New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-19
THE RCUuENICAL COUNCIL.

| We desire to record prediction that the
Gcumenical Council will either be postponed,
or that its results will prove signally meager
and disappointing.
Plus X, by his frequent and pointed Allo-
cutions, leaves no doubt as to his views and
purposes He has called this General Council
with predetermination that it shall affirm and
uphold the most advanced pretensiQns of the
Papal See-thOse distinguished in Western Eu-
rope as Ultramontane. He leaves us no chance
to doubt that he looks on ChrstendOm as
marching straight to perdition for want of due
docility to the guidance of the Holy See; and
he desires by this Council to save it from the
fruits of its own devices.
Now, if the points on which his heart is set
had relation to the domain of abstract or spec
ulative Theology, he might establish them with
little difficulty. If, for example, he wished it
proclaimed a dogma of the Catholic Church that
the Virgin Mary was uncreated, and of the
essence of the Deity, it would be so decreed
without open opposition, and received without
murmur by the faithful. But it is very
plain that the Pope is intent on an affirmation
by the Council of what lie terms the liberties
of the Church-its powers, immunities, and
authority to fix and declare the boundaries
which define the authority of the Church from
that of the State; and here he treads on slip
perry ground. We have said that he might OBJ
tain the assent of the Council to any dogma Of
speculative Theology; but suppose he were to
wish the use Of the steam-engine interdicted
to Catholics-what thenf .Y
Europe has four leading Catholic States or
cOuntries-France, Austria, Italy, Spain; and
not one Of these, as at present constituted, re-
CARDS the Council or its presumed objects with
favor. Napoleon is ominOusy silent; but his
is not the silence that implies assent. 1t is not
yet certain that he will permit the attendance
of the French Bishops; though he probably
will. Austria has of late lost favor at Rome,
and is very unlikely soon to regain it. Her
relations to the Papacy grow steadily less and
less cordial; and the recent Imprisonment of
one Of her Bishops, for acts done by him in
obedience to the Papal authority, is NOR
ally sure to produce further alterations
Italy is in state of practical re-
volt against the Papal authority, and "the
"Cisalpine Government rarely fails to
receive a liberal share of each successive full
mination from the Vatican. AS to Spain, she
heartily sustained every pretension of the
Papacy down to the latest expulsion of her
Bourbons; and Isabella II. will be glad to pro-
mote with all her power the objects of the
Council; but her power at present is nOught.
She may favor Rome with her presence next
Winter, but Spain is hers no longer; and her
successors in authority are necessarily her
antagonists in their attitude toward ecclesiasti-
cal pretensions. OF the smaller Catholic States,
Bavaria has already evinced her approximations
of the Council; so that Most Faithful Portu-
gal alone remains devoted to the present
designs of the Papacy.
AS to the Bishops from oversee, but es-
pecially from this country, we feel confident
that their influence will be quietly exerted in
favor of letting well alone. They naturally
shrink from any new declaration or dogma |
calculated to widen the gulf between "tbe |
Church" and those from whom 1t has gained |
many converts, and confidently expects to gain
more. They will acquiesce in whatever NAV
be ultimately agreed on; but they will
prefer to leave matters much as thew find
hem. We conclude, therefore,. that either the