The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-02-19
MORNING STAR AND CATHOLIC MESSENGER SUNDAY FEBRUARY
iCommu1AnAssd-l
PapaI Protest II .. 9. Soldiers.

P.psi rrotsst 4 .. 8. Soldiers.
Fort RICHARDSON, TEX, Jan. 81, 1871
We the undersigned Catholics Of the 9th
paucity of our numbers az compared with
the many milliOns of our brethren through
out the world, yet mindful that the "still
email voice" can be heard in heaven aud
on earth as well as the shout of many ma
tions, do hereby solemnly unite with every
Catholic and with every man of good will
throughout the world, for the purpose of
protesting against the invasion of the States
Of the Church by the (so-called) King OF
Italy.
We protest against the sacrilegious in
vasion of Rome, against the spOliation of
our Holy Father, Pope Plus Ninth--be-
cause we believe him to be the Vicar of
Christ upon earth and teacher of infallible
truth it imperiliDg his independence-so
necessary to the well-being of the Church,
and subjecting the Holy Father to the
caprice Of hostile powers whose deeds are
rather those of darkness than of light.
We protest against the invasion OF the
temporal possessions of the Pope, because,
as lovers of justice and enemies of robbery,
we hold that the act. of King Victor EN-
manuel is indefensible both in law and
morals, and is also q scandal to social order
seeing that NO earthly ruler holds his do
main by titles stronger, more ancient or
We protest against the spoliation of our
Holy Father the Pope-and the acts of the
King of Sardinia and the Florentine Gov
eminent, because an insult to him ia aD in
suit to God, Christ Jesus, whose Vicar he
is, and therefore to us and the whole Ca
tholic world. As a virtual prisoner, the
Pope ia barred from that perfect inter-
course with the bishops, priests and laity
of the Catholic Church, ESQ happily ex-
pressed by our brethren in another part of
the United States) "as all history bears
testimony to the fact that, in proportion as
the facility of intercourse has existed, the
true faith has been preserved in its purity
and integrity, and the established princi-
pies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upheld
in the face of q hostile world"
We protest against the violence that has
interru pied the deliberations of the General
Council held in the Vatican at Rome, under
the presidency of the Supreme Pontiff, and
we hold King Victor Emmanuel and the
Florentine Government responsible for the
outrage offered to the assembled bishops of
the universe, for the injury done to the
faithful by depriving them, for an unlimited
time, of the blessings the Council was cal
culated to confer.
For the sake of honor, of justice-and in
the interests of religion and good order,
and for the perpetuation of righteous free
dom throughout the world, we call upon
all the good and true of our comrades in
the United States Army to unite with us IN
denouncing this great crime committed by
the King Of Sardinia and the Florentine
Government against the law of nations,
just as we appeal to all Catholics to protest
against it as a sacrilege as well as robbery.
In expressing our sorrow and sy mpathy
to the Holy Father, we promise to pray
INCREASINGLY for his welfare and deliver
ance, aud patiently abide the rescue which
God will surely send at last.
We call upon our own and all just gov
ernments of the earth to protect the rights
and independence of the Holy Apostolic
See, which are also our rights.
We pledge our assistance to the same so
far as shall be CONSTANT with the allie
glance we owe to the Government of the
United States of America.
BE it resolred, That one of the original copies
of this protest Of the Catholics of the 9th U. S.
Cavalry be forwarded to Rome by the Most
Rev. Archbishop Spalding, of Baltimore, to his
Holiness Plus TX, and that the other be re-
tanned in the Cathedral of Baltimore.
BE it resolred, That the Most Rev. Archbishop
Spalding be authorized to have the foregoing
protest published, if in his wisdom he should
deem it proper to do So
Here follows number of signatures, re-
presenting the various companies of the
regiment.l