The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-03-23

l
The protestatio. is drawn up, and will bt
s!gned," says the Hanoverian Protestant
paper from which we condense this para
graph, "by large majority"
AUSTRIA.
Tide Austrian Electoral Ld,cs.-The Bills
on Electoral Reform, increasing the mum.
Der of deputies and introducing the system
stead of delegations from the Provincial
Diets, have been laid on the table of the
Vienna Reichsrath by Count Auersperg.
they were immediately referred to tue
Constitutional Committee, and in this
Committee Count Grocholski declared on
| behalf of the Gaicians that the proposed
reform would be breach of the Constitu-
ton and would violate the rights of the
Provincial Landtag-which is certainly
true. The Galician members of the Com
mlttee thereupon withdrew, refusing to
take any part in the discussion, and the
| Gal.cian deputies in the Chamber itself
will, Of course, adopt the same policy.
SPAIN.
The new measures which the Republican
government proposes at the outset are :
The Republican prisoners to be amnestied,
| and those who are in Punishment at Port
Mahon to be brought back in a Govern
ment steamer. The Ministries of Public
Works, the Colonies and Justice, to be
suppressed judges to be made irremov-
aration between Church and State. which
means, we suppose, the final confiscation
of the incomes of the clergy which have
remained so long unpaid. But if the Gov
eminent will not respect it's engagements
with the Church it proposed to be very
State creditors. It is very important,
said the Minister of Finance, "to maintain
the credit of the country" and "respect for
rights is the device of the Republic" The
arming of the people will, if thoroughly
carried out, of course diminish the infu-
ence which the regular army will exercise
on the future Of Spain, but whatever power
the army has will, it is thought, be event.
ually exercised in favour of the Prince of
Asturias. with either Montpensier or Ser
rano as Regent. The stupid idea of ,ex-
changing the old Spanish fag-the hand
violet, white and red-not to be distin-
gaished at distance from the French one
Is not likely to help in winning over either
the army or the navy to the Republic !
The political oath for the army is abolished
and the officers who had refused to take
the oath to the late King were restored to
their rank on the 18th uIt.
SWITZERLAND.
The Persecution at Genera.-At Geneva
matters have proceeded to extremity,
aud Mgr, Mermilod. a born citizen of Ge-
neva, has been expelled from Swiss terri
tory 10y an arbitrary act of violence which
would be i'm possible in p really free coun-
try. In the letter which he sent on the
i55h ult., to the council of State he ex-
planned that the nomination of q Vicar
Apostolic is in no way similar to the cree
ton OF an episcopal see, that it is the
course always adopted when there is a
difficulty or q conflict about jurisdiction
and when it is desired to pave the way to
an agreement, that it is a measure tempo
nol f,i tic
leaves the door open to every attempt at a
treatment of the matters in dispute.
Moreover, that there are only three practi-
cal solutions of tho problem of the relations
between Church and State namely, COM
plete liberty, as in England or America
lat, or oppression ofthe Church by the State. 6
Finally, that he cannot cease to discharge t
lis functions as Vicar Apostolic towards
he Catholics who freely accept him as such
md that he asks from the State neither for
avour nor privilege, neither for pecuniary
upport, nor even for any official character. 1
The whole of the clergy of the Canton t
waited on the Bishop of Hebron that same .
morning to assure him of their unvarying I
obedience and sympathy, and on Sunday I
% preached in Notre Dame for the last G
lme before going into exile. e
Pyofos! Of Mgr. Mermuod The arrest q
f the Bishop of Hebron was effected 10 t.
is own residence, attached to Notre Dame, &
t eleven o'clock on the 18th. The Com d
,issary, his secretary, aud two police il
gents entered the house and prevented all "
gress. The Bishop then assembled the
ergy and dictated a protest which is pub
shed in the Sciss Times and other papers. T
We protest." he said, sin the name of n,
le rights of the Catholic Church, in the in
anne of the liberty of Catholic consciences o.
lolated in my person, in tho name of my a
gifts as q free citizen of the Helvetian Re- dr.
lhlic, against the decree of Punishment co
:, which the Federal Council puts me out on
dc the territory of my country without wi
lving heard me in person, without judg- an
6 me, and without violation on my part "
any law of the Constitution" The
ishop was only allowed few minutes for til
4 preparations, and consented instead of W
alking, as he wished, to enter cab in by
der to avoid any chance of disturbances. tn
hen asked by the Commissary whittier he wi
iehed to be taken, he replied he had no Co
ders to give, and the Commissary di- 1or
cted the man to drive to the frontier OH wi
E'nr rnHn hot