The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-16
SPIRIT or TEn PRESS.
EdItoriaI Opinions of tho LendihG SonrUais
Uoou Curront TOplcS--Compiied Every
Day for tue Evening Telegraph.
COUNT BIsMARK AND THE PAPAL
SYILABUS

From the NJ r. Herald.
A cable despatch has it That Count Bismark
is desirous to get up n European protest
AGAINST the Papal Syllabus. The telegram is
not very complete, but it leaves as little room
to doubt that the Count is just as willing to
fight the Pope as he was some time ago to
fight Austria-which he did, as all the world
knows, with some suocess-and as, later. he
has been to fight France. It was the opinion
of many that because King William was mag
unanimous enough to present to the Holy
Father for the use of the council a costly car
net. that Prussia as a whole and Count Bis
mark as an individual were to be passive and
indifferent spectators of the doings of the
council Those who knew the feelings of the
Protestant populations of Northern Germany,
and who had formed correct opinion of the
character of Count Bismark, were not so rash
in arriving at q conclusion. The announce
ment to which we call attention shows which
was right.
We cannot think that this piece OF intelli-
gence, although communicated to MS very
imperfectly, is baseless rumor. 1t must
have some solid foundation. Intellectually
Germany is now, as she has been more or
less regularly for the last three hundred
years, at the head of the nations. During the
last three hundred years we have had in
Fatherland all sorts of actions and reactions
III DOllJlCS, III SCl6uC6, III ISll5lOhS Dub AhOOl-
lectualism has never ceased to be the domi-
nant characteristic of the German race. True
of the Protestant North, this has been
scarcely less true of the Catholic South. True
of the Germans in Europe, it is not less true
of the Germans in the New World. true
German insists on having
reason for the faith that is in him. He
may be Catholic Protestant, ration
alist in matters of religion, monarchlst aeso-
lutte or monarchist qualified or republican
in matters political; but whatever his opinions
may be he can explain and, from his own
standpoint at least, Justify them. 1t was this
spirit that developed Luther and begot the
Reformation It was this spirit that, in the
first instance, gave the First Napoleon the
mastery of Europe and that, in the second
instance, prepared, fastened, and determined
his downfall People who think and who
have some faith in their own judgments can
not be long deceived. This latest news from
Germany, taken in connection with many
recent and deeply important facts, shows
that the old spirit still lives in the sons and
daughters of Old Fatherland.
We do not forget that the opposition to the
Council and its programme has been mainly
German. Voices have been raised against
the Council in other quarters In France
and Spain and Italy there are not few who
have spoken and written extensively, in the
first place, against what it meant to do, and, in
the second, against what it has done and tried
to do. In Great Britain those who have not
been in favor of the Council have rdiculed it
rather than reasoned against it. With one or
two exceptions it has been the same in the
United States. North Germany has not by
any meansbeen Indifferent; but, being Pro-
testant, and therefore not SO Immediately
interested, it has hitherto waited and watched
rather than been aggressive. In South
Germany it has been quite otherwise.
There the Council was felt to be q
great and dangerous instrument. 1t might
do good, but it might do evil. Its every act
was certain to touch them and to affect their
position. 1t might justify their past struggle
with the Protestants of the North, or it might
make them ridiculous in the eyes of their
brethren and before all the world. Hence it
is that South Germany, although it has not
been opposed to the Council in itself con-
sidered, has poured forth such warnings, and
instructions, and remonstrances that at the
present moment the Council halts, hesitates,
frembles, and knows not what to do. The
AHgeme6Re Zeitung, inspired by Southern
genius, commenced the fire before the
Council began. The searching work by
E'Von Janus" appeared almost simultaneously
with the opening of the Council. The
Primate of Austria the Prince Primate o
Bohemia, and greater than either, although
he has no place in the Council-Dr. Dolinge
have been firm, active, and forceful in thei
opposition. The recent letter of DR.. Dol
finger on Infallibility, which is now beinI
reproduced and commented upon in ever
journal in Europe. has fallen upon the Pop
and his friends like a thunderbolt. The sent
ments of Count Hohenlohe, the Prime Minis
ter of Bavaria, and Of Baron Beust, tn
Hungarian Chancellor, are well known
South Germany, in fact, is in state of iierc
ferment on the great questions before th
council. 1t would be the easiest thing in tn
world to provoke another Reformation. TIL
people are ready. They require but skifl
leader 1t is not the Immaculate OOnceptio
or the Bodily Assumption they care for.
is the Syllabus and Infallbility. These las
they cannot and will not swallow.
1t is this state of feeling which gives poin
and importance to the announced attitude
Count Bismark Bismark has no interest
the two questions that relate to Mariolatr!
But as q statesman he has much to do wit
both infallibiity and the syllabus. If Il
Pope is pronounced infallible, it is easy to 81
how the Church may be brought into dead
and dangerous collision with the secul
powers If the syllabus is endorsed Ey Il
council the war is actually begun, for eve
true Catholic, from the highest dignita
down to the humblest member, in almO
every country on the face of the earth,
placed in an attitude of opposition to tl
civil government. This is not all, althoul
1t is the point which most concerns SUI
men as Bismark If the propositions
the syllabus could be shaped into law al
enforced, we should not now, even in this fr
America, be safe in writing this article.
New York Herald, rising every morning Ii
the sun, would shed its blessed light on t
miIliona nf this Ooptinent If aS we ha