Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-01-23
The ECumeniCal Council.

Correspondence of the London Times.
ROME, December %, lSG9.-I told
Yesterday how long the Italians had
been kept from their breakfasts; what
unwonted sounds of defamation PEN
etrated into the nave-aye, far down
the nave; how eXcitedand fierce many
of the Fathers looked as they came
forth, and how fast and furiOusly they
were driven hOmeWard. Here is what
we now learn: The Council entered
upon a batch of eighteen propositions,
directed, as it is stated, against mod
ern German philosophy. Whether
that be a correct description Of them
matters not, nor at present what they
are. \ great number of the Fathers
had inscribed their names to speak,
all against the propositions. Five, as
n account ~says-seven, as others
say-did speak at much length and
in much earnestuesS against the prop
Ositions-that is, against the Papal
schemes, or draughts, as perhaps we
should call them at home. But who
were those five Or seven speakers? IL
Is said Mcy Were LriSh-1 americans. But
When peOgie come 10 Wiak Of Il they
must see that tie american Bishops
and He0rLy 0ti, u not dH. the american
/ Bishops are LriSh-Gre, a6OCe ali Others,
personally interested IN freedom, or at
least liberation Of opinion. They must
have work enough on their hands
without requiring to be needleSSly
| committed to a hundred interminable
! controversies. It is to be presumed
that, with all their animation, they
-. L. -.,af~n 4. tho nnnEARfnnnnnG E of
/ the proposed resolution, as an unnec-
essary collision with opinions widely
prevailing, and to be shaken by mere
| authority, and often held in an alb
stract aud exceedingly harmless form.
The sense of their home difficulties
| would at least quicken their feelings,
while, in the discussion Of few prop
ositions out of the many on the same
list, it is impossible not TO regard the
! lesser in their relation to the greater,
the elementary by the light of the re
sulting conclusions.
December 30.-A little more is now
known about the opening of the dis
cussion Of Tuesday last. The ques-
ton before the Council was understood
TO be RatiOnalism, as denounced in
the first eighteen of the propositions
laid before it. Fourteen had inscribed
their names to speak, and seven did
speak; all of them, without exception,
against the OpportunenesS Of the prop
ositions. While some describe the
speakers as gentle, and studiously
avoiding all offanse, it is the general
belief in Rome that the meeting was
stormy" that many of the hearers
showed Indignation, and as many as
a score of them even made a show of
rising, as if they would not sit out
what they were hearing. They looked
"bIack" indeed, ana ''black'' has a Pc
culiar meaning in Italy. The general
opinion In Rome is that the Council
does not work IS well as was expected.
One rumor is that as many as sixty
Bishops have signified their wish to
I leave before next Sunday, as if anX-
iOus to avoid committing themselves
one way or the other; and to this it is
added that the Archbishop of Paris
urges them to stay, in order that any
/ step to be taken in the way of remon-
STRANGE may have as great a show Of
numbers as may be. Act in a body,
he advises. The friends of the Court
say that should the opposition amount
to one hundred and fifty there will be
reconsideration and delay. In that
case the Council will be adjourned
probably for some weeks,