Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-04-05
pgatnhman s. journal.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1871.
Freedom in Rome.

WIN ltss tnau lts ahcltut poHp ihcTV VIII
be not much interest in Illuminating st. Pc
ters church on Easter night, and the Castle
Of Los Aggollos will be silent No tidiugs Of
the resurrection Of the Lord will be spoken
from the threats Of its brazeu cannon. i
sibly the procession and the palms aud the
benediction will be dispensed with, and the
papal celebration will be confined to the Mis-
erere and Good Friday. One year has
wrought wonderful change at Rome. The
temporal power Of the church has given place
to popular sovereignty. Almost by unaui.
nous suffrage the people Of the papal States
have changed their ruler. They have exer.
sised right which the friends of free govern.
ment throughout the world believe to be in
aliouable. There has been no time in the
last twenty-five years when they would not
have asserted the same right had they not
been depressed by foreign bayonets
And now ono Of the most striking illustra.
tons Of the beneGcent influence Of the union
Of the Italian States is the recognition of III c
right of every man to worship God accordinl,
to the dictates of his own conscience. In eve
ry portion Of the new state, within the
very walls Of the Eternal City, Romanisui
and Professionalism may stand side by side and
work in their respective ways to advance the
cause Of religion, without Interference or col.
lision To-day Rome presents to US the I'M
usual sight Of what is the most precious in
human government, Of free church in free
state. Rome has felt the warm and power.
ful breath Of that spirit of freedom which has
emancipated thought and conscience, taken
the old apostles out of their prisons, unbound
the word Of God and made it the inspiring
and organizing truth of new political and
social life. A half year ago not an iota Of
freedom existed in Rome by right, only by
concession not solitary public press which
was not controlled by agents of the church
not a public meeting could be held without
its sanction; not book circulated without
its consent No other worship than its own
could be offered, and the Father of all could
be approached only by the mediation Of her
priesthood
But now the new government has brought
with it education, liberty of the conscience
and the press, freedom of religion and wor-
ship and progress. In any part Of Rome tho
voice of Protestant Christian people may
be heard as they are gathered in their several
chopcls, praising God as their fathers praised
Him. The change has come which has broken
the priestly hand the yoke is gone, the
shackle is gone, the stone is rolled away from
the door Of the sepulchre and the great au-
thor and head of Christian freedom, has
come forth from the tomb in which he has
lain and is going forth to his conquesis The
Easter festival will have this year new and
blessed meaning to Rome, and 81 Peters
church might well blaze with an Illumination
such as would almost transfguTe il into the
central temple of the new city of God. The
whole civilized world rejoices at the resurrec-
ton Of the old faith and freedom Of the
apostles within the very walls where some Of
them were beheaded sor the witness of the
truth. The magnificent piazza in front Of
the great Cathedral, under the shadow of the
Vatican has been consecrated by the circu-
lation of the Scriptures to large crowds. The
Waldensians have commenced their religious
services in the city and have opened then
schools. Gavani is preaching to the Free
Italian church. Lagomarsino is leciurinl
every evening to crowded audiences in the
Via Seminarieo. The missionaries Of the
Protestant faith are thronging the old hall.
and palaces of Rome and the bells of the
Campidogio have announced to the world the
enforcement of new King and the dawn
of new era of civil and religious liberty in
tina Papal States.
1t is not strange that many Catholics should
look on these results with anxiety and sor.
row. They have so long been accustomed to
the idea of authority in religion, that it seems
to them dangerous to trust men with their
liberties. They imagine that the events of
the last year are a storm which has swept the
ship from its moorings, and drifted it out tC
sea, and exposed it to destruction. They
have yet to learn that they are not n destroy.
ing storm, but one of Gods ful-hood tides
which has lifted the old hulk from its bed il
the mud, and hoated it off to try for new
venture and better port, Many of the
Catholics seem to be ignorant of the adyan
tage 1t will be to the church to come into
sympathy with the spirit of freedom; but
the day is not far distant when they will Sc,
that the destruction Of the temporal was tn,
Inauguration of the spiritual power in tn,
church. They have no reason to mourn for
the first Easter Festival that has witnessed
practical, religious freedom at Rome. If the,
comprehend the situation, it will be the bright
est day in the calendar memorable FIRST foi
the resurrection of Christ from the grave
and second, illustrious for the resurrection O
the church from the dead
CABRAL's LETTER, referred to in the Sen
ate debate, Wednesday, but which Vic
President Coliax refused to have read, wa