The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-11-27
Germany .aa tho Sovereignty Of tn. Pope.


the independence of the Holy See IL be-
coming daily more and more important.
From Austria alone we ourselves have seen
ten different addresses or protests, many 81
them very numerously and lnnnensiai!y
signed. Nor are they feeble, or timidly
woriied. The Catholics of Germany know
their numbers and they feel their strength,
and they are determined to exercise that
legitimate pressure upon their governments
which we recognize. in England as o Consti-
tutional right. !,
Arcbapgel. at Linz. directed the following
address to Count Potocki, President OF the
Cabinet:
81 "Your Ercellency-No honest man can
Justify the violent occupation OF the Roman
States by the Italian Government, and
every Catholic is bound to condemn the
audacOus attack upon the rights of the
Holy See. But with what sorrow must the
rated in seeing the Minister OF Foreign
Affairs offer no kind of protection to the
HOLY Father under such circumstances. He
has not even contradicted the common re-
port that he has encouraged TINS act or spo-
liation while Protestant GOyernment, 80 {
the journals report it, has offered assist
ance and hospitality to the Holy Father.
Will not the abolition of the temporal.
power of the Pope bring along with it as
necessary consequence the abolition Of
every legitimate Sovereignty The mem
bers of the COnfraternity of st. Michael
are obliged by their statutes to defend the
inviolable rights of the Holy See. Where
fore, this meeting has unanimously re-
solved solemnly to protest against the
above proceedings. 1t considers the con-
duct of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in
reference to the affairs of Rome is a dis
honor to the traditions of the Austrian
Empire and to the dynasty, and therefore
profoundly offensive to the immense ma
jority of the Inhabitants of the Empire, to
their sense of justice, and to their Catholic
faith. The meeting further expresses the
opinion that Count Beust has forfeited the
confidence of the great majority of the
Catholics of Upper Austria"
The President, in receiving the deputa-
ton that presented the protest of the Ca
tholics of the Austrian Empire, spoke with
great severity of the conduct Of the italian
Government, and gave the deputation to
received, and that it would produce its
effect.
The Catholic Political Club Of Vienna
has likewise passed unanimously series
of resolutions, from which we make the
following extract:
invasion of Papal territory has not been
met by our Government with.a protest or o
word of disapprobatiOn and considering
that the Austrian Minister of Foreign AZ
fairs seems even to have approved of it, the
Catholic Political Club, together with all
the Catholic inhabitants Of the Empire of
Austria, feels bound to protest against the
conduct of the Government at Florence,
and at the same time to deplOre most pro-
foundry. the policy of his Excellency, Count
Beust, who, though not a Catholic, ought,
as representing the interests of &c, 200, 600
Catholics, to have felt it an obligation to
have expressed at least word of disap-
probation at the violation of their rights in
tho person of the Holy See."
1t would lead us into too great o length
to quote from the addresses published by
the Catholics of Prague, by the 1000 Ca
the Catholic population of Ratisbonne to
the King of Bavaria, by the Dutch Catho-
lies at Rotterdam, by the preates and Ca
tholics of Bohemia, by the Catholics Of
Spain, who are uniting all their societies,
religious corporations, and Catholics Of
every class and grade, in one joint action
in behalf Of the independence of the Holy
See.
Perhaps the most remarkable address
that has been drawn up is the following.
1t is salutation from the Catholics of
Prussia, some 5000, 600 in number, to the
King as Emperor of Germany. We point
ed out last week that, whatever may be
the personal religious feelings of King Will
liam and Count Bismarck, their policy will
certainly lead them to protect the Supreme
Head of the Catholic religion. We have
now clear indication of this in this Ger
man address:
'Just Hing-God has constantly given
the victory to the sword of your Majesty.
He has evidently chosen you among all the
princes of the world to exercise justice in
His name and to subject violence to right.
Wherefore, in the name of 200 gO0, 600 of
our co-reigionists, we Ii, 100000 of Catho-
lie Germans, beseech you to protect the in
dependence of our conscience. o, Emperor
ofGermany, protect the territory granted by
your predecessors to the Popes, and then
there would be not only 40,O00,00O, but
200, 600, 900 of men who will look upon you
as their lord and deliverer"
This address will have a further effect.
1t will make it plain to the Austrian Cabi-
net, which represents 26 ,0OO, 900 of Catho-
Ics, that if Count Reust's bigoted policy is
allowed to prevail, Austria will forever
lose her place as a great Catholic Power,
and that Prussia will only too gladly gather
up the rei"s Of power and influence which
the Protestant Minister at Vienna has
fOolshly let drop. Already there are signs
in Italy that Austria is shifting her policy,
and that Catholic pressure is prevailing
against Count Beust.
A Prussian letter, too, in the Algeneeine
Zeitung, which is now writing in favor of
the independence of the Holy See, just as
! though the dogma of Infallibility had never
been discussed or defined, says that " The
relations between Prussia and Italy are of
the coolest, to say no more, both on account
! <F