Richland beacon., 1873-11-15
Wilhelm and the Pope.

Wilhelm and the Pope.
The following two letters recently
passed between the emperor of Ger
many and the pope:
VATICAN. August. 1S73.-Your maj
esty: Measures which have been
adopted by your majesty's government
| for some time past, all aim more and
more at the destruction of catholicism.
When seriously ponder over the causes
which may have led to these very hard
means, I confess am unable to discover
amy reasons for such a course. On the
other hand, I am informed that your
majesty does not countenance the pro-
ceedings of your government, and does
not approve the harshness of the meas
ures adopted against the catholic reli-
gion. If, then, it be true that your
majesty does not approve thereof, and
letters which your August majesty has
addressed to me formerly, might suffi
ciently demonstrate that yOu cannot ap-
prove that which is now occurring; if.
/ say, your majesty does not approve
of your government continuing in the
path it has chosen of further extending
its vigorous measures against the re-
ligion of Jesus Christ, whereby the lat
ter is most injuriously affected, will
your majesty, then, not become con-
vinced that these measures have no other
effect than that of undermining your
majesty's own throne? 1 speak with
frankpess, for my banner is truth. L
speak in order to fulfill one of my du-
ties, which consists in telling the truth
to all, even to those who are not Cath
olics, for every one who has been bap-
tized belongs in some way, which TO
define more precisely would be here ont
of place-belongs, l say, to the pope.
I cherish the conviction that yOur mai
esty will receive my observations with
your usual goodness and will adopt
measures necessary in the present case.
While Offering 20 your most gracious
majesty the expression of my devotion
and esteem, pray God that he may
enfold your majesty and myself in one
and the same bond of mercy. Pro.
The emperor replied:
BERLIN, September, 1871 am glad
your holiness has, as in former times,
done me the honor to write to me. 1
rejoice more at this since an opportu-
nifty is thereby afforded me of correct
ing errors which, as .appears from the
contents of the letter of your holiness
of the 7th of August, must have oc-
culsed in communications you have re-
ceived relating to German affairs. If
reports which are made to your holiness
respecting German questions, only sta
ted the truth, it would not be possible
for you to entertain the suppositiOn that
my government enters upon the path
which do not approve. According to
the constitution of my states, such a
case cannot happen. since laws and gov
ernment measures it. Prussia requires
my consent as sovereign. To my deep
sorrow a portion of my Catholic sub
jects have organized for the past two
years political party which endeavors
to disturb, by intrigues hostile to the
state, the religious peace which has ex-
listed in Prussia for centuries. Leading
Catholic priests have unfortunately not
only approved this movement, but
| Joined in it to the extent of open revolt
against existing laws. 1t will not have
escaped the observation af your holi-
ness that similar indications manifest
themselves at the present time in seve-
raj European and in some transatlantic
states. 1t is not my mission to inves-
tigate the causes by which the clergy
and the faithful of one christian de-
nomination can be induced to assist
the enemies of all law in the states
whose government has been entrusted
to me by God. I am conscious that /
own hereafter an account of the accom-.
plishment of this, by kingly duty. l
shall maintain order and law in my
states against all attacks as long as God
gives me power, 1 am in duty bonnd
to do it as christian monarch, even
when to my sorrow 1 have to fulfill
thisroyal duty against servants of the
church which 1 suppose Acknowledges,
no less than the evangelical church,
that commandment of obedience to Sc
cular tauthOrity is an emanation of the
revealed will of God. Many of the
priests in Prussia, subject to your holi-
S9ess, disowo, to my regret, christian
fae in this respect. My govern
s. nes. III, "r~,o;opecessity is supported by a
g,ea' amral;ca, of my royal CATHOLIC
obedience to law By voSsasy means
j willingly entsrtem the hope that vour
h0liness, W hing ipfot,ned of the
- A3os 2eairs. swin use your
I'D b che AGITATION
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