The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-06
PapaI Intolerance.

The national House of Representatives, af-
ter debate, has refused to make an appropri-
alton to support mission at Rome. The
avowed cause of this proceeding is the recent
display of religious intolerance by the Papal
court resulting in the removal of the Ameri-
can chapel outside the walls of Rome The
action of the House was taken, we believe,
without official knowledge of the affair. The
best newspaper account fthe matter has been
furnished by the Rev. DR., Prime, editor of the
New York Observer, in a letter to that paper
which we copy as follows: laI oti0as
."lfs5 t- ROME, Jan. 4, 1867.
If you have thought the Inquisition was a
thing of the dead past, a monster or the dark
ages now known only among the satIria and
megatheria OF former cycle, just read what
L am about to write: 4 y+4 s.lf fo Ina
You are doubtless aware that Protestant
worship is not allowed in public assemblies in
the city OF Rome, nor, indeed, in the Roman
States The only exception to this restriction
is that the Ambassadors OF foreign Govern
ments, resident in Rome, having a chaplain of
their own -sill, OF course, worship in their
own way, and If they choose to have public
service in their own houses, on the Sabbath
day, no objection is made. Under this pro-
lection the Russian, the Prussian, the Ameri-
can and other representatives OF their respec-
tive governments have for many years lad
Divine service in their houses, and if a chapel
has been opened in another part of the city,
under the flag or name of the embassy, it
would be regarded as privile ed place. The
British Government has no diplomatic rela.
tions with Rome. Why it is thus excluded
IL ,ok Iy,,Ax = has Lanv, e..1 4l.oA
Russell was sent here as Minister, but when
the Pope sent priest to England to repre-
sent him at the Court of st. James the mis-
sion was declined. Mr.. Odo Russell has since
visited here in a non-official character, and is
very much laughed at for his negOtiations
with the Pope. His Holiness has a vein of
quiet humor in him, and has amused himself
and the world too, by talking to Mr.. Odo Rus
sell about an asylum for himself in Malta or
elsewhere, when he had no more idea of go
ing than toChina OF the moon. And for forty
years past the British have been tolerated in
holding worship in haylott, finished OIL as a
chapel, just outside the wall by the Porto del
Popolo. They call it the English Church,
and it is generally supposed they are outside
the wall because they cannot get the privilege
of being inside. But they are merely there
because they cannot find more commodious
place, and they have no license to worship
there or elsewhere. No public worship, except
the Romish, is tolerated by law under the do
minioD of the Pope Of Rome. But the prac-
tice is better than the law. 1t has grown in
to custom of the authorities to wink at or
overlook the religious assemblies of strangers,
visitors at Rome; and as much of the money
brought into Rome and spent here is that OF
the people who come to see the city, it is the
interest of the authorities to be indulgent 10
their guests. If Protestant service in the Ital-
ian language were set up it would be soon set
down. s# ff al
For six years and more, the Scotch Presbv
terians have had station here. Indeed. they
have two; one the Free Church. the other tl,s
Church of Scotland. The chaplains have held
service every Sabbath, in their own apart
ments, with a few of their countrymen, rarely
more than thirty or forty being present. NJ
sign or notice is allowed to be put up on the
house to designate it as the place of worship
| The stranger finds it advertised at his hotel
| and, coming to the number, prowls up the
dark, stone stairways to some very uppel
chamber; and there, as secretly as the early
Christians in the catacombs of Rome, or in
the dens and caves of the earth, he finds q
few like-minded, who play and hear the
| Word. These services disturb no one, ano
the authorities do not notice them. lney
| affect to ignore their existence altogether;
On Saturday, Dec. 20, 1866, the chaplans
of these two missions were served with the
following warning, issued by the bfitlsn Con
sui. l copy it uerbdtim from the Original
now before me:
Rp,r1sH CONSULATE AT ROME, Dec II, 1866.
SIR: 1t is my official duty to inform yo,
that Monsignore Randi Governor OF Rome
holding illegal religious meetings in You
| house, which, you must know, are prohibite,
by the Roman law, and that your have thu
placed yourself 10, the po,oer of the Inquisition
both for arrest aud imprisonment pt.f..
But as the Monsignore permits me to Civ
you this notice, would seriously advise tha
you at once put an end to these innovations
and that you visit M0nsign0re Randi at M0nt