, 1870-03-25
THE GCUMENICAL COUNCIL,


InsE tFfa- 81 CpTTst'es@2e7+ q s"e 1toH2on ffht1
Tomorrow it is expected tbere will be 4,
thia council 1t ia assumed that the rules A.
intended and planned 10 stop discussion; hl
AZ the rules expressly assume discussion, bot
On the general principle 8nd tho main feature
Of the natter before the council, and also Of
the particulars and very words, it cannot b
or that the council is hencefoTth to be onI
PAPER work. However. it is the CALLED jad
that wirces, and these Fathers must know. ant
do know. good dead better than: outsider
whether the new hAzness is cumbersome
and complicated whether the rein IL tight, ant
fore to fear the caprice or the violences OF th,
driver. The snspicsum End resentment are Al
strong in some quarters, among tho German
especially, that It hns ever been proposed Il
look cut for tho best opportunity Of with
drawing from the council, and throwing npor
Plus n and his a11sisers Tie responsibility o.
Ill that may happen. There Is ths sa1nt
numerical ninount Of opposition TO these rule.
70 to the dogma Of inf1Mbility, and it is ever
said that there will be less reluctance to act
50 it il not impossible that near = hundrei
Fathers-for the Oppoaition counts huntrcG
and forty-may leave either the council, c,
Rome, upon the express ground that Discus
sion il too much tied to mako attendance here
Of anr use. The French, however, do not see
tho wisdom OF throwing up the game and le.v,
ing the field clcar for they know not what
operations 50 vigilance, obstinacy, and de1.
terifE, are still the order Of the day.
The discussions have hitherto been such n
VIC should have in our Parliament, we could
suppose first, second and third readings, III
fused into one rambling discussion. and that
not conclusive, but to be resumed a. often as
IS the bill has been amended in conformity
with the previous Debates Every speath hisli-
erto taa been al about the Schema in hand !:
ita PRINCIPLES, its dataiIs, ita workings. and
Whatever else the speaker might think CON
nected with IT.. The expectation evidently WAS
that after all who wished had had their say the
Sc't ma was to 90 to committee, come hack
again, be discussed again, and 30 on forever.
Ihs. mind, when Pontitica1 Code is the work
to he done. Under euuh system Of discus
sion, one Of two things must happen.
Either the Gcumenir1 Vatican Council
would sit "a long ~ the world lasts.
and only set to the end Of it's work to find that
II must return to the hcginning, or the func-
tloua11es whom the gods call Presidents, and
pronounce the discussion closed, stop 4 hun
ttred rebelliouB mouths, take the votes aud adj
what they thought TT to the law, or the futh
OF the Church. The bare possibility Of such
conclusion, to come any day, wss enough to
unnerso men noro accustomed to ita altars
and =. puir'ts than to Senatcs and Council rooms.
It Is quite plain thhtth original rules, lberanv
interpreted 4. theyh1Ye been, favored leclsma-
tion but not aeGberstion, and certainly not de-
cHion. New E.lles we're wanted Here thew
are, and when tho Pope has presented every
Father il, the Council with the customary ashes
next "Wednesday, it ia presumed tl,at each will
aed ne nsnl.e Tumble I'D; ~ con'H;e enough to endure
A to tie council itself, everything is uncer-
tain. i ID not known whether it ueets again
next Thursday or next Monday. It is not
known whether i will proceed at once to the
g7eat question, p Ho,nano Pon'itiee, which is
to include the infalhhility, or whether it will
try the new rules OIL some old matter. Tlat
!las been suggested. and the proposition about
Rationaliem. it is thought, would do to nut the
FaiLers in training for the moro serious work
before them. Both sides betrav wholesome
dread Of the fell issue which NAV at once break
up the council and the Church OF Runo, and
do 50 almost beforo they aro aware OF it. The
obstinate; but both recoil from thc
preciriee on the edge Of which they nro
struggling. Both sidcs are firm, but one viii
have 70 give way. 4 protest against the now
rules IL N preparation, and it is likely that
either they will be amended, or satisfactory
assurances be given that the discussion viii
not be clored pranoaturefv. have already
told you that the French Ambassador here Il
to be trinforced from home. There have beer,
several meetings, at his house, Of tho Franch
a9d . a German bisheps, on the critical phase Of
s'S4s-A* 49, ~ AAE5c IEh it4t6- 4uS
list two sittings before this ittie recess sppea1
to have had incidents. On Monday the Hsshop
Of Samnr talked about the B1eviary in way
Rome Of the Fathers did not like,
and said that his own people did not
care mucl for the Little Catechism.
He vas called to order, though what
he said Vas not bad or irregular. Havnald.
the noet fluent and ready speaker hero, felt
moved to come to bis rescue, but was told be
could not speak that day, NO he put hA name
down 10. Tuesday. He was much excited, and
spoke strongly. The bell rsng. After pause,
i! ,.e proceeded, bus the m.josity would not
knives, md drowned his voteo. The beil rang
second time; Haynald waA formally callet, 10
orler By capa!ti, and lcft the pulpit, THIS
does not pzoniAa we'll for the one. fr4t and
last: discussion provided By the new rules.
On Tueeday, four Spanish Bishops spoke But
all tLat is passing ont Of rciud 1t the approach
Of crisis which al fear. Every .lay, We are
now told, something nsw and strange may be
expected. Already they GAY the council hsa
spoi1t the Carnival. Has it taken its p!aeee