The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-29

Z AHG vi lIONAnGAA
Prohibiting Protestant Worship in
ROme--The prOseriPtiVe Spirit OF
the Vatican Still rs RRncOrOus as
From The N.lr York TInass
The only Government in the world
that recognized the rebel Confederacy
was that of the Sovereign of Rome. The
only Government in the world that de-
MES to-day the right of worship to
American Protestants within its capi-
tai is that of the Sovereign of Rome.
The facts bearing on the latter point
were adverted to in recent cable tele-
gran. The story is fully borne out in
the fuller reports by mail. The Amer
ican, Scotch and English places of vSor-
ship within the precincts of Rome-all
of an unostentatious and almost pri-
vate character-hnve been ordered
closed by the Cardinal Minister of
State, under immediate direction OF
the Popei and our Protestant country
men in Rome are only permitted the
grace heuceforward TO assemble for the
worship of God outside OF the walls OF
the city.
The story hardly seems real. One
cannot well appreciate the audacity of
this feeble, corrupt, dying remnant of
despotic rulership-tbe very caricature
aN+'.@ e-N1AAN "a ltLpONtnI
tyranny-with its paralytiC army of
petticoated priests. 1tseems something
unreal thar powerful liberal nations
ike those of Great Britain and the
United States, whose governments ex-
tend 10 the spiritual subjects of Rome
the utmost liberation, and treat them
with every consideration and respect,
should have iudignities offered to them
. OF such fashion. Our Protestant
clergy do not go to Rome to make con-
Verts of Romans. They go to edify
people of their own Language and faith,
who have made Rome a temporary
residence They have n right to do
this by all recognized rules of inter
national comfy. If their Govern
meut on their behalf do not assert
that right, then it fails in its duty.
That is the sum of the story
II is hardly worth while quar-
reling with sovereignty in the last
stages of its existence; and il is always
painful and inVidious thing for strong
powers TO attempt what may appear
like coercion in their dealings with
weak ones. And yet We do moi think
that the representatives OF the United
states and England were justified in
accepting, without an emphatic protest,
the invitation of the Pope or his Cardi-
nal Minister of State to remove their
places Of worship beyond the corporate
limits of Rome. The invitation was an
INSULT ana none the less so that 1t was
offered by a powerless ruler. 1t was an
invitation given on the back OF the
French evacuation of the city, implying
IN the most direct way, that American
and English Protestants had been in
debted TO the Imperial occupation for
the little semblaDce of liberation they
enjoyed. 1t was doubly an atfront, in
view OF the kindly and conciliatory
policy which the liberal Powers of
both hemisphers have pursued in
smoothing the way for an understand
ing between Italy and Rome. II was a
contemptibly ungrateful act, in view of
the perfect equality between Roman
Catholics and Protestants, under the
administration of the two great Profess
tant Governments of the world.
In every sense-and from every
rolnt of view we can think Oft is
humiliatinE for us to read of our rep
preventative being Obliged to slink out
side of the walls of Rome, along with
his tellow-countrymen and felIow-re-
ligionistS, like so many conspirators,
before they can read the Book of Com
mon Prayer, or open the new Testa-
ment, as a worshipping congregation
OF a sabbath morning-wbile here, on
every hand rise gorgeous Roman Cath
ollc edlhces, surrounded with all the
appendages and eu dowments OF re-
cngnized Romish hierarchy. The thing
hardly admits of reasoning. 1t is one
simply for unsparing ana unqualified
denunciation.