The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-06-28
NUMBER 81.

predicted the downfall of Napoleon III long
before tho war -iH-ftaly. He is successful, !"
said Metternich, he has excellent cards in
his hands. and he plays his game well, but he
will DO lost as revolutionary Emperor ON the
Napoleon III. ut the height of his power con-
spired with Cavour to bring about that fatal
war in Italy against Austria. which was the
trayed Austria in 1856, by allowing and favor
| ing an alliance between Prussia and italy, q
war against Austria would have been impossi-
BILE. and the victory of Sadowa would not have
| taken place. nor the senseless war of 1870 that
| grew out of Sadowa.
With Catholic faith, enlightened by history,
the issue of the contest between tho German
Empire and the Catholic Church need occasion
| no alarm.
Two results will follow the Catholic Church
| will come out of the contest more united and
more powerful; and pseudo-1iberalism, which
has played the part of intolerance and perse-
| cution, will be unmarked, and the friends of
prudent and sincere liberty will make their
ever militant, ever attacked, sometimes q
martyr, but which in the end comes out Of her
trials purified rejuvenated, and with increased
glory.
The world will understand that she is 6ghtiug
in Germany for the liberty of the conscience or
the human race.
Governments, and in particular great EN-
pires, founded on force, look upon the indie
pendence of the universal Church with feelings
of jealousy and Impotence; the idea OF .
national church has always been fAvorite and
pleasing one with despotisms, because it
promiseS them o servie instrument to carry
out their designs. But when the Church 10
subject to the State. there can be no church.
The high level of the consciences of tho people
sinks rs freedom disappears
The true and divine Chris can be contained
within no boundaries, aud in no nationality
1t Is the spiritual kingdom of coBscences and
of souls from the Independence of the Church.
the independence of consciences and souls
derives its life. If the Church is under tho
a.,
like subsection. The world will at last COM
preheud that national churches. that 10,
churches in subjectioD, can have only enslaved
souls as followers, aud thai there can DO no
freedom for the conscience Of e.an except upop
the sole condition OF the indepe ndence N tie
Church, acco Intable not to any human TpTsr,
but to God.
The confidence shown in the result of this
contest In Germany, and indeed in Italy,
Sp ain, Switzerland and Brazil for it is the
same con test under different forms, is based in
part on of those sublime allocunons adj
dressed by the Sovereign Pontiff to the German
Catholics, in which he says: "Bo confident
be united for a stone will fall from the noun
tain and will shatter the feet of the Colossus
If God wills that other prosecutions arise, the
Church does not fear them on the contrary,
she becomes stronger thereby. and she Purihes
herself, because even in the Church there are
things that need to be purified, and nothing
contribn es more thereto than the prosecutions
exercised her by the great ones OF tho
earth"
The great statesman of Germany should bear
in MUD the stone falling from tue mountain,
and breaking the feet of the Colossus.
That splendid figure which Daniel sets
before rs of kingdoms with feet part Of iron
and part of clay, and of the church. that stone
cut out of monntaiB without hands, which
broke in pieces the Kingdoms, and became .
great mountain and filled the whole earth,
that figure has its application in every age,
and should stand for all Christians as q hope,
amid trials aud a teaching to all the proud.
The principle involved in the German perse-
cution is liberty of conscience, q principle dear
to the heart of every American.
Hence 1t is important to the Catholic cause
in America that the truth respecting the con-
test of Bismarck with the Church should be
known and proclaimed. The liberal press L.
either silent or speaks with bated breath IL
desires to conceal the extraordinary fact, that
in this enlig ed age, tho most distinguished
ally of the Liberal party in Europe, railing the
deatinies of great empire, has been guilty OF
the monstrouS anarchroDism of prosecuting
Bishops and priests on account of their reli-
gious belief; while the Pope of Rome, the arch
conspirator against the liberties of mankind,
with his two hundred million of Catholic
slaves. is in the name of God aad religion bat
Ting for liberty of conscience.
In what light could present to the Ameri-
can people our Sovereign POnrif, on the coca
sion of the twenty eighth anniversary Of his
reign, more agreeable to bin and them, thRR
as the Vicar of Christ Illuminating the thunders
Of the Vatican against the sacreligions rulers
Of the earth who dare invade the sacred free
dom of conscience and the spiritual indePeR-
dence Of the Christian Church,
During the delivery of this speech Mr.
Semmes was frequently intercepted by thS
cheers Of the audience who. catching the many
capital points made by the orator, could not
repress their enthusiasm.
THE RESOLUTIONS
Of conGratulation to the Holy Father were
then read by DR.. Thos. Layton, and were
adopted by q hearty "yea" on the part Of every
man and woman in the audience.
The resolutions are as follows:
Whereas, Almighty God in His infinite wis
m Jgbtb