The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-04-06

| u
!; ua' power extends to the whole Church au
: TO each one of its members it constitute.
likewise, a real sovereignty, but its prOpe
, domain is in the supernatural order; the e <
ing OF doctrines, the diffusion of grace an,
3 the government of souls.
Tue social authority whose re establish
ment We ask, is neither the one nor tn
other. What is it then.
LUIS That moral power over Christian State
which was recognized to the Pope durins
many ages, in virtue Of which he taught
princes and peoples their m atual duties, and
maue the laws of justice prevail over passion
and violence. Nations are no less subject &C
tue laws OF justice than are individuals,
ana government that pours its armies in
TO neighboring nation, there to spread
oesoiatlon and carnage, is far more guilty
OF crime than is the ASSASSIN, who lies in
wait for the traveller, to murder and rob
MIN. But there is this difference between
| tIese TWO sorts of duties that the observance
OF individual obligations is guaran ,eed by
puoic authority aud the audacity of male
factors is punished by the tribunals. On
the contrary, there is no organized force to
assure respect for public rights, there is no
tribunal to judge and punish those who
trample them under foo. Different people,
oeing independent of each other, there is
no temporal power above them that can
Keep them In the ways of justice. If then,
! In the absence of a material force, which
"onid be Incompatible with their Inde-
pendencc there be no moral authority
capable of upholding menaced rights,
these peoples must, as far. as their
relations 60, be in a state of pure barbar-
Ism, destitute of all law. They will be
seen f1inging themselves at and devour-
ing one another; and they will never be
able to preserve themselves from violence,
except by being continually in arms, just
as the traveller who journeys on highw
infested with brigands.
away with the disorders of International
society, and keepnations in peace with one
another, has existed now for eighteen cen
tnrles; and as long as it was respected, it
exercised upon Europe the most happy in
nuences. Jesus Christ, in giving to His
vicar, sovereign power to Interpret the ma
tural and divine law, has established, in
the heart of humanity, an incorruptib'e
defender OF justice and an inflexible |
avenser of all outraged rights. To his |
quality of Head of the Church is insepra-
bly, Joined that of supreme director of
the consciences of Christian princes and |
peoples. Since all have to acknowledge
him as their father, they cannot help see
ing III him the natural arbiter of their diff
erences; they must have recourse to him
to decide upon those terrible cases of con-
science, whose solution cannot be confided
to violence, without disturbing the very
corner stones of society.
shows with what fidelity the Pnpes &c
quilted themselves of their delicate and
responsible fuEction, as supreme judges of
the peace of Christianity. How many !
wars have they not arrested or prevented
with what courage have they not defended
the rights Of the people against the passions
of princes. Wh.n the princes were absolute
soverei Gns, and the people had no other
defenders but the Popes with what disin-
terestcdness have they not INTERVIEWED in
the qntrres of the most powerful States,
without ever turning the unlimited conf
dence reposed in them, to the profit of
their own temporal power2
1t Is not, therefore to be wondered at,
chat, even amongst Professionals, many
voices shsu!d be raised up to call for the
re establishment of that bcneicent apd
now more than ever, necessary authority.
The horrors of recent wars, and the dan
gers which still threaten the p,ace of Ell
rope, have revived these desires aud Given
! new Impetus to their manifestation. In
three very distant points of Lu4 ope, IN Po-
and, in France and in Engltnd, the idea {
mas been simultaneously conceived of sup |
)lcating the Sovereign Pontiff to reaSsert
his authority, which was denied him ONLY {
20 our misfortune. The following letter. I
which has been addressed to us by an illus i
rious convert, Lord Robert Montagu, pre- t
ents, in very satisfactory way, the mo- 7
ives upon which this petition is founded. i
Let all Catholics hearkeu to the voice of t
nan born in Professionalism, aud led to the e
Church by the convict; on of the power b
which she alone has, to save us from bar q
'arism: G
Let go back, in thought, to that :,
,loomy era when the Roman Empire was +
alling to shreds in corruption, when bar u
'nrous hordes were ravagng Europe, when a
very man had to grasp his sword and #
tand ready to do justice to himself. How
vas society preserved, then, from total
uim 2 What was it that arrested the rava- :,
es of corruption, and saved what remain /
d of Roman civilization 2 What superhu- 6
nan force was it that checked the distur- o
ance of the barbarans, and brought their
nrocity under the yoke of law 1t was the
hu'ch, with her triple power, her legislG- "
re power. which instituted the truce of
i" established public penance for public "
RIM, ard PIT IN action many other salu- u
y measures; her judiciary power, which
'a'i'. kings and powerful lords appear at ="
IL hHr. and gave to the weak the means of 10
neinG Tor and obtaining justice her coer-
ne power. which SAW t" the observance of
ne laws All" the execution of sentences. "
" A little later on, under the pontIfcate VI