New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-27

has exercised during his life may continue to
work long after his death, but there is at least
an end TO using it at will, and, indeed, it is not
| to be regretted that it should be so. The living
have trouble enough among themselveS-wsrs,
quarrels and evolutions-perplexing questions
of every description to settle, which claim all
their intellectual powers, absorb all their
energy and activity. They would be over taxed
if the dead too would continue to participate in
the struggle, and torment the world anew with
their bygone issues and aspirations.
There are, however, exceptions to the gene
raj rule. There is class Of dead who are
about as noisy, assuming, and arrogant in their
pretensions on the world, work as much mis-
chief, as any living nuisance in human shape.
We mean those venerable mummies who make
| themselves the representatives and standard
bearers of stone-dead issues, and will stick to
being capable of opening their eyes to the fact
that the world has outgrown them and does not
mean to step out of the track of progress in
order to meet their demands. One Of the most
thoroughly petrifed among those representa-
tves of the past is. beyond contradiction, his
holiness PIus X, who does not tire to hurl ex-
communication at the heal of every son Of the
church that does not Internationally submit to
his authority. His latest victim is Doctor DoEL.
LINGER, professor at the University of Munich,
man who is considered the first living histo-
rian of the church, one of the most learned theo
iogians in GerInany, man Of exemplary life,
and so good Catholic that thus far not even
the Intermediates had dared TO attack him.
Doctor DOELLIsGER. however, like many others
among the German the0loglans, strongly op-
posed the infallibility dogma. and when recently
summoned by the Bishop Of Munich to give his
adhesion within ten days, absolutely refused,
basing his objections on religious, theological,
historical, and political grounds. Upon this
refusal accommodation has been pronounced
against him-a missile which, though powerful
in old times, in our DAYS does not only leave
the victim physically and mentally pretty much
in the same condition il was before, but, even
like other old defective weapons, is apt to ex-
plode aud To hurt the mark sman instead of the
one at whom il is aimed The laughter and
sneers Of the irreyerent world are merely the
smoke caused by this explosion but conse
quences more serious to the holy father will
result from it. The King of Bavaria, about as
ultramontane as any prince in Europe, and
though not the oldest, yet a very promising
younger son Of the church, and his admirers
have come TO the conclusion that there must be
u limit to the exactons of the Pope and to his
Entertainments on the worldly power, and ac
cordingly have determined not to remove Doc
tor DoELLI.Gb. from his chair in obedience to
the summons of the church. As matter Of
course, the niallibls Vicar of Christ cannot
meekly counteuance such an open defiance to
his power, and rupture seems inevitable, by
which the holy father has nothing to gain and
much to lose, since he whose authority can
be successfully defed suffers crushing defeat,
which ia this Instance does not mean only
personal humiliation, but defeat to the whole
establishment whose head he is.
After all, we cannot wonder that PIUs TX,
almost an octogenarisn, and the representative
of fossil system, should be mummy such
mummies, however, are by no means confined
TO the Old World, but may be found n our
country among men who, notwithstanding all
facilities for becoming acquainted with the
spirit Of the times and its requirements, greedy
to recover power that they have lost through
their obstinate clinging to bygone issues, never
theess continue to fight tor these same issues
1t is such struggle that the Democrats are
continuing, in spite of all their experiences of
the last ten years. The address " to the peo-
pie, just issued by the Democratic members of
Congress, is one of the weakest, most empty
and watery documents by which any party ever
attempted to blind an unreasoning multitude
The fact that the Democrats among themselves
are by no means united, but differ about certain
questions almost as much from each other as
they differ from the Republicans, proved
great obstacle and, since it was impossible to
come to an agreement, just the most important
points at issue have been either passed over in
silence, or mentioned in so obscure a language
that every one can put on it the construction
he likes best. The Southern members, we
understand, have at length come to the sensi.
BILE conclusion that the recognition Of the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments has become
an absolute necessity, while those from the
North cling too strongly to their antediluvian
doctrine, founded on negro hate and prejudice
to assent to such proposition /; accordingly
the address observes an ominous silence on this
most essential point. The question of free
trade and protection, another apple of dscord,
is merely alluded to in terms which can be in
terpreted either way. The Ku.Klux outrages
are fatty denied for the relief Of tender Demo
cratic consciences, that otherwise might feel
little doubtful whether the shooting, hanging
and whipping of unodending people can be
justified even when done for political reasons.
Having thus absolutely nothing to advance no
principle, no idea to stand upon, the Demo
cratic gentlemen unite to harp on the one string
on which they are always 10 perfect harmony,
by abusing, denouncing, and villifying the Re-
publican party in general. and the President
in particular. Indeed, as a sample Of vitupera-
ton and party luminosity, the document must