New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-19


the opposition forwarded their supphca to the Pope
signed by $50 Fathers, four of whom were English
Moreover, a hundred moro of the Fathers who sym
pathized with the prayer Of the petition abstained
from decacy from signing it. The answer of the
Pope has been given 10 me, but do not send it, as
deem it somewhat apocryphal. What may have been,
may be the determination Of the private Deputa-
ton regards the "POStuldtum" is as vet unknown;
but surrounded by these rivaries and contentious,
glowing with the white heat of passion it is scarcely
possible to imagine a greater blasphemy than the
pretension that the Holy Fathers waiting for the
influences of the Holy Spirit. At a distance these
unseemy excrescences are softened down, but resi-
dence in Rome dspes many illusions, and brings out
every human weakness in broad and bold relief.
Am unjust' Read, learn, and inwardiy digest the
facts which have reported, and shall have vet 10
report The Opposition party, or the Liberals, are
already chanting an 10 triumphe and regard the
Infallibility question as crushed. But what say
their antagonistsf Serious prelates tell me that In
its absolute form it cannot and will not be defined
that the majority of the English bishops, and an in
creasing number of the Americans are indisposed TO
it, OF the former only two, at the utmost three,
signed the "Postulaum while four Clifford, Herring
ton, Amherst and Ullathorm, signed the address to
the Pope. At all events, they wish TO enter the
Council Hall free and unshacked. Ii must not be
omitted that France and Austria have both backed
up their Bishops in most decided and courageous
manner. NJ. de Banneville have reason to know,
declared to the Cardinal Secretary of State that to
define the Infalliblty would be equivalent to tear
ING M the Concordat Hence il is that the French
and Austrian Bishops have spoken ont with
vehemence which has astonished men who are &C
customed to witness the blindest and most cringng
submission to authority. Next Tuesday is dedicated
10 the F6te of Candemas and there is TO be another
field day. In otner words there will be Session OF
the Council which at this stage of the proceedings is
never held unless some decree is to be promulgated
Ii is doubted whether anything has been prepared.
So many long speeches have been made, and so much
opposition offered that people shake their heads Ii
possible that the first scheme Articles of Faith,
for there will be others forthcoming, may have been
returned by the Deputaion to the Congregation and
may by il be reduced TO proper FORM but this we
shall not know till Candlemas Day-and yet before
what have written above is dry, l can speak with
something like certainty. 1t IS doubtful whether
there will be a session on the ID of February-at
least the Master of Pontfcal ceremonies has received
no commands as yet but should there be one it will
be pro Jormd. can positively state that up Ia the
present moment no decree has been prepared; that
even the first scheme regarding Articles is still before
the DeputdtiOn de Eide and after having been re-
turned the Congregation may be again sent back to
the DeputatOn or Committee. Probably, therefore,
nothing will be promulgated before Easter. Who
could have expected such Babel! Who did not ra-
ther believe that mitred prelates would rather have
bowed submissively to superior orders DO not
imagine either that the Vatican Council viii ter
inmate soon.
/ am writing to you on the 2sth January. There
have been eighteen General Congregations for DIS
CUSTOM if such a word can be used, and matter
enough for single decree has not been prepared
Yet only three schemata ont of the forty prepared
by the original Committees have yet been pre-
sented TO the Fathers If we calculate then two
months for the discussion of every triad of schemes
there is work for the Council for at least sixteen
months; but when it is remembered that this
triad is not vet completed, that those which follow
are of far higher Importance, and that interruptions
NAV arise from unforeseen circumstances, who will
venture to fix the date of the termination of the
Vatican Council To all who inquire of me how
long / shall remain IN Rome my answer is
eighteen years. presumng that | may thus be on
the safe side 1t is possible, however. that proroga
ton may take place and if so, that the Council
NAV not be summoned to meet for some time.
The probability of this is seriously talked of at pres
ent and though il is objected that IN the Bull which
the Pope published TO make provision for the possible
eventOf his death it was provided that no Propagation
should take place, SUN lne nOy fdtneI can uouot-
less undo what he has done. 1t is found, believe,
that the opposition TO the dogmatzation of the In
fahblty is so much greater than was expected that
it is by many deemed more prudent TO defer the con-
sideraton of a subject for which the Council was
mainly called together. AT the same time 1t IS
affirmed by some Bishops and denied by Others, that
the Archbishop of Baltimore and the Bishops of
Malines and Paderbona have devised a medium pro-
ject so as TO embrace men of all parties. The sum
total of all is that the greatest dssension and confu
sion prevail, and that, To the words of Roman
priest, the fathers are "intaranteat" thrown into
a state of nervous agitation similar to that which
affects those who have been stung by the tarantea.
With the details of what took place at Yesterdays
Council i unacquainted, but something very
grave is reported TO have happened, and the same
subject is 10 be resumed to-day The Pope Is said to
have attacked the rights of the Bishops seriously,
and that protest is the consequence. Though, how
ever this IL generally stated it may be considered
as needing confirmation.
IN APPEAL FROM ONE or THE MAJORITY.