Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-10-29
CHURCH AND STATE.
Hing William and Pope Plus EX-
change NOtes-PlaiR Words
from His Holiness.
The Kings Reply, in which He
Denies the responsibilities
TO Catholic Politics.
The Church 0bedlent to the State
The King will Enforce the
Law, Etc.

The Church Obedlent to the Stat,
The King will Enforce the
Law, Etc.
NEW YORK, October 2I.-The follow.
ing two letters recently passed between
the emperor OF Germany and the pore,
Their contents were briefly stated by
cable few days ago;
NATlCAN, August ;, 1873
! Your MAJESTY-Measuros which
have been adopted by your majestyis
government lOr some time past, all aim,
more aud more, at the destruction of
Catholicism. When / seriously ponder
on the causes which may have Led to
these very hard measures, confess that
am unable 10 discover any reason for
! such 3 course. On the other hand am
Informed that your majesty does not
| cOuntensnce the proceedings Of your
government, and does not approve the
harshness of the measures adopted
against the Catholic religion. II, tnen,
/ il be true that your majesty does not APP
prove thereof, and letters which YOUR
august majesty has addressed TO me for
merly might sufficiently demonstrate
that you cannot approve that which is
now occurring; if, 1 say, your
majesty does not approve of your gov
ernmeat continuing in the path il
has chosen of further extending its Wig
Orous measures against the religion Of
Jesus Christ, whereby the latter Is most
InjuriOusly affected, viii your majesty,
then, not become convinced that these
measures have no other effect than that
of undermining your majesty's own
throne? speak with frankness, for my
banner is truth. 1 speak in order to full
fill one Of my duties, which consists in
telling the truth TO all, even to those
who are not Catholics, for every enc
who has been baptized belongs, in some
way or other-which, to define more
precisely, would be here out of place.
belongs, ] say, TO the pope. l cherish
the conviction that your majesty will
receive my observations with your usual
goodness, and will adopt the measures
necessary in the case. While Offering
to your most gracious majesty the ex-
preston of my devotion and esteem, |
pray 10 God that he may enfold your
majesty and myself in one and the same
bond Of mercy,
Isignedl Pho.
The emperor replied rs follows.
BERLIN, September 5, 1873
am glad your holiness has, as in
former times, done me the honor to
write 70 ME. L rejoice more at this since,
an opportunity Is thereby afforded of cor
rectlng the errors which, Us appears from /
the contents Of the letter of yOHr hou- I
nos . srxr.s,tI, yg ....-.
have occurred in accommodation you /
have received, ,relating TO German affairs |
Ii the reports which are made to your
holiness, respecting German questions, 4
only stated the truth, il would not be /
possible for your holiness to entertain /
the suppOsitiOn that the govern
ment enters upon a path which
l DO not approve. According to
the constitution of my states.
such a case cannot happen, since the laws
and government measures in Prussia re-
1uire my consent, as sovereign. Tt my
deep sorrow, a portion Of my Catholic
subjects have organized during the past
two years, political party, which ell
teavOrs to disturb, by intrigues hostile
to state and religious peace which has ex-
sted IN Prussia for centuries. Leading
Catholic priests have, unfortunately,
not only approved this movement, but
olned in il to the extent to open revolt
against existing laws. 1t will not have
escaped the observation Of your holi-
ness that similar indications manifest
.hems Ives at the present time in sew
aral European and in some trans-Atlau-
1c states. lt is my mission to invesli-
gate causes by which the clergy and the
faithful Of one of the christian
denominations can be Induced act
Ively to assist the enemies of
all law, but it certainly is my mission
10 protect the peace and preserve the aU
.hOrity of the laws in the states whose
government has been entrusted to me,
by God. ! am conscious that l owe
hereafter an account Of accomplish
ment Of this, my kingly duty. l shall
maintain order and law in nv states
against all attacks, as long as God gives I
me power. l am in duty bound To do
t as a christian monarch, even when to !
my sorrow have TO fulfil this rovaI 1
iuty against servants of the church
which | suppose acknowledges no less
han the the Evangelical church, tina, |
commandment of obedience TO secular |
Is an emanatiOn of the reveal
d will of God. Many of the priests in I
Prussia, subject to your holiness, disown !
o my regret, the christian doctrine 3
n this respect, and place
ny government under the necessity
10y the great majority of my II
oyal Catholic and Evangelical subjects, 1
# extOrting obedience to law by worldly Q
means. ! willingly entertain the hope
hat your holiness, upon being informed
4 the true position Of affairs, will use
our authority TO put an end TO the agi-
alton carried on, amid. the deplorable 7
distortion of the truth and abuse Of
'riestly authority. The religion OF Jesus
;hrist has, as | attest to your holiness
efore God, nothing to do with these in
rigues any more than has tru h, whose
anner, invoked 10y your holiness, j un- :
subscribe. There is one more
XpressiOn in the letter of your holiness
which ] cannot pass over without con-
radictiOn, although il is not
ased upon previous information, but
pom the belief Of your holiness, name u
=: The expression that every one that n
as received baptism belongs TO the c
ope. The evangelical creed, which, as d
aust he known to your holiness, !, like $
ny ancestors and the majority of my o
l0jects, profess, does not permit US to e
ccept in our relations TO God any other il
lediator than our Lord Jesus Christ. 4
/ difference of belief does not prevent b
le from living in peace, with those who e
o not share mine. Offering your hO-
ness the expression Of my personal de- q
OliOn and esteem,
,Signedl AILLIAM. Il