The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-11
SATURDAY, DECEMBER II, 1869.
THE GCUMENTCAL COUNCIL.

made for the prompt publication of its pro-
ceedings has proved fallacious, and the order
forbidding the reporter of the London Times
from entering the Papal dominions indicates
that only partial accounts or such versions as
have been duly revised, amended, and expur-
gated, will from time to time be given to the
world Grave temporal as well as spiritual
questions will be considered, and if free de-
bate is permitted, some of the discussions
can scarcely fail to be very animated, so that
general readers have no slight cause to regret
the determination to prohibit full contempo-
raneous reports. The peculiar constitution
of the council necessarily gives it strong
disposition to sanction any doctrine the Pope
may wish to promulgate, and yet there are
strong symptoms of opposition, arising from
various causes in various quarters. One
class, for instance, contends that the council
possesses the power to consider any subject
connected with the welfare of the Church;
that it can decide in favor of any reform
which may be suggested by any of its
MEMBERS or that, in other words, itpossesses
a right to originate measures, similar to that
which Napoleon has recently granted to the
French Assembly. This is one of the rights
for which Father Hyacinthe contends, in con-
junction with no inconsiderable number of
other liberal Catholics. But it has apparently
been overruled in advance, and the jealous
supporters of Papal power concede to Plus TX
and his immediate counsellors not only the
privilege of defining the subjects of discus
sion, but, in large degree, the power to
dictate the decisions of the council Inter-
~,
tion of the infallibility of the Pope. 1t is
commonly reported that attempts will be
made to affirm the undertaking correctness of
his opinions on temporal as we'll as spiritual
affairs, and thus to make his word law from
which there is no appeal. 1t is believed,
however, that considerable portion of the
ecclesiastics in attendance will bitterly oppose
this pretension, and stoutly maintain that,
while his opinions on temporal affairs must
be Judged, like those of other potentates, by
their intrinsic merits he Is, in some classes of
spiritual subjects, liable to be overruled by
general councils.
The importance of the impending contro-
versies is greatly increased by their appre-
hended bearing on the civil affairs of Ca
tholic countries and of countries which, like |
nbe United States, embrace large Catholic |
Population. If the doctrines enunciated in
sbe Syllabus of Errors are carried out to |
Gbeir logical conclusion, religious liberty must
Oe totally destroyed, and Church and State
aust be everywhere united on terms dictated
by Catholic ecclesiastics. And yet there is
not at this moment a single important nation
willing to submit to such a decree. Even
Italy now reioices in her new freedom, and
but few months ago one of Victor Emanu-
els ministers announced, officially, that the
italian Government would not permit any
action of the council to 'trespass upon the
laws of the kingdom and the rights of the
State" A similar attitude has been assumed
by Spain and Germany. France will scarcely
consent to belle her past history by making
concessions which even Austria, Italy, and
Spain refuse to grant The eulogistic refer
ence to the council which appeared in Napo-
Icons late address to the French Chambers is
probably due to the fact that he shares the
wish of the Archbishop of Paris that it may
become truly reformatory body instead of
reactionary assemblage, and that he was anx-
ious to exert all his influence to give it this
direction
In the face of hostile DEGREES from Catholic
Governments, it is difficult to understand how
any substantial benefits are to be derived
from the formal promulgation of ultra Papal
doctrines. In some cases they would doubt
less prove as inefhcacious the bull against
the comet. But fear is expressed that they
would foment instructions and lead to reli-
gious wars. This danger is probably exagge-
rated, but still it is not without foundation
If the programme presented to the Gcume-
pical Council is adopted in its entirety, intole-
rance will become fundamental part of the
revised creed, and pretensions will be set up
which will compel many communities to de-
eide between unqualified submission or active
resistance. The final issue of such a conflict,
in this age can scarcely be doubtful but it is
within the bounds of possibility that it may
engender much bitter strife and bloodshed.
TIE LUoKIEsT OF MEN is General Spinner,
the indomitable watchdog of the Treasury.
During the time that he has held his present
position, the money transactions of the Trea-
sury foot up an aggregate exceeding $44, 900,
600, 900, vet not one cent has been lost to the
people, all the discrepancies that have been
detected having been so insignificant that they
have been made straight by the persons re-
sponsible for them. This is not less credita-
BILE to General Spinner than it is gratifying to
the people with the handling of whose money
be has been entrusted Other officials whose
responsibilities have been nothing in compa-
uon have bean unabla IN nresant such a