The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-23
NEW YORK HERALD SUNDAY, JUNE z3 lo7z-TRPLE SHEET
Germany and Rome-The Next PsPai
Election.

! Germany and Rome-Tho Next Pspal
| Election.
Some two or three days ago we were made
aware of the fact that the Holy Father, Pope
| Plus the Ninth, had addressed letter to Car
dinal Antoneli deploring the approaching
enforcement of the law suppressing converts
in Italy, and pronouncing such enforcement
to be in violation of international law. In
that letter the Holy Father freely expresses
his opinions. The government Of Italy is
daily and hourly making encroachments on
the rights of the Church and these encroach-
ments are declared to be in open violation of
the principles of morality and justice. Nothing
but regard for the highest interests of the
Church prevents the Pope from leaving Rome
and from shaking the dust of Italy from off
his feet The conflict between the Holy See
and the Italian government is pronounced
inevitable and reconciliation impossible. The
Pope cannot submit to such usurpations, and
Cardinal Antonelli is instructed to protest
against them to the foreign Powers. SO far
as the present incumbent of the chair
Of st. Peter is concerned, it is to be
war against the Italian government, open war,
and war to the death. On the same day that
this intelligence was received another cable
despatch informed us that the bill prescribing
the Jesuits had passed its third reading in the
Reichstag by vote Of 181 to 49, Simulta-
neously we had the announcement that the
North German Gazette, leading government
hol Al; 11u toto hot
intended to make her influence felt in the cleo
ton of the next Pope"
All this, we think, must be regarded as
plain and most Ineligible speaking. If these
pieces Of intelligence mean anything they mean
this-that fresh and most serious crisis has
arrived in the history of the Papacy. The
Italian government, gradually and slowly
giving way to the prevailing popular sentiment
of the Italian people, has found it necessary to
endorse popular legislation. Some time since
the national Legislature passed certain bills
which had for their object the suppression of
a certain class of so-called religious institu-
tons. These laws are now to be enforced,
and certain conventual institutions of
old standing are to be suppressed.
The Pope protests, and an appeal
has been made to foreign governments,
calling upon them to say whether or no the
action of the government Of Italy is not an
open violation Of international law. Had this
been all it might not have been difficult for
the various foreign governments to give some
satisfactory answer; but the appeal, strange to
say, renders q reply almost next to impossible,
for it declares that the conflict between the
Holy See and the Italian government is newt
able and that reconciliation is impossible. It
has long been our opinion-and the opinion
has more than once been expressed in these
columns-that nothing but an international
conference could settle the questions which
divide the Papacy and the Italian government.
For many good reasons such conference as
that which is now in session at Geneva, having
for it's object the reconciliation of the Papacy
and the Italian government, is most desirable.
Things favoring it might have placed the Pa
pacy in position in which it would have had
the encouragement and support of all the
great and leading nations Of the earth. As it
is, however, such conference is impossible;
for the conflict is declared by the Holy Father
himself to be inevitable and reconciliation
impossible. So much for the general
question. This, however, is not oil.
1t may, we think, be now taken for
granted that during the life of the
present Pope there can be no peace between
the chief of the Catholic Church and the chief
of United Italy. The Italian government and
people are determined to be aggressive, and the
Pope and his advisers are resolved never to
Weld. 1t is curious and not uninstructive fact
that Germany is quite as much at war with
the institutions and pretensions of Rome as is
Italy. The Berlin government, since the close
of the recent war, has given Rome no rest and
has revealed no disposition to compromise 1t
has done much to encourage the old Catholic
movement. Excommunicated priests and pro-
fessors have been maintained in their places
and have received their pay. The schools have
been emancipated from clerical control and
placed under the care and supervision of the
State And now bill has passed through the
Reichsrath by sweeping majority, which,
when it becomes law, will empower the
government to Danish every Jesuit from North
German territory. Prince Bismarck is no
trifer; and it is no longer possible to doubt
that the counsels of Prince Bismarck are
almost as powerful at Rome and in the Cabi-
net Of Victor Emmanuel as they are at Berlin
and in the Cabinet Of Emperor William.
Germany and Italy are thus at open war with
Rome. Austria is scarcely more friendly to-
wards the Holy See than is Germany or Italy.
Spain is under the anathema Of the Church
quite as much as is Italy. France is in po-
sition in which she can render no assistance to
the Holy See. Russia and Great Britain are
as little likely to fight for the restoration Of the
Papal temporalities as are the people OF the
United States Of America. All things con-
sidered, therefore, this appeal Of the Holy