The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-10-09
rsrm.-rour Dollar. Per Annum, in Advance.
NUMBER So.
The Pope's Position.


A Tribune special gives the full text of
Victor Emmanuers proposition to his Holt
ness. 1t is in twelve sections, which con-
cede the temporal rank of sovereign and
the very fullest recognition of his spiritual
supremacy to the Pope, and propose that
the Italian Government endow the Holy
See witlla fixed revenue. 1t is supposed a
thirteenth article, guaranteeing the Leon
Inc city to His Holiness will be added. The
small vote against the Italian plebiscite
Is due to the POpe's instructions to his adj
herents not to vote, he not recognizing the
right OF any power to propose the plebiscite.
The foregoing appeared among the dis
patches Published on Wednesday last.
What measure of truth or falsehood it may
contain, we have no m cans of ascertaining.
AS to the terms and provisions offered to
the Pope, the Leonine city, the subsidies,
the spiritual independence and the rest of
it, all is set aside and rendered unworthy
even of discussion, by the. single fact that
Italy has forfeited her national faith by
wholly and needlessly violating the con-
vention of September. She has now done
that which she had pledged her honor in q
solemn treaty not to do [; she tears up the
treaty, and then has the assurance to ask
to DO trusted on her word alone. If the
convention did not bind her, her word will
not. 1t is the case of a man whose bill has
been disifonored, anu Wanting to borrow
more on his verbal promise alone. No, no,
there is no faith-no reliance to be placed
in such q government Even the London
Times admits that "the Italians pique them
selves neither on an excess Of ehiraieresque
feeling, nor on too delicate scruples in
matters of jus yentium;" and in reference
to King Victor Emmanuel it says, that he
was with difficulty induced to give his
consent to the seizure Of the States of the
Church, adding, that "his religious senti-
ments and the scruples OF a loyal Sovereign
have hitherto prevented his favoring
measure which, however desirable it may
be in u political point Of view, can hardly
be sanctioned as an act of in terratiOnal in
tegrity." Such is the style of modern
politics-measures avowedly indefensible
in morals are nevertheless held as things
desirable -things to be done and applauded
and initiated. Hence the increasing faith
lessness of the age, and the curious insta-
bility that seems inherent in the worldly
wise work of kings and statesmen.
The London Tablet, in an able review OF
the Pope's situation, concludss as follows:
The events of the hour are n sore trial
to orr patience, bnt we cannot say THAI
they are any trial 70 onr faith. Far worse
dangers have befallen the Church than
those that beset her now, and we know that
that "outstretched- arm u is not shortened
which bore her through them all. In this
mistaken trust we can predict with conh-
dence that the Church and the Papacy Will
live through the storm that has now burst
upon them, aud emerge from it the stronger
for the tri al. And when. the petty CON
querors and petty victories of the hour
lave passed into the ruin and the oblivion
by which for greater mena and greater events
have been overwhelmed, Peter will ait on
his throne in the Vatican, and will be the
sole representative of order and authority
in that distracted land from which he now
seems on the point of being cast out. Nor
is the day far distant when he will be free
again, and when we shall join with him in
blessing God for his deliterance de mdn~
Herodis ct de on,ni expectations plebis Judde-
Drum. -