The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-18
Lord Clarendon, the Holy Father nm
the Feniuns.

Lord Clarendon, the Holy Father and
the Fcnians.
The Earl Of Clarendon-an English states
man of much experience and sagacity-has
undertaken a special mission to Rome to
request of Plus the Ninth I" to use bis influence
with the inhabitants of Ireland for the sup
preston Of Fenianism." The Earl is accom-
panied by Lord Bloomfield, British Minister at
the Court Of Vienna, so that the suit Of the
Defender of the Faith in ST. James will be
placed before the Sovereign Pontiff in the
Vatican with all the proprieties of Cabinet
routine and all the amenities and good feel
ing of the Austrian concordat.
This appeal Of England to the head Of the
Catholic Church Is, in its intent and object,
reasonable enough, and may be useful in the
desired direction if the Holy Father possesses
any particular placeto likely to be effectual in
the ugly case Of these cross-grained Fenians,
which we very much doubt. We think, how
ever, that Lord Clarendon has not shown his
usual appreciation of time and circumstances
in choosing the present moment for its pre-
sentation. The Holy Father Is just now con-
matters and what, In the case of a man Of
family, would be termed domestic troubles.
Garibaldi has not been effectually laid, the
September Convention is on the point Of repeal,
the French troops are hanging "off and on
neither In Rome nor fairly out Of it-Victor
Emanuel keeps around, Notwithstanding the
bull Of accommodation and, as If to fill the
troubled caldron to overlooking, his Holiness
has made venture into the question Of
woman's rights, and feels himself called on to
undertake to regulate the style and cut of
female dress in the Eternal City. He has
just ordered the Cardinal Vicar to issue a
decree on the subject, In which he COM
plains that the Romans seem to forget that q
church is the house of God, and says that
"probably the cause of this evil is to be found
In the conduct OF the women, who when they 60
to church, dress as if for theatre or fashion
able promenade" His Holiness recommends
that q number of respectable ladies should
form themselves into society with the object
of " counteracting by their example and indu-
ence luxury which produces the ruin OF
families and leads to immortality" The Car
dinal Vicar, in publishing the decree, announces
that women with "extravagant headdresses"
shall in future not be admitted to the COM
munion table.
Now, Lord Clarendon ought to have known
all this. He has the telegraph at his command
and could have learned in moment what
sort of pickle the Sacred College is in. His
lordship has evidently neglected to obtain this
information, and hence the inopportune
moment at which the communication of his
royal mistress will reach Rome will probably
defeat its object. 1t is really uncharitable on
the part of England to trespass on the good
nature Of the Pope at such time. Had Queen
Victoria been personally informed that the
matter Of ladies' headdresses and short petit
coats was in order in the Vatican she would
have comprehended the Papal difficulty at
once, and endeavored to "hold on" little
longer, with tho aid Of carnal weapons, of
rifed cannon and iron-clad ships, without
troubling the venerable PontiH with the
questionable vagaries of the Fenians before
he had adjusted the woman's rights difficulty
In Rome.