The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-11
The Recent EdIct OF the PapaI Gov.
eminent FOrbIdding Protestant
Worship in ROme--The spirit that
has been Aroused in Consequences,


has been Aroused i'm Consequence.
From thS Providence tR- u Journal.
We expressed our judgment upon the
proceedings of the Pom tifical Govern
ment in regard to the American church
in Rome when the dispatch WAS re-
ceived, which announced that il had
been driven from the city. We print
Mr.. Primes letter, which shows that
the purpose of exclusion is deliberate.
The Cardinal Secretary acknowledges
that they have been under restraint.
and that this movement is the result of
the French evacuation. They now feel
free to carry out their ancient and des-
pOtic policy. Before, they were silent
in order to purchase French protection.
With that ended, they feel no other
force such as all other European Gov
ernments are yielding 10. Even their
perils offer no check. Prudence might
suggest continued winking at a prac-
tice which works and can work no
practical mischief. But they choose to
provoke the enmity of the Protestant
world.
Visitors at Rome can testify that an
American Minister at that Court is
only an ornamental sort of superiority
He does nothing that Consul could
not do.
We happen to know that the present
Postmaster General tried it for a few
months, and found such sIuggarri's
life of exchanging PastebOard and fig
uring in pageants so irksome, that he
asked the privilege of coming home to
ind something better to do. Indeed,
five are not mistaken, Mr.. Cass was
made minister more for the sake of
some privilege of public worship for
his countrymen than because we had
any interests there requiring special
diplomacy. Now the privilege is with
drawn, we see not why American inte-
rests may not relapse into the consul's
hands. Rome is now a great winter
resort of Americans, and there NAV he
conveniences for them socially in find
representative of their government
there. But the English manage TO see
Just as much, and get along about as
well, with only such a poor tool of u
consul as Mr.. Joseph Severn proves
himself to be. = If it shall prove that the
American Minister has not influence
enough to obtain even the tacit per
mission of the pontifcal government
for religious services under his own
eye and control, whatever influence he
may have left for other purposes is
hardly worth keeping. 1t is relin-
gushing privilege which ought not
to be sacrificed for the sake of inferior
ones.
- These services are attended by
handful of people, not one in ten of
whom can say word in any language
but English. Not single Roman
would dare come to them. They are
not in the Italian language. They are
not for propagandism, but simply that
travellers away from home may find
some congenial religious service in
their own tongues and after their own
custom and belief. Innocent and
harmless as they are, however, so far
as the Roman Government or the Ro-
man Churchis concerned, it seems that
thew MIN and are TO 10
pressed. That cannot be prevented
now. Let them go on and repay Amer
lean federation with intolerance worthy
of the days of Hildebrand. Ludicrous
enough it is, when the Pope after John
Bunyan's figure has lost his teeth, 10 be
crashing his Loothless gums in impo-
tent anger against Professionals. If he
thinks he is making his foothold more
secure by cudgelling everybody else off
his premises, it is only after the usual
wisdom OF moribund despotisn. What
he shall do, however, is not for US to
say. But it is for us to have dignity
enough to say that we consent to be
party to no such transaction by sub
hitting to it without remonstrance,
We will not stop without calling a
moments attention to the letter of the
British Consul. If the John Bull one
generally encounters in Rome relishes
such poltroon execute, in congenial
S - anu even IN Inc very style
or Papal absolutism, the decree of |
to which he is accredited
for the protection of his fellow-coun-
trymen, visiting upon his compatriots |
the menaces of the Inquisition
as If he were Vicar General
himself, he must be rapidly sloughing
MS hide and losing his bovine nature.
There Was a time when Oliver Cron1- |
well in his mild irony intimated that |
the guns of "A British feet would be |
heard at Ciyita Vecchia unless the Pa |
pal government would hold up a little. |
Times and men have changed, If |
British Consul can write to a free Brit |
lsh subject letter like the one we print |
IN another column, and not hear from |
Downing street thunder quite as loud |
and good deal more effective than |
that of the Vatican.