The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-03-26
M ,rning Star and Catholic Messenger.
aTW oRLEANs, SUNDAY. MARCH &c. 1871.


axW ORLEANS. SUNDAY. MARCH IS. ls7l.
bishop Miners Appeal to the Holy See.
The defeat of the Relief bill of 1918,
through the instrumentality of DIR. Miner
did not by any means deter the unsound
members of the Catholic Board from prose-
ruary,. 1914, though Bonaparte had been
worsted in the disastrous battle OF Leipsic,
and was hurled back into French territory,
though the allied forces were pressing on
all sides upon his dismembered army, anu
his ruin was near ut hand, Pope Pins ~.
was still q captive, and the Cardin ns were
scattered in prisons or in exile; Vn,y one
ecclesiastical dignitary was left at Rome,
and that one was MonsignOr, afterwards
Cardinal, Quarant0tti. He was the score
tary and vice-prefect of the Propaganda;
and the Catholic Board, as It was ca!lea,
curato and fraudulent account of the re-
lection of the Relief bill of 1913, and of the
conduct of DR.. Miner on the occasion. AS
Mgr Quarantotti occupied an official posi-
tim ut Rome Of o high character, and In a
manner represented the Holy Father nm
self in that bereaved city, the party in
league with Canning, Castlereagh and Sir
John Cox Hippesley were anxious to OBJ
tain from him some countenance of their
favorite scheme of purchasing emancipa-
ton at the cost Of the veto. They succeed
ed 90 far in this design that, by a series OF
falsehoods and misrepresentations, they
procured from the unsuspecting: and good
old man Gas Bishop Miner calls him) . re-
script declaring that the British Catholics
vero 60 accept the Relief bill, provided
certAin changes were made In the OATH,
that the veto, in short, with which that bill
was likely to be amended if it were intro
duced into the House again, might be con-
ceded under due limitations and conditions,
as also the examination of all papers coming
from the Holy See by the Board of Com
naissioners which was to be appointed to
watch over the public safety in such mat
tiers: The opponents OF DR.. Miner regard
ed this rescript, of course, as a triumph.
But their rejoicing was of short duration.
great events were in progress. Paris open-
ed her gates to the victorious armies OF the
allies. The BOurbons were restored-Na-
poieon abdicated and retired to Elba. Pope
Plus VII. was released from imprisonment
and returned to Rome, after an exile OF i've
years, amid the acclamations of the people
Thither DR.. Miner resolved to hasten, that
he might lay before the Holy father true
account of the affairs which had been SO
grossly misrepresented. An Irish prelate
accompanied him, and they arrived in the
capital of Christendom few days after his
Holiness. There they found the four pre-
lates and the four theologians who had
sanctioned the rescript in penance and dis
grace. They had erred, not in that matter
only, for which they pleaded in excuse that
they had been misinformcd, but also in
having taken the prohibited oath to the
ness and disloyalty they had no excuse to
offer.
1t is not surprising that Mgr. Quarantotti
declined entering into conversation with
Bishop Miner respecting the rescript which
he had written, nor that the Pope assured
the Bishop, in the first audience to which
the latter was admitted, that Mgr. Quaran-
totti sought not to have written that docu-
ment without authority from the Holy
See" This was clearly the moment for DR..
Miner to lay before the Pontif the true
nature of the schismatical proceedings of
the !" Catholic Board" and he did not fail
to profit by the occasion. He was request
ed to draw up a memorial OF the entire
case, which was to be laid before the 2ope's
council. fss know" he wrote in the con-
GLIDING paragraph, shat I have numerous
and powerful enemies, Catholics as we'll as
Professionals, whom have provoked by my
inilexibility in defending and securing our
holy religion if on this, OF on any other
account, the See Apostolic judge it to be
for the advantage of religion that should
retire from my situation, make an unre:
served tender of resigning it," But indeed
there was not the least probability of the
writer's being displaced. The Holy Ses
ever prizes highly the labors of such faith
full servants, and the College of Cardinals
before whom his memorial was laid, die
not fail to express it's due sense of his loyn
exertions. 'FHe had done his duty" the
said, "and he ought to proceed in the trac
which he had hitherto pursued"
If it be asked why we dwell 80 long o
events which transpired more than half
century ago, and which have no exae
parallel in our own times, we reply tha
~rvt,v hi
desirable. The veto question is one {
great Importance, and is sure to crop mp,
come shape or other. wherever the Churc
ia broaght into relation with the civ
power. It is we'll, therefore, to bear
mind the different aspects which that que
ton has assumed in England, and especial
in what way it was disposed of in ii
earlier part of this century. As one gel