New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-18
POPE and KAISER.

1t is no new thing for an Emperor and a
Pope to come into collision. II is now eight
centuries since that memorable quarrel
between Henry, Emperor Of Germany, ana
Hildebrand known in history rs Pope Gregory
VII, which wrapped Europe III war and
powerfully affected the course OF subsequent
history. The arrogant monarch, finding the
Pope would not yield his claims in the mat
ter of inyestituIo, assembled a Conyentlcle Oh
Bishops mt Worms in 1876, and made them
pass sentence of deposition against Gregory
VII. He sent this decree to Rome with an
nsolent epstle of his own. But the monk
of Cluny was not made Of the stun which
bends before the frOwn of an Emperor. lie
responded by communicating Henry, and
declared that his crown WAS forfeit tor ms
tyranny and wickedness. The Popes full
mnatiou was more effective than the EmperoPs,
for no churchman claimed the tiara IN
Rome, while "a number of princes OF the I'm
pire chose Rudolph of Suabia to NIL the
throne vacated by the word OF Gregory. Inc
Emperor seeing bis mistake, suddenly re-
solved to appeal to the Pope, and concillate
him by penitence and submission. In the
midst of IL bitter Winter he crossed the Alps
and presented himself, barefoot and in pen
ance shirt, ut the gate of GregOIy's castle at
CanOssa The great pOntiif seemed to take
pleasure in macerating this bruised reed, and
kept him waiting three days bis penitence
turning to gall in his heart. 1t was perhaps II
little Overdone, for as soon as Henry received
absOlutiOn he hurried home, and after beat
ing his rival Rudolph, he marched again upon
Rome. this time in shirt of mail, and gave
Gregory sad old age and an exile's death.
The recent quarrel between Plus TX. and
William of Germany shows what progress has
been made in the relations of Church and
State since the eleventh century. The cause
and the motive of the quarrel are almost ex-
actly the same as in the earlier one; for
human nature changesiycyilittle in the pro-
cess Of ages It is now as then the conflict
between spiritual and secular authority, the
Papal against the Imperial GmouI-prOpre dis
guised on tho one side by an PROFESSIONALLY
sincere zeal for the Church, and on the other
by an equally earnest prOtostatiOn OF devotion
to public order. But while 1t is difficult to
see any especial difference between the moral
aspects of the two conflicts. the method OF
the quarrel has changed to an extent which
forms an almost ludicrOus contrast to tho
prompt and savage reprisals of the middle
ages. While Henry and Gregory, upon dis
agreement in relation to an investiture, de-
clared each Others thrones vacant, and
set armies in motion to sustain their
Nominations. William and Plus, on precisely
similar question, content themselves by an inter
change OF polished and sarcastic notes, which
will be read with as much interest for their
keen and incisive style, as for the Importance
of the issues involved. The letter OF the Pope,
as BELTS his claim of spiritual supremacy, is the
more direct and dOgmatc OF the two. lie IN
forms the Emperor that his Government, which
he takes care to separate from the person oil
His Majesty, il aiming at the destruction OF the
Catholic religion. He warns him sOlemnly and
severely that such measures will only under
mine his throne He makes a singular C0nces-
sion. or a singular claim, as it will be variOusly
regarded by Catholics and Protestants, in say
ING that all the baptized belong to him, and
concludes by expressing the hope that the
EMPEROR will put stop to the scandalOus
conduct of his Ministers. The Emperor,
very much at his leisure, answers, month
later, that he is pleased to have an oppor-
tunity to correct certain misapprehensi0ns oil
His Holiness. He assumes the full response
bility of his Minister'S act, informing the
Pope that nothing could be done against his
approval. He complains of the rebellious
spirit displayed by his Catholic subjects,
which he regards as equally disloyal and un-
scriptural. lie answers the POpes demand by
the unter-demand-in which there seems
more of irony than arrogance-that the Head
of the Catholic Church will use his authority
to put stop to the agitation in Germany.
He closes by declining, with perhaps more of
candor than of courtesy, the honor OF being
considered one of the flock of the Pope
There will be two very decided opinions as
to which of these aged yet still ardent
champions has the better of this passage
at arms But we think there can be little
dispute as to the question whether the world
of Plus or the world of Hildebrand is the
preferable one to live in. We are far from
approving all the measures by which the Ger
man Government has thought proper to crush
the Catholic protest against the tyranny of
the State; but we can heartily congratulate
the world that there is no power in Rome
which can pull even a tyrant from his throne.
--
After suffering long wretched anticipationS OF "A
lack of butchers meat in the future, after enduring