The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-10-05
Present Condition OF the Pope.

In the March number Of the CItLolic World for
the present year l. article Of dozen pages
filed with bitter complaints account Of the treat
ment OF the Pope. The first complaint is that the
Pope endures imprisonment at the hands Of the
Subalpinists" (the Italian GovernmAnt.) d" and that
his captivity, instead Of being mitigatsd is every
day aggravated" But the Pope can leave Rome
and go 10 other countries whenever he peases how
them is he a prisoner3 Perhaps this is explained q
little further on. The obligation resting on the
Sovereign Pontif OF preserving his own dignity
keeps him shut up in the Vatican" SO then it Is
not the Italian Government that makes him a pris-
oner, but the obligation resting him Of preserU-
ing his 0lcH dignity But can be not 60 TO Austria
to Mexico. or to some other country without sac
But there is a material obstacle" in the way of
leaving the Vatican for walk, a ride around
Rome II is in the outrages and dangers, threaten
ing life ITSELF 10 which he would be exposed amid
the crowds Of cut-throats atheists and the lowest
rabbIe of every country. which this power (the
Italian Governnent) has congregated together and
maintains in Rome to represent in that city the peo
pie Of the plebiscta decree OF the people) that is
people hostile to the Papacy, and rebelliOus to
its throne.
And all this in Rome, governed for ages by the
Popes, the best governed city in the world don't
understand ID. Where all the Pope's loving
subjects. and loving children. who ready at all
hazards 10 guard him from insultf Have they been
driven from ROmef
Another complAiat. cit il n notorious fact and
Of very frequent occurrence. that groups OF ribad
men, escaped from every Italian galley stroll along
the avenues. sinCtHg enSmeInl verses nay. even
menacing ones. Ia regard 10 the Supreme Pontia !;
and II ia thing for a rabble tn provoke and
utter cries Of character most outraging to his
and honor. Ard yet the police. ever ready TO
hinder similar outrages in regard TO the king be-
come deaf. soften down the words when they hear
the Holy Father vimperated in this fashion, '' II
IL n notorious fact that large bands OF these mis-
ereants have often gathered together beneath the
walls Of the Fapsl palace to load the guard sta
toned inside with foul language. that guard being
placed there by the consent OF the laws OF the
antees 10 the Pope Yet here they hurl their bias
phemes and imprecatiOns -.nst the sanctity of the
Pope. in the very hearing Of the guard OF honor
placed there by the Cover lment and these have not
been known tO discompOe themselves on this ac-
count TO the extent o. gesture Of disappro-
bation toward the rogues tins possessed with the
devil
His Holiness not only could not make his ap-
pearance in the streets OF his own Rome without
manifest risk OF life but he could not descend
20 the basica OF the Vatican TO perform n sacred
function. without exposing himself to contumely
and insult by the very side OF St. Peters tomb, and
even on the altar itself"
What idea do these extracts give of the cOndi-
tion of Italy and especially of Romef Had
Protestant periodical presented such n view.
should have said that the picture too dark
that the facts were exaggerated But this article
purports to have been written by Italian Catho-
lie and he certainly ought to know whereof he
nfirns- The state Of morals at Rome. TO say moth
ing OF religion. must be of very low ebb. How is
the hatred be accounted for. that follows the
Pope, aud readers it Sc annoying for him to leave
his palscef
SareIy be is to be pitied. AIouIs.