The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-14
THURSDAY, JULY IA, 1870.
THE LNFALLLBLLI7Y OF THE POPE.

The Pope and his immediate supporters have
obtained a triumph in the adoption of the
dogma of infallibility yesterday in the Gcu-
menical Council by vote of $50 to SO. This
result will not surprise any one who has fol-
lowed the discussions on the subject that
have taken place since the assembling of the
council. 1t is evident, however, that the ad-
vocates of the dogma anticipated a much
easier victory than they have gained; and
could the bitter opposition of some of the
most prominent and influential prelates have
been foreseen, it is extremely doubtful whe-
ther the council would have been called
The infallibility of the Pope, speaking
en- cathedrd, would seem to be a necessary con-
sequence of the position the Church of Rome
has always assumed with regard to the autho-
rity derived by its visible head through an
uninterrupted line of predecessors from the
Founder of the Christian religion himself.
Tested by the facts of history, however,
the dogma will be worthless to men
who do not wholly allow their faith to
overpower their reason, for practically
it has been denied again and again
by the Popes themselves. OF late years, how.
ever, vast majority of the members of the
Catholic Church have tacitly believed in the
Pope's infallibility without exactly accepting
it as an article of faith. The discus
sions, however, which, the council has elected
have caused many to examine into subject
that previously had excited but little atten-
ton and the consequence is that, while the
Pope and his immediate advisers have gained
q nominal victory, the liberal party in the
Church has been consolidated, and spirit of
inquiry awakened that bodies no good to
Catholicism, in certain quarters at least. In
deed, it is difficult to understand what end the
Ultramontanists expect to gain by the pro-
mitigation of this dogma; and although the
vote of yesterday is remarkable evidence of
the discipline of the Roman Church, and of
the real power which its rulers hold in their
certainly appears, at this time of writing, to
be nothing more nor less than blunder of
the most gigantic proportions.
The fact of the matter is that the whole
management of the affairs of the Church are
in the hands of little ring of Italian priests,
who are too ignorant of the affairs of the
world to understand what the requirements
of the age really are. There are learned and
able men like Dupanloup, Strassmeyer, Dol
Hnger, Hyacinthe, and others, who feel that
the Church ought to be in advance of the
civilization and enlightenment of the century,
instead of behind it, and that the policy pur-
sued by the Vatican Cabinet is not such as
will secure to the Church the support of the
commanding minds of the age, but they have
been overruled at all points by the Ultramon-
tanists.
So far as the open enemies of the Roman
Church are concerned, the decision of the
Gcumenical Council on the infallibllity
dogma ought to fill them with exceeding
great Joy. 1t will be a powerful argument
to WELD against the Church and her preten-
sions, and Protestant preachers in denounc-
ing the ''scarlet woman" from their pulpits
for this new iniquity will only need to use
against her the words of her own children.
THE CAMERON EXPURGATTON.
A WASHINGTON correspondent has been en-
pIoyed to throw out a delicate feeler in the
shape of despatch to a morning paper, in
timating that Hon. William HI. Armstrong, of
the Williamsport district, is about to offer a
resolution expunging the resolution censuring
Mr. Cameron as Secretary of War, passed by
Congress in the early part of 1862. The
despatch adds that ''there is little doubt but
that it will pass without opposition" OF
course, hlr. Cameron is entirely innocent and
ignorant of the proposed proceedings, be-
cause Mr.. Cameron has instructed the cor
respondent to say so; and of course, as is
stated, he is 'wholly Indifferent TO the existence
of the resolution in question, because he has
since been vindieated by reelection to
the Senate. Considering that the task of
vindicating himself from the debauchery
which compassed his election to the Senate
has been greater than he mas been able to
master, it is but the part of prudence for him
to remain 'wholly Indifferent as to his vim
dication from a resolution of censure, passed
by an overwhelming majority of Republican
Congressman, and which for nearly decade
has remained unchallenged on the records of
the House; and of course Mr.. ArnAstron g s
honest constituents will be ''utterly indiffe-
rent to his action in the premises.
We are glad that the work of expurgation
is about to begin. 1t is sadly needed Mr.
Cameron's long and eventful life is fast draw
ing to close. He has passed the period
allotte to mortals, and his declining years.
whom the infrmities of frail humanity are
thiokening their shadows about him, should
be solaced, if possible, by at least som
solitary monument of respect. Fhui
far his life is but withtre waste
of consuming records of shame. Every
official position he has attained has left some
bidaons GHOST to haunt his dreams, and some