The New York herald., 1872-11-02
Case OF Conflict Between the Triple
Crown and the Federated Citizens.

Case OF Conflict Between tho Triple
Crown and the Federated Citizens.
The history OF the present conflict OF authority
between the Pontiffin Rome and the federated civil
government OF Switzerland Is of great interest
as being illustrative of case in point which
demonstrates the necessity for an exact deini-
tion OF the relations which should exist
between Church and State under all free govern
ments 1t may be told in the following order Of
narrative
In the year 1854 M. Gaspard Mermilod was ap-
appointed Roman Catholic cure Of Geneva on the
recommendation Of the bishop of the diocese, when,
according to the law OF the canton, he took the
oath '.o obey and preach obedience to the laws OF
the land" The same year, however, he receiv ed
from the Pope, and without the sanction Of the
State, the title and dignity Of Bishop or He
bron, auxiliary OF Geneva. Seeing that the
Conseil d'Etat Council of State OF the
Swiss Republic) never received oficial no.
tice OF this appointment, 1t continued to
consider him only as the proxy OF Mgr. Marllley,
the head OF the diocese Of Lausanne under whose
perpetual Jurisdiction Geneva is placed by de-
cree Of the Consef d'Etat of November l, 1910.
The Conseil d'Etat, having informed M. Mermillod
that 1t did not recognize his Episcopal authority in
Geneva, received the answer that .'he held his
power from the Pope, and that he would ex-
crcise 1t despite the authority OF the Consel
dEtat." In consequence OF the attitude thus
taken by N. Mermod, the Consell d'Etat
by decree Of the goth Of September deprived him
OF his cure, at the same time suppressing the said
cure Of Geneva until the establishment Of better
understanding BY second decree of the same
date M. MermiOd was interdicted from perform
ing any act out OF his ordinary jurisdiction either
directly or by proxy as also from performing any
act In quality OF vicar General. The COnsei d'Etat
TRADITIONAL INyOLUTIONs AND COMPLICATIONS BY
CHURCH COMMISSIONS.
Tnere was In Olden times Bishop OF Geneva
VINO, after gradually, and in the name OF the popu-
lar liberties, absorbing all the feuda pow Of the
Counts in that city and territory made himself so
obnoxious to the citizens that at the reformation,
Geneva not only abolished the Bishopric, but be-
came ca; the n,eadquartels OF Calvnsm, and forbade
the celebration Of Roman Catholic worship within
her dominion. In later times however, she ex-
tended her rule over some Savoyard districts, the
population OF which was strictly Roman Catholic,
Of Catholics into the city Itself IN great mum.
ber tnat now the population of the little Canton
consists OF .47,s57 Catholics against 43,6os
Pr0testants The catholic congregations have,
therefore, urr,, admitted to the free exercise OF
their religion, and divided into several parishes,
at te asSa Of which is the so, socae, cure or leaa
reorganized into new diocese, but merely sub
mitted, as parish to the jurisdiction OF the See Of
ta AN these arrangements were made by
joint sanction of the Holy See and the Cantonal rs
well as OF the Federal authorities of Switzer-
land. Monseignor Mermillod, the cure OF Geneva
or Bishop OF Hebron, Is most jealous
champion OF the dogma of iniallibty.
1t is pleaded for MOnsegn0r Mermillod that he
has been appointed by the Pope first Vicar General
and then Su1ragan Bishop Of Geneva; and, finally,
that the POntln has, n1Ou prOpriO, re-established
the Diocese OF Geneva and Invested NJ MermillOd
with 1t ; but the Swiss Cant0nal authorities deny
that any such transactions could be OF the least
value without their full knowledge and con-
sent. They MAINTAIN, further, that, as they
have never received any intmati0n OF thcm they
not only do not recognize NJ Mcrmillods episcopal
authority but In consequence OF his ''usurpaton''
OF that authority TO the prejudice of his superior,
the Bishop OF Lausanne, feel obliged to remove
him from his Office Cure of Geneva, and to strike
OF the salary attached TO his appointment in
their Cantonal Budget. The Cantonal Council
at Geneva by which the sentence was pro-
nounccd, consists almost in equal numbers
OF Protestants, Catholics and avowed Free
thinkers, and they have In this matter come
to perfectly unanimous resolutions. The decision
OF the cantonal authorities OF Geneva has met with
the full approval and support OF the Swiss federal
authorities at Berne M. Marilley, Catholic Bishop
OF Lausanne, Is, apparently by no means eager
for open hostllites nj. Mermilod and Is not par
tal to his Ultramontane Suifragan; but he alleges
that the parish OF Geneva has been withdrawn
from his jurisdiction by an act of the Holy Sec and
that he cannot, consistently with his duty to the
Pope, exercise his episcopal authority in the
Gencyese districts The quarrel lies thus between
all the ecclesiastical authorities OF Rome on the
one side and all the civil powers OF Switzerland
the other