The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-08-03
s. C.I
Sunday Morning, August 3. 1873.
The Threat or the Italian King.

IL to the French Ambassador at Rome is
the political sensation Of Europe. 1t
contains M advice and % threat, address.
cd to the representative Of what was
until recently tho leading power OF the
oontinent-the advice being 10 cease the
cry Of Glove Rome and Franco" for it
was war "against italian unity" ani the
threat, that If war did ensue. then with
the help Of Germany another invasion
and another indem nifty would follow.
It is not often in European politics
that such frank avowal is nude Of inten-
tions and warning of results given, for
the reader will perceive there is no doubt
expressed of the consequences that will
follow if MaoMahon neglects the sugges-
tions made, or of the certainty OF o coali
sion of Italy and Germany, if need re-
qrires. Considered in this aepect. We
find that Europe is once more threatened
with war Of opinions, and to a great
extent religious war; since without the
aid of Protestant Germany, Italy cannot
sustain its freedom Of political action,
and therefore the pungency Of the ex-
preston, ''clcrical Europe" "Wars Of
ideas" are those that last longer and cnt
deeper into national life than any others.
We see clearly that The coming strife
is not only likely to be one of ideas, but
of religion. and virtually contest for
supremacy in Europe between Catholic
ism and Professionalism. That Mac Mahon
can stop it, we do not believe. He is
not the expression OF the will OF tho
French people. but Of the will of the
National Assembly, who, themselves,
cannot fairly be regarded as the free
choice of electoral France. His tenure
of power lies in the army. md his duty
he himself declared TO the Assembly
that elected him, is that of sentinel
who has to watch over the ''integrity OF
your sovereign power" Divided as that
Assembly ie, into factions of Monarch
lists and Republicans, no unity of re-
pressive action of :.'clerical agitation"
either in France or abroad, can reasona.
bly, be expected; and We think that agi-
tation will continue to exert itself as
conscientious duty, rcgardl' ss OF conse.
quences.
1t is obvious that the action OF Bis
marck, in PRUSSIA, and his refusal to ro.
cognize Papal authority, except as
subsidiary to the royal will, has, added
to the steady progress of modern Italy
to freedom Of conscience, caused the
"agitution" complained ot. The i'm
mense moral power Of the Roman
Church, with its innumerable modes of
action. is about to take up arms against
what it regards the oppression Of its
chosen head, the Pope, and the destruc-
tion Of its time-honored principles and
privileges; while against it arises the
free inquiry of the age, and the protest
of statesmen, that the day has come for
"rendering to Cesar the things that are
Cnsar's. and to God the things that are
Gods"
To us on this side of the Atlantic, who
enjoy liberty of conscience and envy no
man his creed, this European complica-
tion must be viewed with regret. 1t
may benefit our trade, increase our
prosperity, and probably add 10 our
corruption, but to the world at large it
will only cause sorrow md loss. When
whole nations rush to arms to fight, not
only for theil welfare here, but as they
believe for their salvation hereafter The
combat ends only with mutual exhaus-
ton, or the weaker being stamped out
by persecution; and that in this age aud
period such things can be, is reproach
to our boasied civilization.
The editor of the Boston 44dreriiser
who, sometime ago, was unremitting in
his hatred Of the South, has learned the
real situation of affairs, and now writes
as follows:
1t is impossible for Northern people
to understand tho terrible corruption at
the South, which is still kept alive by
careless or designed use of tho patronage
and political influence at Washington.
We have no organized society. The