The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-28
haly-The struggle Between Anc,en, and


spondent relative to Italian affairs. 1t is curl
GUS to observe what struggle is now taking
place in Europe between Church and State,
and how the liberal ideas Of the nineteenth
century are breaking in upon the faulty points
Of the armor in which the Church Of Rome has
encased herself The great effort Of Italy to
separate the spiritual from the temporal power
is taking immense proportions, and even threat
ening to plunge the country into war in support
of the advancing liberal sentiment Sill, the
old giant fights hard, and, as will be seen by
our correspondence, the power Of She Pope
and the bishops is far greater than we have
heretofore imagined-so vast, indeed, that it
controls the great house Of Rothschild, even to
the virtual breaking Of contract, 80 consid-
cred by the Italian Minister Of Finance, Ro hs-
child declaring "that he never intended to
become the instrument Of the Italian govern
ment for prosecuting and running the clergy"
In the meantime threat on the part of the
Italian government to expose what they con-
sidered the bad faith Of Rothschild and Frenzy
is answered by retort which threatens ruin
to Italian credit The government, at this,
bow to the power Of cash, and acknowledge
their impotency in contact with it. 1t is evil
dent that the Roman Church in Italy has gorged
so much Of the wealth Of the country that the
nation finds itself absolutely upon the verge Of
bankruptcy for the want of revenue from these
very estates which religious corruption has
absorbed. For centuries the accumulation Of
these estates has been going on, until, as is
the case in Spain, the Church holds all the
sinews of the State in mortmain, and hangs
like dead weight upon Its progress. Taxa
ton Of these estates means the ruin of the
temporal power Of the Church; as, once they
are taxed in an equal ratio with other property,
the Church can no longer hold them; for the
curse which the spiritual power throws around
temporal progress in Europe will force it,
much against lis will, to advance with the age
and seek modern advancement, if they would
make their property selfsustaining. Baiiied in
the attempt to effects loan on Church property
with the Rothschilds, Ratazzi has negotiated a
contract for that purpose with the houses Of
Erlanger, of Paris, and Schroeder, of London,
these houses having combined for the purpose.
Fould and Oppenheim, 1t appears, could not be
engaged, being subject to the same influence
that controlled the Rothschilds. There has
been nothing which has yet come to our notice
in this century which, like this, SO betrays the
mighty temporal power Of the Catholic Church
in its struggles against modern advancement
Ito holEcontnrw contouf inst c;l ,~ot;cv, -
Mexico and South America has been rather
outside of the track Of observation, and, there
fore, less noticed; but here we have It, in its
own great and original stronghold, threatened
by powerful blow which is struck at it be-
cause the wants Of the age make the impera-
tive demand.
From the first attempt to tax the Catholic
Church property In A. D. $50 to the present
time the ecclesiastical rulers have preferred to
cut loose from the teachings Of the Bible, bare
the sword and pour their whole power into the
spiritual as we'll a. temporal effort to preserve
their estates from contributions to the general
welfare. The world is round, however, not
withstandng the religious decree to the con-
trary, and it moves in Europe despite the ire
mendous break which the Church has put upon
Its progress, and which, 10 the removal, now
threatens Italy with war. Foremost among
the leaders Garibaldi is once mors preparing
for the field, and he shows his appreciation Of
the merits Of the contest by such words as "All
my gratitude is yours for the happy augury OF
TO level with the dust that taber-
nacle Of corruption and lies which calls itself
the Papacy." These words will 60 far towards
opening the eyes of the Italian people as to the
merits Of the struggle now taking place be-
tween Church and State. The Roman Church,
however, is powerful. We see it on every side
Our New York riots of 1868, when the Catholic
Church did SO much towards restoring order,
the bold opposition and upsetting Of Fenian-
ism, and its wonderful success in swaying q
Roihschild from his grasp, when his hands
were already on its property, all indicate
that the fight will continue SO long as
the people permit the accumulation Of
great un.axed wealth by the clergy, or Of
the absorption Of immense estates that imme-
diately become SO many curses upon the pro-
gross of the country in which they are situated.
We live in the days of the telegraph, steam
boat and railway, and the Pope and the clergy
of Rome must open their eyes to these hcts
The great gathering under the shadow of the
Vatican should now be moved to action BY the
ideas Of modern times. The Pope should lift
himself up to the level of the times; the great
council assembled at his bidding should aid
him In leap from the days of Constantine,
who first united Church and State, and throw
him into the orbit Of the nineteenth century.
This moment for the Catholic Church may be
made the most glorious in her history. SHAKING
of the corruptions that political ambition first
wove round her, and relying entirely upon the
great moral sentiment of the age for future
support, she may crystalline about her ev,ry-
thing that is high and pure in devotion; willie,
at the same time, If she steps aside as the
stumbling block to civilization, mankind will
M lon0er link Mt hcr az the greatest ctrsp