The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-22

tnlet-ln0eeu, what Win Ch0 Adaptati0n OF
enesthesia and chemistry to unrighteous
ends, that is almost the case now-and vio-
lence for purposes of robbery may become
superfluous and vulgar. This, of course, will
be an advantage. II is better to be mesme-
rized than garroted and, in any event, we
in New York cannot well be more defenseless
than we are On the other hand, honest folks
may learn to mesmerize as we'll as the rogues,
and so spoil the spoiler On the whole then
we await this innovation in thieving with
tranquility, only asking that Superintendent
Jourdan will put his force under the instruc
tion of complete professor of Mesmers art.
THE POPE AS ARBITER OF PEACE.
From the N. Y. Herald.
The truce of God, so styled in the ancient
chronicles under the Latin term of Treuga
Dei, and identifying the first of these words
with the German expression treue, meaning
fidelity, was an early attempt of the Church
to mitigate and control the animosities of
almost barbarous ages. 1t was first pro-
claimed by the bishops of Aquitaine (now part
of France) just after the terrible famines
which had scourged the land for nearly five
years until the close of 1890. 1t prohibited
all overt acts in any private quarrels through
out the season of Advent, Lent, and the
great holidays of the year, embracing, also
the lapse of time from every Thursday until
every Sunday evening. During the speci-
fed period no act of violence was tolerated,
under penalty of the severest chastsement
The good prelates had originally pro-
claimed universal peace, but found it utterly
impossible to maintain it in those rude days
and hence were compelled to set apart certain
subdivisions of time. About the middle of
the eleventh century they extended the period
of truce from Wednesday sunset until Monday
sunrise. However it was nearly one hundred
years later, when the noble idea of general
pacifcation was formalized by the Pope
Calixtus ii, who at the Council of Rheims,
in 1876, denounced war in the most solemn
language, and consigned all violators of the
general peace throughout Christendom to the
accommodation of the Church. with total
deprivation of Christian burial. Gradually
this law became settled regulation in all
countries over which the Papal authority in
religion extended, and it continued to be
almost the only refuge from the reign of uni
versal violence until the civil administration
of Europe grew strong enough to restrain
the passions of the multitude.
Seven centuries and more have rolled away
since the great edict of Calixtus, and civil
authority has its immense machinery esta-
blished in every part of what is called the
civilized world; yet at this moment we behold
France, "the eldest daughter of the Church."
and Germany, the land Of Martin Luther
both claiming the highest prominence in
faith of Christ-holding together revel of
blood, saturnalia of human slaughter the
like of which has not been witnessed by hor-
rified humanity since the days of the savage
Huns and Visigoths. The devastated fields
of Eastern France reek with human putres-
cence, and for dozen degrees of latitude
and longitude in the very heart of Christen-
dom the tramp of fierce armies the clangor
of their martial music, the huzzas of their
charging battalions and the roar of their ord
nance scarcely drown the wall of the affrighted
and bereaved people whose substance thew
are destroying and whose homes they are
laying waste.
Is there no hand venerable enough in
years, powerful enough in authority, sacred
enough in its traditional character, to stay
this deluge of blood and tears? Some of the
latest advices direct from Europe suggest a
reply to this most important question They
hint that Plus TX has offered his mediation
to King William for peace between Prussia
and France, and that the German monarch
gracefully and cordially expresses his utmost
willingness to avail himself of this genial
offer, upon such conditions as shall secure
future tranquility to his country. If this
announcement be true it discloses an act
worthy the head of the great Christian
Church which claims the devotion of q
hundred millions of our race, and worthy
mighty Christian monarch upon whose helm
victory has for years been eagerly twining her
laurel wreatbs. King William has now
thirte en- millions, and in a year or two
more may have twenty millions, of Catholic
subjects, to whom, as to France, the mandate
or entreaty on behalf of justice of an infalli-
BILE Pontiff will be inviolable law. Why, then,
should not the world rejoice in So great an
event, SO sublimely illustrating the sincerity
of all who follow, by whatever paths, the
standard of Him whose holest title next to
Divinity was "Prince of Peace?" We can
conceive of no brain so dull, no heart so cold,
that it would not grow bright and warm to-
wards SO grand proffer of general concilia-
ton of which the very first effect would be
the rescue of seventy-fve millions of our
fellow creatures from the horrors of war. Let
us behold this effort, which in its simple
grandeur would far surpass any triumph of
the merely diplomatic council or the embat-
tied field. Let Plus TX and King William
crown the glories of their reign and time by
new proclamation of the ''Truce of God"