The Portland daily press., 1874-11-24
Mr.. Gladstone's Phamphlet.

Mr.. Gladstone's Phamphlet. 81.
Late English mails bring copious extracts
from Mr.. Gladstone's phamphlet together
with voluminous discussions upon the mo-
tives which led to its composition, the weight
of its argument and its effect upon English
politics. As one London journal remarks it
Is difficult to divine the motives of Mr.. Glad
stone in raising popular cutlery while the |
danger, if there is any, is simply theoretical,
but the ex-premier is a conservative states |
man, and it is absurd to suppose chat he has
entered this arena of discussion simply to Gre
ate sensation. Neither can it be explained
on the theory that Mr.. Gladstone was endeav-
ring to refute the reports that he was Sc
cret convert to the church of Rome, for no
one knows better than he that any discussion
ON his part, no matter how purely personal
he may have intended it to be,would inevita-
bly, be taken as an expression of the opinions
Of the great Liberal party of England OF
which he is the head and 'front.'
It is Gladstone, the statesman, who
is discussing the pretentions of the
church of Rome, not Gladstone, the private
essayist, and therefore we are justified in con-
GLIDING that the great Liberal thinks he sees
danger to English freedom, in the future,
from the dogmas of the Papal hierarchy. At
any rate Mr.. Gladstone boldly sewers the al
lance between the Liberals and Catholics
and anti-ultramontanisn must supply this
loss if it is to be supplied at all, and this fact
alone renders Mr.. Gladstone's course of great
political significance.
Mr. Gladstone styles his pamphlet a
s'Tract" and it bears the title, s'The Vatican
DEGREES, in their bearing on Civil Allegiance:
A Political Expostulation." 1t is designed,
he says, as an answer to the assaults upon
his article in the Contemporary Retie,c on
Ritualism, and is defensive not aggressive.
1t eschews theological controversy and SIM
ply discusses the question whether or not
English Catholics can pay to Rome that ale
glance which her recent dogmas demand, and
at the same time, maintain the purity OF their
allegiance to civil authority. 1t is Roman
theology thrusting itself into the sphere OF
temporal domain that meets his reprobation
All ''other religious bodies" says Mr.. Glad.
stone, "contentedly ard Thankfully accept the
benefits of civil order never pretend that
State is not its own master; make no relig-
ious claims to temporal possessions or advan-
fages ; and, consequently, are never in peril
Gus collision with the State" ~
Mr.. Gladstone argues that the religious
pretentions Of Rome are on the increase, and
that the pope ofto-day holds his spiritual sub
iects in more complete submission than thu
popes of the Middle Ages. In the Middle
Ares there was orisk and vigorous epnc,
tion .~papal assumption, in natior...n,
century this onnos;t,,1 has been put out OF
.ous' s .":s v ipI.ay extinguisIed by the de-
rrao, ~ Vatican. In defending his Ian
,,see against the Roman hierarchy, Mr..
Gladstone states four propositions, as follows /:
l. That "Rome has substituted for the proud
boast q sem'er eadema policy of violence and change
2. That she has refurbished and paraded anew
every rusty tool she was tondy thought to have dis
8. That no one can now become her convert with
out renonncng his moral and mental freedom, and
placing his civil loyalty and duty at the mercy of
f.. That she c.Rome) has equally repudiated
modern thought and ancient history.
The first and fourth of these propositions
he d!smisses summariy because they raise a
theological issue simply, which does not be-
long to his purpose. Proceeding to the Sec
ond branch he enumerates eighteen PROPOSE
lions, all the holders of which have been con-
. demned by the See of Rome during his own
generation. Some of the more important Of
these are:
l. Those who maintain the libertyof the press.
z. Or the liberty Of conscience and OF worship.
10. Or that, in the conflict OF law civil and ecclesi-
astical the civil law should prevail.
II. Or that any method Of instruction of YOUTH
solely secular, may be approved. -
IL; Or that knowledge Of thing philosophical and
and ecclesiastical authority.
49, Or that marriage is not in its essence sacra-
ment
IA. Or that marriage, not sacramentaly con-
tracted. has binding force. -
10. Or that the abolition Ct the temporal power
Of the Popedom would be Highly advantageous to the
is. Or that any other religion than the Roman
religion may be established b a state.
~ Or that in countries allied Catholic' the free
exercise Of other religions nay laudably be allowed
49, Or that the Roman P,ntif ought to come to
terms with progress, liberalism, and modern cvili-
cation. 1877
The third proposition, viz, ''That no one
can now become her [Rome'sl convert with
out renouncing his moral and mental free
dom. and placing his civil loyalty and duty
atthe mercy of another, Mr.. Gladstone
considers the most important branch of his
subject and the larger part OF the pamphlet
is devoted TO its discussion. He reminds us
that those who, not being converts, but life
long Catholics, refused to assent to the dog
ma Of 1870, underwent the extreme excom-
munication. He-does not hold the mass of
Catholics responsible for this and kindred
dogmas, though they submit to them, but he
calls upon English Catholics to replace them
selves where they stood at the date of the
Catholic emancipation in 1929. He lectures
them sharply and thinks it is not too much
TO ask his Roman Catholic countryman 20
clear away the presumptiye obligations under
which they lie to their ecclesiastical rulers
abroad, and to fulfil the engagements into
which their bishop at home entered for them
in 1926.
Finally Mr.. Gladstone asks whether he is
the man who ought to have set forth these
propositions and made this cxpostulation.
For thirty years, he says in office and out, in
majorities and small minorities, he has la
bored to extend civil rights to his Roman
Catholic countrymen. Now England has
discharged her last obligation to the Catholic
subject, he himself when in power having
liquidated the last Of the debt, Finally, to
make sure and pay in full, he attempted to
endow the Catholic universities of Ireland,
but Catholic influence defeated his scheme.
Now, says Gladstone, cur last tenders are
declined, you are legally satisfied and we are
released from further obligations. The great
liberal party which has embarrassed itself
with efforts in your behalf, and I, whom half
England has believed to be a Catholic, have
your quit-claim. In the future, no fear and
no favor between us.
The New York Evening Post, in noticing
the opening of the new line from Portland to
Worcester, says there are three commercial
centers in the East which have conspicuously
stood in the way of the general demand for
air lines and close connections, viz: New