The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-02
GariBaIdi at Rome.


From 0Ie Independent.
The apparition of Garibaldi on the frontier
Of the Papal States is the answer of European
.epublicanism to the apotheosis Of st. Peter
Me oanonisation of the martyrs of the Romish
bitb. II is an Italian translation of the cele-
brated line,
"Iet the dead past bury its dead"
and really spirited rendering of the accom-
panying injunction,
''Act, act in the living present."
II is due to the sagacity of the Holy Father to
add that he has not been slow to follow this
advice. He has acted promptly; and his appeal
10 Napoleon. while it can hardly fail to pro-
mote the growth of the grace of lowliness Of
spirit in the Papal heart, will also IN all pro
liability. at once provoke powerful interven-
4ion In defense of the territory of the Holy
See Whether Garibaldi succeeds or suffers
defeat his attempt to free Rome and add it to
the kingdom of Italy can hardly fail to
attract the attention of Christendom to the
present condition of the Papal States.
Both the form and spirit of the Government
are despotic there. 1t has no liberal feature.
Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, free
schools, free pulpits, liberty of worship, liberty
of action, liberty of trade, are utterly unknown
in the territorial domains of the Pope. The
power Of the priesthood is unlimited. The
people have no rights which the Church is
bound to respect. Popular elections have not
been introduced, nor any of the safeguards of
personal freedom. Laws are made and taxes
Imposed without the consent or advice of the
people. The rule of the English in India and
Ireland is the widest and widest license as
compared with the civil or personal liberty
that is tolerated by the Government of the
Church. There is not more absolute auto
cracy on earth.
Itfollows, inevitably, that the Papal rule
is obnoxious to the people. Nothing short of
immediate and perpetual inspiration from
Heaven could render such form of govern
rnent either popular or Just. Rulers who are
not obliged to consult the people can never
hope to satisfy their expectations; nor do they
continue long to seek to justify their policy
by its practical results. The people of the
Papal States-692 900 in number-are taxed
to support an army-chiefy composed of
mercenaries-ten thousand strong, and
a vast legion of ecclesiastics of all
grades and of different orders. The Pope
alone receives, as sovereign, an annual
Income of f12l,OOO, or about S6OO,OOO
in gOld-and this, it will be seen, for govern
ing about thrice the number of people with
out their own consent) who to-day inhabit the
city of Boston. In addition to this income,
the Pope receives from other countries con-
tributions that swell his annual receipts to
nearly five millions of dollars in gold The
Papal territory now embraces only 1891 square
miles-a little larger than Connecticut; while
Its population is slightly greater than that of
Maryland. The city of Rome is not quite so
populous as Boston. 1t has POI, 900 souls, in
Cluding an ecclesiastical force $500 strong.
Rome is the natural capital of Italy, and
until it is the seat of its Government the new
kingdom is insecure. The existence of a
power within power in Italy-the continu-
ance Of the temporal dominion of the Pope
in the heart of its territory-is an intolerable
honor. 1t is sign of the practical vassalage
of Victor Emanuel to "the Man of December"
For, without the aid of France, Plus TX as
Sovereign-we are not dealing with him as
pontif-would have been hurled from power
a long time ago. As pontif he is the ac-
credited and revered head of the Catholic
Church; but as a sovereign he is the rapacious
and despotio usurper of the Italian domain.
The Italians would willingly yield to him re-
igious homage in return for political freedom
But, withholding freedom from his State, he
daily perils the safety of his Church. Using
Rome as the headquarters of an anti-national
sentiment, and his priests as the propaga-
tors of unpatriotic ideas, the obstinacy of
Plus TX is preparing the way for great
religious reaction in Southern Europe.
Napoleon, we are told, has notified Victor
Emanuel of the condition of affairs on the
frontier, as they have been represented to him
by the Papal Minister of State. This is doubt
less a warning to enforce the terms of the
treaty of September, 1854, by which Napoleon
agreed to withdraw his troops from Rome,
while Italy undertook 'not to attack the
present territory of the Pope, and even to pre-
vent by force any attack proceeding from the
exterior"
A New Party Proposed.