therefore, his supporters the French, left Rome
he apprehended disturbances and popular com.
motion, and he repaired to Civita Veccha to
observe from a distance the effect upon the
people of the withdrawal OF the expeditionary
corps of Napoleon, and in case that bis appre-
tensions should be realized, TO 90 on board of
either Spanish or French vessel and bid adieu,
as necessity, to the shores OF Italy.
But it seems that the Romans demeaned them
selves with marvellous proprety and order. No
outbreak is recorded, the quiet of the city was
not disturbed the Papal flag was not insulted,
the Pope's temporal authority over the city was
as far as our information reaches, in no way
questioned or iniringed upon. This quiet de
pertinent OF the citizens of Rome will now very
likely induce the Pope to return to the Vatican
and continue his official residence at Rome.
1t would be jumping too hastily to conclu-
sion to assign this conduct of the Romans to a
sudden change of their wishes or 10 a desire of
the people to retain the Pope as their temporal
sovereign. We believe it is due more TO the
position OF the Italian Government, aud their
concentration OF troops all around the frontier
of The remaining States OF the Church, with the
declared object to maintain peace and to repress
DY the necessary force, every violent outbreak
The Ron ans will recollect the eXertions Carl.
baldi made some years ago for their sake and
hDeratlon. and how the Italian Government
urged on by France, intervened, and how Carl
badis expedition against Rome came to a sad
end at Aspromonte. In the present juncture of
affairs, the Government of Victor Emanuel
spared no pains to keep the Romans well in
formed of the obligations which it had solemnly
entered into with France for the protection of
the Pope, and that it was its firm determination
most scrupulously to execute every duty to
which it had bound itself. Knowing all this.
the Romans have acted wise in not beng so
foolhardv as TO attempt by force, against the
power of the Italian Government, what the
quiet and peaceable development of irreper5si-
BILE events will and must in due time, accom-
plsh for them.
Another reason for their present conduct-and
to many 1t may sound as paradox to say it's,
that neither the Romans nor the Italians gene
rally, want to lose the Pope from Italy. They
are, the overwhelming mass of them at least,
devoted adherents of the Catholic religion, and
Church. They are disgusted with the many
hagrant abuses that have silently and gradually
crept into the discipline of the clergy and they
favor such measures as tend to purify the
Church, remove these abuses, free their religion
from ali interference by or in matters of State;
but as TO the, spiritual authority of the Pope,
they would rather not touch 1t. Moreover for
centuries past, Rome has been the 'Holy Citv,n
the centre and capital OF the Catholic world, as,
in remote days, ii was the centre and capital of
the political world
The pride of past glory the Romans wish not
to lose, and though deslrous that their city
should become the seat of government for
united and regeheraed Italy, they wish TO
re ain its proud position as the seat of the
spirituaI government of the Catholic world. And
1t lies in this very dudltsm--if we are allowed
the term in this sense-of Romes eXpected
future greatness, that the Romans find their
motive to abstain from violent revolutionary
movements. They know that by an attempt at
the forcible annexation OF Rome to Italy-which
the Italian Government has once frustrated and
is now again prepared to oppose-they would
certainly lose the Pope and on the other hand
they feel sure that, biding their time they NAV
gain both the objects they have so much at
heart, but not less so than large majority of
the whole Italian people.