The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-04

strokes which any statesman has made in
| modern times. Gortchakof never was want
ing in holiness; but on this last diplomatic
stroke he compels the world to believe that he
has learned something from the arch-diplo-
mats. of his time, Count Bismarck wise
master never ceases to be disciple. Gort-
chakof has made a European conference
necessity The conference is, in fact, agreed
upon, and the presumption is that i. must be
held in London. The sop to England is due
TO Bismarck; but the sop has told.
Now that another grand European confer
ence is TO be held, it is not unfair to consider
what this conference will have to do.
Primarily, Of course, this conference Will
have to consider the Treaty of Paris
II ia hard thing for the great
Powers of Europe to be compelled to meet in
council for no other purpose than to undo what
formerly they did. But modify the Treaty OF
Paris they must. They have no choise. They
cannot help it, Russia has made her case SO
| clear that even Great Britain, which spent
one hundred million pounds sterling on the
Crimean war, must consent to revision. Tho
revision of the Treaty of Paris will leave
Russia mistress of the Black Sea, and will
once more open for her the door to Coastan-
tinople. O.her questions. Of course, will have
to be considered. Europe, from the Black
Sea- to the Mediterranean, is all unsettled.
France will do her best to hold out in prospect
of sympathy from the conference She may
not be able to hold out but she may. If she
does her voice viii not be 80 weak as some
people imagine. Not 10 speak more OF France,
Austria has much to ask from a conference,
and. we may rest assured, she will not make
timd demand. Feeling her weak hold on her
German provinces she will ask privileges in the
East If she must retire and make Pesth
her headquarters she will not fail to
give good proof that she has very special
interest in the mouths Of the Danube a.
European congress ought to represent the
small Powers as well az the great. II Den
mark and Sweden and Holland and Belgium
find places they will show that il The preserva-
ton Of the peace Of Europe they have right
to material guarantees. 1t is mlddle all
over, but the biggest muddle OF all is TO be
found in Rome.
After the Eastern question the biggest ques-
ton which the assembled Powers viii have TO
settle will be that OF Rome. What will they
do with the Pope? No man can take up any
newspaper Of the day, any prominent maya
zine or review in any country in Europe or in |
any part OF the United States without feeling |
that the Roman question is not yet settled. 1t |
is not to be denied that the Italian people have
as much right TO settle their own affairs as
Spain or France or Germany or Great Britain
or the United States OF America Italy for
the Italians is as just cry as Spain for the
Spaniards, France for the French, Germany
for the Germans, Russia for the Slaves,
America for the Americans. Ii is, on the
other hand, just as little to be denied that the |
temperatures of the Papacy are sanctiGed by |
time-hallowed possession. II not from the |
DAYS Of Constantine in the fourth century, at |
least from the days Of Charlemagne and Ohio
in the ninth, the Pope has been temporal
prince. If possession in any case ought TO be
regarded as holy and inviolate it surely ought
10 be in the case Of the Vicar OF Christ. II is
we'll, very well, to say that the Papacy would
be stronger and more prosperous than ever
without The temperatures. 1t is our conviction
hat it would but the fact remains that the
Pope Will NOT yield and that the members OF
the Catholic Church in all lands--in the United
States as in Mexico, in Prussia as in Austria
and Spain, in Lendon az in Rome-stand by
the Holy Father and promise to battle with
him for what they call his rights. II we have
any conviction il is this--that the tempo
raties have been a curse from the begin
ming, ana that the downfall Of the
temporal power is positive blessing
to the Catholic Church, and. indeed, to the
whole Christian world offers the oppor-
tunity to restore Christian simplicity and |
which has marred the beauty and grandeur |
Of the spiritual temple which the Master COR !,
templated. 1t makes an end Of all divisions !
and paves the way for a glorious reunion,
which would crown an epoch. II does
more; it makes the conversion OF the whole
world to Christianity comparatively easy.
The divisions of Christianity which grew out
of the State Church system, begot the
heresy of Arius and the disgraceful strifss Of
the East. The Arian heresy, and the conse-
quent troubles which eliminated in but were
not healed by the first Council of Nice. gave
birth to Mohammedanism. The strifes Of
later years, most, if not all, Of which have
resulted from the same cause, have proved
the stumbling block to all missionary effort
among the so-called heather. The abolition
of the temporal power of the Papacy, restor
ing as it does the head Of the Christian Church
to the grandly simple position of st. Peter,
offers a new point of departurea point Of
departure full of the richest promise. But the