New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-26

fallibility to the extreme nevertheless,
the Ultramontanists are working in grave
earnest In the Tyrol, they have ELECTED
demonstrations in favor of the Bishop of Linz
and have induced several newly elected authori-
ties IN declare that they could not conscientl-
ously obey the Emperor. Elsewhere in the
Austrian dominons, they denounce the I'M
outstanding of the schools, the introduction
of coneubinage by civil marriage, and the ruin
of the neople by Freemasons and Jews. On
the other hand, liberal Catholic laymen and
clerpymen, among them one or two OF the
hierarchy, have Joined in protest at Pforzhelm
and other places, against the extreme doctrines
of the Syllabus, and in favor of the partcipa-
ton of the laty in synods and the abolition
of a book censorship which is opposed to the
progress of knowledge.
The basis Of the Roman attitude is contained
in the doctrines of the Syllabus OF 1864, follow
ing the famous Encyclical Letter OF the Pope
What are these doctrinesf In brief, they are
the neeations of many doctrines, amounting IN
all IN positiye assertion of the temporal
mower and right, if not infallibility, of the
Holy See. The negations bear especially upon
those who, in the language of the Pope APP
"ply to society the impious and absurd
"principles Of naturalism, and dare to teach
"that society should be governed and consti-
"tuted irrespective of religion" The Pope
holds that it is a doctrine pernicious to the
salvation of souls that liberty of conscience, OF
speech, and of worship. is essentially the right
of every man. He speaks of the audacity OF
those who assert that the DEGREES OF the Holy
See, if they do not treat OF dogmas OF taitn
and morals, do not claim acqniescence ana
obedience, under pain of sin and loss OF the
Catholic profession. The Syllabus is list OF
eighty specifications against the errors of the
day with respect to rights civil and ecclesl-
astic, to Socialism, Rationalism, Latitudinarian-
ism. Liberalism, and the speculatiOns of Dhilos-
ophy. 1t denies that the errors of philosophy
should be spiritually tolerated, and that. the
DEGREES of Rome fetter the free progress OF
science that philosophy is to be treated without
regard to revelation; that the civil power may
interfere in matters relating to religion, moral
ity, and civil government; that the immunity
of priests derives its origin from civil law
that the Church has not the innate and legiti-
{. tie right of acquisition and possession; that
the obligation which binds Catholics applies
only to those things which are proposed for
universal belief as dogmas of the faith; that
the Church has not the power OF availing her
self of force or any direct or indirect tenn
poral power; that the civil power should have
chief control of schools; that the Church
ought to DO separated from the State; that 1t
ia allowable to refuse obedience to legitimate
Princess that the sacrament OF marriage is
only an adjunct of the contract; that civil
contract may constitute true marriage; that
the abolition of the temporal power of the
See would contribute in the greatest degree
to the liberty and prosperity of the Church.
Hero we think is ample cause for Prince
Hohenldhe's suspicion. The Church is nothing
if not absolute. 1t Is plain, therefore, that the
moral contest represented on the one hand by
Rome and on tho other by Germany is that of
political freedom against the absOlutism of the
Church For the Church, there is but one
avenue logically open, if the doctrines Of the
Syllabus are worth standing by, and that
seems to be in the direction of utter infalli-
bility-an infallibility inconsistent with itself
if applied to temporal affairs, and only tending
TO ruin tho worldly fabric of the Church.
But mankind will not be losers if the two
great systems of the world are fairly brought
to an issue, and it is finally decided that the
Church ia better without the State, and the
State better without the Church. Whatever
the State gains in the contest is likely to be
on the side of popular freedom, and whatever
is won By the Church will be in the direction
Of spiritual emancipation.