New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-09
RFLTGION IN FRENCH POLT7TCS.


was then the Prince Imperial had better
prospect for the throne OF France than at
present the UltTamOntane papers III Paris
were thrown into ecstases by reported say
ing of his: "When l am Emperor / shall not
"permit any one in France to be without re-
"Hgion.n But public opinion did not sustain
this outburst of infant bigotry, and so few
days afterward the official journal contradicted
the story. and said that His Imperial High
ness. at his age, had no political opinions
But the young gentleman has now become the
head of the family, and may be presumed TO
have imbibed by this time some rather de-
cided views. His mother, at least has no
hesitation in speaking both for him and for
herself, and in saying that the Imperial cause
in France is nothing more or less than the
cause of the Catholic religion. Posturing in
attitudes of piety has always been favorite
pursuit of royalty, if we except that brief
period of the eighteenth century when Phil
osophy invaded nearly every throne OF Eu-
rome. and even at that time there were
chosen spirits in palaces that stood
stOutly by the ancient cOlors. There Is letter
extant by Madame de Pompadour, which de-
plores the irreligion of the hour and says that
"when a nation ceases to fear God and honor
"the King, it becomes the lowest thing i'll
"nature; and ths,' adds the frail but ortho-
dOx Marduise, sis the condition of France at
"this time.n We can imagine we hear once
more the very words of the cOngenial mate OF
Louis XIV. when we read the recent utterances
of the relict of Louis Napoleon. My son and
az live only for France and for God" she
saws. She is delighted with the pilgrimages,
the miracles, the devotion which rule the hour.
She is not afraid Of Prince Napoleon jerome
he is not pious enough for France. The
King of Italy, Bismarck, Austria, all have an
immediate fate impending over them because
of their treatment of the Pope. Marshal Mac
Mahon is very well for the present. He is a
good churchman, and obeys his wife, who is a
better one. The late Empress sees everything
in rose-color, and does not doubt the speedy
triumph of the cause of religion, which she
regards as the cause of Bonapartism.
The Bonaparte people are scarcely the sort
Of timber of which the supports of the sane
tuary are made. But if they can succeed in
persuading France that their cause is that of
the Church, they will gain an immediate and
formidable adhesion throughout the nation.
The religious question is called to play most
important part in France during the next few
years. There is evident throughout the coun-
try revival of interest in religious matters
such as almost invariably follows. great per-
sonal or national crises. 1t is by no means
certain which shape or direction this tendency
is to take. But it is evident that the MacMa-
hon Government believe it to be Overwhelm-
ingly Catholic and orthodox, and their action
in the Civil Interment Cases In Lyons shows
that they are willing to affront and outrage
the Liberal sentiment for the purpose of con-
ciliating the Church party. The Minister of
War said in his speech on. this subject
that you had no right to expose the
soldiers to anti-religious influences, adding
that if they should thus be deprived of their
hopes of future life the nation would have
no right to demand the sacrifice Of their exist
ence in the service, at which the Right ap-
pauded. The Government organs, eager to
avail themselves of whatever advantage is to
be derived from the combined prejudices of
Frenchmen and Catholics, are laboring to
show that there is an understanding between
Bismarck and the French Liberals, for Joint
persecution Of the Church. Meantime the
decided outgivings of the semi official press
of Germany, that no tampering with the Con-
clave, in case of a new election of Pope, Will
be submitted to where the interests of the
Empire are concerned, add fuel to the fame of
zeal.
But it may safely be assumed that the En-
press is over-sanguine in imagining that all
this fire has been kindled especially for boil !
lDg the Imperial pOttage. 1t would be worth
something to see the expression of Henry V. |
when he is informed that the Bonapartes, the
Children of Revolution, are trying to usup
the place, AS protectors of religion, which he |
has always regarded as belonging to him, the
Child of Miracle. The old-iasllioned mobiles
of the Faubourg st. GERMAN must rub their
eyes W seo If tRey are aQt dreami q. KLeu |