The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-20
For the Richmond p, ,,,s.a,,l rres.
italian unity and Religious

dom.
,,,,,,c meeting of the citizens OF Ken
,,,ona moved to express Ameficah s:n.'-
ment in reference to the unity ana rens,ous
freedom of Italy, seems proper ana ues'; Ia
HE. Such an expression would not oe III
aDpropriate, in view Of the persistent ell
forts made to represent the people OF inc
limited States as fayoring eccleSiaS'icai
. don,;nation and tyranny. In 1917, IN pup
Gc meet;nes. congratulations were eN,
nressed because the present Pope had
identified himself with the party OF pro,
eress and freedom. AT that time .neie
were the strongest declarations OF stnlpa-
thy with people ASSERTING tnela 'iia a,ai;an
movement is not less entitled TO our earn
est approbation. The detection OF inc
Pone need not revolutioniZe our coiNn
lions nor scare freemcn from lher p'o-
The Declaration of Independence asserts
as a self-evident truth that oosetnn iiea.t
derive their just powers from .l'e oo, ,eI
of the governed. For years ,rrG pame ea snd
The g States Of the Church" in a condition
NJ hateful bondage. Every sentiment dear
tn Americans and treemen has been out
ragged. To quote from our greatest Amerl-
can poet, Liberty of speech, liberty OF the
press, liberty OF religious belief, liberty oil
the pen, have been crushed by the iron,
unrelaxing deSpotiSm that has held the Guy
of RomeSa despotism which incuIcated
persecution as a public duty, as a necessl-
ty; which has set an example OF persecn-
ton to other Catholic countries, ana,
wherever it could make itself obeyed has
maintained the obligation Of represslng
heresy by the cruel law of force" This
tyranny was the result of the temporal
dominion of the Pope--a dominion which
it has been lately asserted in Richmond IS
necessary to the free exercise OF Papai
authority.
Until within few years Italy was divided
into petty states or Kingdoms. Now the
whole territory is united under one govern
ment. The minor divisions, producing
weakness, have been blended into pollti'
cal organism, securing the long-coveted
unity and promising national strength and
dignity.
The people Of the Papal States have assent
ed by an overwhelming majority &c TINS
change. At Rome, out oil 40.SSl votes, only At
were cast in the negative. The unammlti
in the provinces is enthusiastic. The allegeC
analogy between the States Of the Churcf
and the District of Columbia has no foun
dation in fact. The inhabitants OF the
District gladly accept their situation.
French and Austrian bayonetS held then
in reluctant submission to an autocrat who
deprived them OF religious freedom ant
exhibited an intolerance that has no parable
in the nineteenth century, there mlSht bf
an apparent piausibiity in the argument.
The italian Government deserves 0ul
confidence. It may not be altogether what
we would wish, but its action is so muci
better than that Of the displaced Govern
ments that we cannot consistently Wthho!o
our gratitude and admiration. The RomlSl
Church, now piteouSy bewailed az the oh
iect Of outlawry and violence, is IN the
hands of its friends. A vast majority OF
the Parliament are OF that Churchs reli'
uious creed. The personal comfort OF the
pope is provided for, and he is secured III
the exercise of his ponitical functions.
The jeremiads about the imprisonment OF
the Pope are sheer CANNON. lie has a.
much freedom and personal liberty in Homc
rs DIR. Granbery, or l'r. Burrows, or Or.
Hoge. or DR.. Minnieerode, has in Rich
mond. When the Pope ruled, no worship
was permitted but TINT of the Romish
Church. Now, federation is announced.
Romanism and Professionalism are alikc
allowed, and the maxim IS proclaimed OF
I" A free Church in Il free state This, we
suspect, is where the shoe pinches.
In the United States religious liberty Is
the corner stone of our political ln>titu-
tons. and it is logically GemonStrahle that
political liberty cannot exist where there j.
religious tyranny. separation OF Chlrch
and State il right in America is right IN
Rome. intolerance and persecution il
pracliccd in Rome, would with like oppor-
iunities be pracliccd in America. The eS-
ample of the United States is like learrn-
The peryasivc influence is reaching the deS-
potisms of the Old World. Let us rejoice
US community that our brethren OF other
lands have seen Il star i'll the West, and are
following its guidance. g.