New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-23
EUROPEAN POLITICS.
por tT,CAJ. AFFAIRS IN PRUSSIA.

POLITICAL AFFAIRS IN PhUSolh'
REFUSAL OF THE GOVERNMENT TO AccEDE 10
THE DEMANDS FOR AN ULTRAhoN lhNh
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or THE MINISTER
OF ECCLESIASTICAL Observation-Disclosures
AIRY AFFAIRS.
IPRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBUNBl
BERLIN. Jan. 1S.-At this time of the year
political life is always in fun swing In Germany anu ~
now becomes and moro concentrated here ~ Doi
lin Though the present metropolis never VIII
have similar claim to this title as London ana farS
have with respect to their TWO countries IL 49, he'er'no
e even outwardy visible that Berlin has become some
thing very different from what 1t was something lar
more important, place more intimately connected WIN
the main life Of the nation The general census on the 2
December last year has shown that the number OF us
inhabitants amounts to s2s00O This constitutes an
increase the figure OF 1867 Of 10000 But TINS IN
crease Of permanently resident people ia not the most
marked change which has taken place The Increased
confux Of strangers during the Winter makes l'set iar
more conspicuous. This is shown in the &c theaterS
that always full in tho huge and gorgeous concert
houses and bathrooms. in the winehouses and lager
saloons, 3 well as In every private company.
What to-day will interest tho American readcrinost Is
the dennitiye reply OF the Prussan Government to the
complaint which, in December last. the Archbishop or
Cologne, spokesman OF tho German epscOpatc IN
general had addressed to the Emperor King about the
matreatment to which IL was pretended the Catholic
Church exposed the part OF tho lay authorities In
II contains simple refusal to decide between the two
parties into which the Catholic Church IL split in
all Germany, This refusal Ia now repeated on the part
OF the constitutional Government with the signature OF
the Minister OF Public Worship and Of Public Instruction.
Mueller attached to 1t. The reply at the same time
gives the motives OF tho refusal, and takes them partly
from the Archblsbips address itself The Archbishop
whose mind in cOnccyng tho address, had evidently
been Influenced by his real and original opinion concern
ing the change effected In the Roman Catholic Church by
the Constitution OF the 18th OF july 1870 had said that 1t
was through the old Catholic creed halowcd by age,
that the Office Of being the infaDle teacher OF Christi
any was vested in tho Pope, together with the
epscopate, that Is TO say, the collective body OF
Bishops Very well, now replies the Minister, and
Just this creed, hallowed by ages, ana the
only one which the public law Of our state
consequently knows, has been set aside by your ne"
constitution OF the 18th July lsIO for it lays down that
the so-caed cathedral definitions enanathg from the
Holy see ought to be considered as nfalliDo WITHOUT
having acquired the sanction Of the Church In the agge'
gate Ter Sese non dlte COnSeHSu eccteS9 uTJ0rm0
be0 The original covenant thus having been broken,
the Minister argues the single Catholic cannot be called
upon any to pcrseyere IN his obedience TO the
Pope and least OF all the sao bound in duty 1t Is not
even entitled those that adhere to the old creed
as apostates in the eyes public law These people
have so the Minister concludes, not lost their right OF
enjoying the Governments protection in their ecclesas
teal affairs because the doctrine the Church IL changed;
this protection will consequently he granted to them
henceorward before .With this the question between
Rome and Berlin is settled All doubt and all ambiguity
arc at an end Pope and Emperor are at war
ga an often i'm the middle ages bnt with very different
prospects In those times the Emperor cOu not can
po the people to choose between him and their revered
| shepherd; at least ne would have lost the appeal
Hc could induce them TO assist him In warfare against
ects: 6ut he could not invite them TO cast of their
religious allegiance to the Pope. To-day no can. To
there can Le but little doubt that the first
Reformation is over and the second has begun ms VIII
not merely extend to the Catholic Church put also TO
the Protestant Churches Nor Is the time probably very
distant. when the movement in the pale OF the Protest
| ant Churches will be the more important one
An indication OF this is given Ia the fact that the same
Minister of Public Worship who had TO apply bis sigma
ture to the State paper quoted ho2ve mas pec
tender his resignation, because the popular represent
atyes absolutely refuse to deal with HIM any longer on
account Of his obstinate attempts 10 procure tie u,
ency all Protestant church and school INSTITUTIONS Oh
Grant party. lie had proposed for legislative enactment
| n bill doing away with the ecclesiastical supervision oil
schools aud supplantng It by exclusively govern
mental ono He had however reserved 10 himself-ths
ought 10 he renarked-the power appoint clergymen
vii ss iaymen to DO the siperntendens. The Prussian
House OF Deputies received this project almost with
ronical hilarty. It is old schelne OF the Liberal
party in Germany TO have the ecclesiastical supervise on
Of elementary public schools supplanted by An exclu-
siyely governmental one; Dut IN lhs form, ana coming
from this quarter, the concession vas una{ccept,
able. 1t would only have led 70 the Ministers mister,
! taking away the superintendence OF schooi
the & part 81 Ge Clergy sT n6 asH
ant lay-superntcndents The various parties III INC
House OF Deputies with the exception Of the utracon
|
common against the Minister, and prepared mo-
ton telling the Crown that, though reform OF the
present system OF school superintendent was desirable
| MuehIer was not the man by whom the Parliament
wished 10 carried out 1t since has become known
that the Minister almost simultaneously had had the
modification OF seeing far more extensive legislative
proposal OF his, embracing the organization OF public
srhools in general elected by his colleagues assembled
I'm council this tenacious champion of old Lutheran
orthodoxy could but withdraw before the general
storm he had himself succeeded In raising. That the
EnperorKing THU time will accept his resignation - no
longer doubted ana 1t would have been published this
very evening that he had ceased to be Minister had 1t
possible definitely to settle who is to be his sue
| cesscr.
| AS We hear to-day, the Federal Council have not
consented 10 accept Laskcrs motion, carried in the
Reicbsag that common civil code should be drawn up
for all Germany the way the common criminal
code nj eas, Northern Germany has already been
established SaxOny, Bavaria, WurtenlbeTg, and sui
dc6nt number OF the minor states constituting major
v voted against it, This game between the two legs
arve bodies Will certainly be repeated more than once
ami 1t is very doubtful II the measure ever VIII De
carried.
SPIRIT OF PROGRESS IN ENGLAND.
| REVOLT OF THE NONCONFORMIsTS AGAINST THE
LIBERAL LEADERS-TIIEIR RESOLUTIONS AT
| THE MANCHESTER CONFERENCE - LIBERAL
MANIFESTATIONS.