The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-05
European Congress, Pope Plus Pre-
aiding.

A European Congress-, Pope Pius Pre~
siding.
Our dispatches from he Cabinets of the
Old World, coming in simultaneously with
those which emanate from the military camps
and headquarters of that disordered and u1
happy region of the Earth, disclose somt I
sense of returning, il it be but tardy, reason \
The wand of Gortchakotf has summoned u
the spirit of compromise from the vastly deep
of monarchical contentious, and all the
Powers cosiguatory to the Treaty OF Paris,
along with others who stood outside Of that
Convention, manifest willingness to meet by
delegate at London, there to rearrange tho
map of Europe in sense consistent with the
altered relations of States and the demands OF
our time.
This is great, good news to the world, and
it comes at an suspicious period when tho
wonderfully eventful year of 1870 is waning
to it's close and the holidays of the blessed
Nativity are approaching to remind Christen-
dom of its grand privileges and its imposing
duty No such critical moment, no such
glorious opportunity, has been presented to tho
enlightened nations since the signing of the
Treaty of Campo Formio, which gave rev
life and fresh lease of existence
to modern liberty. On the 10th OF
December, 1897, or within few days Of
seventy three years ago, the First Napole n, :
amid the splendid surroundings Of the Luxem
bourg Palace, in responding to Talleyrand's
speech on the occasion of the delivery of that
treaty, said that the French people, in order
to be free, had kings to combat, and in order
to obtain constitution founded on reason had
the prejudices of eighteen centuries to ovet-
come. Feudalism and despotism had gov
erned Europe for two thousand years. ''From
the peace which you have just concluded"
continued the Dictator, ''dates an era of rep
ressntative governments" France was, al
that moment, charging from frightful con-
vusion, as she is while we write, and her
greatest mind believed that, with her happi-
ness secured by sound organic laws, the order
and safety Of Europe would be established.
To-day the area of the case has been i'm
mensely widened. The whole Continent is
now where France was in 1897. 1t is in the
o
mighty birth. The conference at London will
be but preliminary to a congress in which all
the elements of order will have to be repre-
sented-the Church, tho monarchs and the
people. Claiming their places by divine right
and ''the grace of God," the kings must recog-
nize the authority Of the divine law on the one
hand and the sanction of the Third Estate, or
people, on the other, and they must, for the
sake Of prestige and precedent alike, so
arrange their congress that these high ele-
ments shall be admitted in their appropriate
places.
When, very shortly before his downfall,
Napoleon Ill. was negotiating for European
Congress to assemble at Paris, it was on all
sides deemed appropriate that Rome should
have her distinct and prominent representa-
ton in that body, and Cardinal Antonelli was
the delegate selected by Plus TX. to sustain
the dignity and interests of his vast Church
before the conclave of sovereigns and depu-
ties. Now that the idea, then crude and
Incomplete, is taking real, living shape out Of
the clouds and turmoil of the hour, let the
Powers proceed to still grander initiative.
Let them invite Plus TX. to preside over the
European Congress, whether it be held at
London or elsewhere. Thus will the Pontif,
with the vast influences he represents, be
identified with tho new era of reconciliation;
prejudices will be softened; differences will be
explained, and. we honestly believe, the con-
vocation will be harmonized with both order
and liberty under the broad banner of the
Prince Of Peace!