The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-02-23
Tho Protestant Emp;rs.

ue anLl-SdCuOllC JOuTuhts VI C'i'S >'N'S
ry are never weary of repeating that Prns-
sia ia now the Protestant nation or the
world. 1t represents they tell US in their
perpetual song of admiration for all that is
Prussian, the moral, elevating influence OF
the Protestant religion. We are quite
willing to accept Prussian civalizatlon as
standard of comparison between the Cath
lie and Protestant religions. The latter
conld summon NO more damaging testimo,
ny against itself, than this much-praised
Empire, bloated with slaughter and rapine.
The moral condition of its largest city IN
the days of peace and under tue reign OF
civil law, is Us low rs that of Paris in the
hour of revolution. Our Evangelicals tried
20 make great deal OF capital out Of the
report, that every soldier of the Prussian
army carried to the late war; copy OF the
Bible. This additional weight in the KNAPP
sack not only increased the pious spirit CT
this godly soldiery, but was the secret OF
religious in war, which as rule, does not
intensity the pety of those engaged in it,
would naturally be still more devoted to
religion in peace. Bat, unfortunately for
the cause of Professionalism, this inference is
not supported by facts. In the year 1870
there were twenty.tl three thousand funerals
officially recorded in Berlin. At trcnW
thousand Of them there was no religious
ceremony of any kind. For every hundred
marriages there were ten divorces. In
every hundred births, seventeen were ile-
Ultimate. From these reports the virtue
of the Protestant Prussian does not appear
very. shining, or creditable to his religious
instructors.
There is a well-grounded complaint in
this country, that through the corrupt
manner of selecting jarymen, justice in
our courts is continually defeated; the
greatest criminals by distributing "money
where it can do the most good" in the sig
niticant phrascology of Oakes Ames, escape
all punishment. Crime laughs at the i'm
potence of outraged society. 1t has be-
come 30 difficult to convict those whose
guilt is placed beyond doubt, that the
abiest and best informed lawyers of this
country have ceased to place any reliance
upon the integrity of jurymen. They
would vote in the interests of society, for
the total abolition or trial by jury, an in
situation that has been converted into an
inviolable refuge for every monied crimi-
nal. But we have not yet reached the
depth of corruption, which is daily wit
messed in the courts of the pious capital of
Protestant Prussia. Thia country not being
quite SO Protestant is not 80 thoroughly
penetrated with the leaven of cheap per-
jury on the witness stand, whatever con-
victions the clink of gold may produce in
the .jury-box. The courts of Berlin, how
ever swarm with men, who are there to sell
themselves as witnesses at any price.
Perjury open and unblushng has grown
into trade. The terms of contract be-
tween employer and those who engage to
swear anything he wishes, varies with the
supply of this new Protestant species of
labor. Tie Pail Mall Gazette drawing a
picture of the morality of Berlin not very
tiattering to Professionalism, graphically de-
scribes the fluctuations in the prices OF
perjury. "Recently," it says, zone of these
gentlemen CURED witnesses approaching
q gentleman said to him If you are look
ing for u witness sir take me, swear for
half price. My colleagues demand ten sill
yer groschen, ask no more than FIVE" If
that tall luminary of Methodism whose
light has been SO suddenly extinguished
by the Poland investigation, the Christian
Statesman, Schuyler Colfax, had cultivated
little PruSsian Professionalism, he might
have learned to avoid the conflicting
points in his testimony, which have thrown
considerable doubt upon his innocence.
Five years ago, there were nearly sixty.
six thousand convicts in Berlin, making
one tenth of the whole population. Fright.
full as this may appear, the number has in
creased enormously with each succeeding
year. The city harbors thirtyth thou
sand infamous women. Murders, robher-
les, riots, and street broils have lately been
police appointed to protect the city, have
proved too small an army, and the munich
pal council has appealed for assistance to
the Empire. Berlin shows that Prussia if
not truly good, is truly Protestant count
ry. The capital of Protestant Scotland
may meekly resign the distinction which it
has so long worn without dispute Cincin-
matt Telegraph.