New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-06

/
support of the Constitution about TO be sub
mitted to the people. They have gained their
cause, but if we do not greatly mistake, the
people of the State have been so impressed
by this very action of theirs with the neces-
sty for Constitutional Reform that they will
more than make up, i'll their oyerw heming
vote for ratification. for all the frauds that
| can possibly be used against 1T.
ECCLESIASTICAL INFLUENCE IN PRUSSIA.
! Whatever opinions may be entertained re-
specting the wisdom of the measures which
have been adopted by the Prussian Govern
ment against the Roman Catholic clergy,
there is little reason to believe that it can
recede with dignity from the contest, or with
a prospect of security in the future. Right or
wrong, it has offended a body of men
having the reputation of being implacable,
who, in this contest have manifested an
extraordinary capacity of endurance. On the
| side of the Government it may be said that
| it has not shown great precipitancy in resort
| ing to severe measures after it had acquired
the conviction that the clergy had become
instruments in carrying out policy inimical
to the State. Already year or more before
|
| of Bavaria had agreed with his Ministry that
| repressive measures were necessary. 1t is now
tolerably well known that the King of
Prussia could only resolve to recommend the
adoption of the ecclesiastical laws of the last
! session of the Landtag after much hesitation.
Late kilograms and letters from Berlin give
unmistakabe proof that the Prussian Govern
ment is now fixed in its purpose Of carrying
out the letter of the ecclesiastical laws with
unusual vigor. The cause of this may be
! found in the result of the recent general cleo
| lions.
| Heretofore, although nOminally the State
has been separate from ecclesiastical infu-
| ence, the union has been as effective as if
established by constitutional provisions. The
| clergy of various denominations drew salaries
| directly from the State and in most of the
details of church administration they were
governed by regulations which were under
| the supervision of duly constituted authorities
of tho State. A marriage. to be legal, must
be performed by some clergyman recognized
| by the State, and tho marriage could only take
place after the production of proper certificates
of baptism and confirmation. The same close
relations between Church and State existed on
the burial of Prussan subject. The State
was thus placed in the position of compelling
the laity to join the Evangelical or the Roman
Catholic Church, or ut least to conform to the
ordinances of one of those bodies. When the
Prussian Government became convinced that
the Roman Catholic clergy were pursuing
a policy dangerous to the authority of the
State it had two distinct remedies before it.
tba haH hon ufoh-
hsbed over ecclesiastical affairs the Govern
ment was tempted to resort to policy of
coercion. In this course it WAS not only GER
tain to incur the hostility of the particular
denomination against which its measures were
TO be enforced, but also of the Protestant de-
nOminatiOnalists who had formed an alliance
with the ultra Conservatives and were anxious
to retain the ascendency in the Government
to which they considered themselves entitled
by their numerical superiority.
In the elections which have just taken place,
the particular line Of policy adopted by the
Government was not so much at issue as the
necessity for opposing the pretensiOns of the
UltramOntanes. In fact, the Liberals, who
supported the Government against the Con-
servatives and clericals, very generally recog-
nized the ACCESSIBILITY of enlarging its meas
ures The result of the elections was slight
gain of the Roman Catholics, an almost
utter defeat of the Protestant sectarians
who had been their allies, and the re-
turn Of very large Liberal majority.
Legislation has thus practically been placed
in the hands of those who are opposed to all
ecclesiastical influence in affairs of State
When the speech from the throne upon the
opening of the session OF the Landtag failed to
announce the resolution OF the Government
to recommend measures which should be
dictated by this principle, there was general
dissatisfaction among the Liberals. After the
country had indicated to the Government
that the policy of coercion was inadequate
to correct the evils from which tho State
was suffering, the lesson seemed to have
made no impression where an impression
WAS most needed. However, an intima-
ton is now given that the Government is
disposed to resort TO its remaining alterna-
tive. It is said that the Emperor has con-
sented to the introduction Of bill sanotoning
civil marriages and civil registration of births