New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-22
PRICE -FOUR CENTS.

and between Parliaments and Councils, there was
visible distinction. ST. Thomas of Canterbury was
martyr to the liberties Of the Church. and the laws OF
England. HIS life perpetual resistance to the
encroachments of the royal prerogative. DR.. Man
ming elucidated this idea at length by mastery
sketch of the public career of Thomas Beckett,
describing his contests with the King, the strenuous
fidelity with which he maintained his principles, and
the heroic majesty with which be died in then de-
fense Could the santed martyr address us to-day,
continued the preacher what would be his exhorta.
ton He would tell us to be faithful to the liberties
of the Church. TO sustain them at all hazards, aud
jealousy guard them from the invasion of the civil
power Independent of the Church, liberty is but
delusion and snare There is no safety in liberty
unless il is confined to its true channel 1t must flow
between two banks, the law of God and faith in
Christ, or it becomes the deadlest enemy of human
society. The Church embodes these conservative
elements, and is thus the only safeguard of civil
government. Her authority, therefore. is supreme,
and the kings and princes of the world are bound to
submit to her behests. Could st. Thomas speak to
us to-day, he would tell us further to maintain the
supremacy Of the Church without compromise. Her
power is weakened by unworthy concessions. She
is dethroned from the emnence, which by right she
holds He would tell us too to put on TIE armor OF
Christian courage, and manfully await the result.
No base fears should cripple energies. We should
work for the truth with no regard TO consequences.
The assurance of success should inspire efforts.
England has wandered long from the right path.
She has left the dominion of the Church for the
jurisdiction of man. But the day of her redemption
! begins to dawn. She is waiting to submit once
more to the law of Christ, The breath of prayer is
ascending from innumerabe lips for her restoration
to the ancient faith. The day viii surely come when
! England will return to her carly allegiance to tho
| Church, and the government of God will prevail
| over the inventions of man. The spirit OF -.
Thomas is still alive in her children, and if can
not die like him as martyrs TO the faith, we cab at
least devote all the powers which possess to the
accomplishment of its triumphs.
OF the drift of DR.. Mannings argument, such as 1t
was you will be able to form an idea from my brief
abstract of his discourse, but cannot give you any
notion of the incompatible subtlety with which be
vailed and sofeued his radical, revolutionary doc
trnes by his infanhle simplicity of expression and
manner. From the meek unconscious aspect of tho
speaker and the winning graciousness of his words,
you could have expected no deep designs against the
governments of Europe, and it was only after reec
ton that you became fully aware of the comprehen-
siyeneSs and audacity of his plot Some OF yonI
readers may have a champion in the ring facing
his antagonist with dOwncast eyes and demure coun
tenance looking as harmless as any spaniel, when Of
a sudden he would aim blow with deadly intent.
| Such was the sanity Archbishop on this occasion
He acted superbly his part of champion of the Pope
against the liberties of mankind. For look but
moment at his doctrine All power by inherent
divine right is concentrated in the Roman Catholic
Church. Legitimate sovereignty is not vested in
the people, nor in secular monarchs. nor in represen
atve assemblies but in the Vicar of Jesus Christ on
earth To him all human authorities owe their al
egiance. and he is entitled to reign with the same
supremacy as the laws Of God in the material uni
verse By strict logical conclusions, the lniablllty
of the Pope becomes doctrine no less certain than
the force of grayiaton and the order OF the solar
system This is tho doctrine which Dr. Manning IS
pledged to sustain in the Council, and which, as IN
terpreted and applied by him, assumes gigantic pro
portions 1t is quite different theory from that OF
the supremacy of the Pope in merely spiritual rela-
TONS clothing him with absolute authority not only
over the consciences of men, but with power TO die
tate the conditions of civil government, and adding
the infinite force of religious sentiment to an IL
responsible tyranny. According TO Dr. Manning the
Pope by God-gyen right, is not only the sovereign
of Rome but the autOcrat of the world. Ii needs
but another step to identify the Supreme Ponh with
the Supreme Being, which. if outward signs have
any meaning as a matter of fact, is already virtually
accomplished in the imagination of the Roman
populace. II was only to-day that while driving
through one of the narrow streets OF the city, was
overtaken by the stately equpage OF HIS Holiness.
The passers-by either side at once hushed to
silence No one moved from the spot where he stood
Every head was uncovered, and every man and
wSman knelt down in the mud. The drivers Of car
riages left their seats, and joined the prostrate
crowd Moses at the burning bush could have gwen
no stronger proofs of awe and alteration. The Pope
benipnly waved his paternal hand 10 bless the multi
tude and even impaired share of the benediction
to the strangers and Gentes who in the shadow
of his presence.
The programme of Dr. Manning finds ample sup
port and illustration in the Papal Bull tcneSIhhs
communications which was presented TO tAv
Fathers of the Council at the First General Congrega
tion but which has not been youchsafed 20 the pub
lie at large until within the last few days IL is
document of the most extraordinary character.
claiming an authority for the Pope the keys of
Heaven that would make the kings and princes of
the earth the vassalS Of his throne unless they
nounced their allegiance to his rule. Bu the con-
tents of this paper too important to be described
in the space that remains TO me, and must revert to
the subject in my next letter
The Fourth General Congregation was held on tho
2sth inst in the Council Hall. Mass was celebrated
by Archbishop Spaldmg OF Baltimore. The names
of the twentyfour Fathers elected 10 form the Dep
utation on Ecclesiastical Discipline stated in my
| last letter were announced to the Council. which
aferward proceeded vote for the third Depuiation
which is charged with the subject of Religions Or
! ders have not yet been able to obtain the names
of this Deputation. The Fathers then engaged IN
the discussion of of the questions that bad been
submitted to them on the schedules of the business
| Committee" when speeches were made by Arch
bishop Kenrick of St. Louis Archbishop Connolly Of
Halifax. Cardinal ilauscher Archbishop of Vienna.
the Archbishop of Sorrento, the Archbishop OF Smyr
| ,o o,J ona ar fvyo ofhars the questions that