The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-26


II the Congress proposed and planned BY
Louis Napoleon for the settlement OF tho Papal
question take place, and If its deliberations
result as we expect they viii result it will IN
questionably be one OF the most important
assemblages which have ever been held since
the commencement Of the Christian era. Since
the year 325, when was held ths first Council
Of Nice-a council at which was consummated
the alliance between Church and State, and
over which the Emperor Constantine presided
up to this year Of our Lord 1867, we have had
councils and congresses many. The business
which has come before these sssembiages has
not always been Of equal importance but the
effects, ecclesiastical and secular, which they
have left behind them entils them TO be spoken
of as the great landmarks OF the history of the
last eighteen hundred years. The order in
which those councils and congresses have fol-
lowed each other is not undeserving OF notice
The congress had no place in history prior to
the Reformation. The council has had no
place in history since the time Of the celebrated
Council Of Trent When il 10 remembered
chat the council WAS an ecclesiastical assembly,
composed Of ecclesiastical delegates and con-
vened for avowedly ecclesiastical purposes,
and that the congress is q secular assembly,
composed Of secular delegates and convened
for avowedly secular purposes, 1t will be seen
how different have been the relations OF
Church and State during the last three hum
dred to what they were during the previous
fifteen hundred years. During the first or
council period the State was subordinate to
the Church; during the last or congress period
the Church shas been subordinate to the
State. In the one period the Church was all
dominant and but little resisted. In the other
period the Church has never been In the. as
cendant, and has year by year been losing
what little power she has. We do not mean
that the world has ceased to have respect for
religion. but that mankind have ceased to be-
lieve that their interests, civil and religious.
are necessarily safe In the hands Of clergymen
aud priests.
Nothing which has occurred IN modern times
so ssrikingly illustrates the change which has
taken place in the relations between the secu-
lar aud the sacred in human affairs as the ap-
proyal given by Pope Plus TX. TO this proposed
European Congress The Pope, IL is well known,
for time refused to have anything to do with
the Congress. Taking into consideration the
peculiar position Of the Pope, aud the well
established claims which he believes he has to
that position, his refusal to take part in the
| Congress was 81 natural az ii was inst. Il will
be the business OF this Congress, meet when it
may. to curtaILr il not entirely to destroy, the
temporal power of the See Of st. Peter. No
one can be more fully alive to this fact than
the Pope himself. II the patrimcny Of St Peter
is as inalienable as are the keys; if his tenn
poral ss well as bis spiritual power is derived
from far higher than any human source, the
Pope unquestionably has a right to frown alike
on kings and congresses. How the Pope and
his advisers look at this question Of the tenn
p0ral power we know not This, however, we
| do know, that in the estimation Of nine-tenths
Of the thoughtful and intelligent men Of our
time. it is power which is doomed and the end
! OF which il al hand. II is not impossible that
! the Pope and his advisers have made up their
minds to bow to the force of circumstances
and to yield to the logic OF events.
Il is ut least certain that by con-
senting to have The difficulties Of his
position submitted to a congress he has
abandoned his high position and taken his
place as one of the princes of this world.
Since the days OF Hildebrand and Of Nicholas
Breakspear, who were in the habit Of making
emperors lick the dust, how are the mighty
fallen! In olden times we should have had
| instead Of congress not little effective Papal
| thunder and not = few trembling monarchs
| But the times are really changed, and stub
| born facts must be accepted by the See Of Rome
as by the rest of us.
There il in truth but one solution for this
Papal dilemma. The temporal power must
| 20 to the wall the Pope must abandon bis
earthly vanities, and, forgetting his regal gew-
gaws, settle down into quiet and respectable
bishop. Napoleon may attempt to patch up a
compromise and satisfy the other Catholic
Powers ny retaining Tor the Pope even yet q
shadow Of earthly sovereignty, but nothing can
permanently prevent the absolute overthrow
OF the temporal power. The tide il ebbing
Nothing can prevent II. Even il the shadow
should be preserved for a little while longei
the revolution must come; and il will be
found OF no distant day that Garibaldi and
Mazzini, and those who have acted with them
have been like Huss and wickliAs, the Abe
genes and the Lolsrds, the precursors o.
another Reformation.
Mexican Affairs.