The New York herald., 1874-11-22

Archbishop OF Baltimore.
Mr.. Gladstone and the Vatican Decrees-
A Reply from Most Rev. DIR. Manning.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE LONDON DAILY TBLEGRAPH:-
SrR-rhe gravity the subject on which l ad.
dress you. aflecting, 3 1t must every Catholic In
the British Empire, i'll, hope, obtain from your
courtesy the publica IN OF this letter.
This morning l re eived o copy OF q pamphlet,
entitled "The Vatican DEGREES in Their Bearing on
Civil Allegiance find In 1t direct appeal to
myself, both for the ONCE hold and Tor the writ
ings have published. gladly acknowledge the
duty that lies upon me for both these reasons. I
am bound by the once bear not to suffer day
to pass without repeing from the Catholics Of
this country the lightest imputation upon their
loyalty; and. for my teaching, 1 am ready to
show that the principles ! have ever taught
1t is true indeed, that IN page 81 OF the pamphlet
Mr. Gladstone expresses hfs belief that many OF
hts Roman Cathohc friends and feilow-country-
menn are, ITO say the least OF II, as good citizens
as himself" But. as the whole pamphlet is an
elaborate argument to prove that the teaching Of
to be SO, cannot accept this graceful acknowI-
edgment, which implies that they are good cit-
zens because they are at variance with the Gath
should be wanting in duty to the Catholics Of
this country and TO myself Y did not give a
prompt contradiction to this statement, and II I
did not with equal prOmptpess affirm that the
loyalty OF civil allegiance ls no. In spite OF
the teaching OF the Catholic Church. but because
OF it.
Tne sum OF the argument in the pamphlet Just
published to the woria Is thls:1Tnat by the Vati-
relations Of Catholics to the civil power or States
that IT is no longer possible ior them to render
sible for Catholics to render before the promulga.
ton OF those decrees
In answer to this It is for the present sufncient
l. That the Vatican DEGREES have In no jot or
title changed either the obligations or the cOndi-
q That the civil allegiance OF Catholics 10 as un.
divided as that O. all Christians, and OF all men
8. That the civil allegiance OF no man fs un.
limited. and. therefore, the civil allegiance OF all
@ Science G is in that Sc sense @ divided " con-
with truth thas the evil allegiance Of Catholics
ts divided The civil allegiance OF every Christian
man in England is limited by conscience and the
law OF God; and the civil allegiance Of Catholics
Is limited neither less nor more.
The public peace Of the British Empire has been
consolidated in the last half century by the elimi
our laws. The Empire Of Germany i might have have
been equally peaceful and stable II It's statesmen
had not been tempted, IN an evil hour, to rake up
the old fires OF religious diSuntOD. The hand OF
one man, more than any other, threw this torch
Of sc9Td f into me Ger%an Empire The
Or. Ignatius Won bulin0er as the author OF
tins national evil. lament not only to read the
name, name, but to 2 trace The the arguments OF d. Won Won
preserve these kingdoms from the public and pri-
vate calamities which are vistbly impending over
nrst line assures US that his purpose is not po-
lemlcal, but pacific" / am sorry that so good an
intention should nave 30 widely erred in the Sc
lection Of the means. a.
But my purpose neither to criticise nor to con-
man. as Catholic, and as pastor, is TO claim Ior
my flock and for myself, civil allegiance as pure,
as true and as loyal as Is rendered by the distln,
OF the British Empire. remain. str your faithful
servant, HENRY EDWARD,
Archbishop OF Westminster.
Religion Not a Mere seutiment-What
Reservations Mean and What They
Are Not.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Whatever regrets may be expressed at the rise
and progress OF the present controversy l. for
one, shall feel none II the open discussion Of the
principles at issue but ends in establishing the
TACT that Catholics are, by doctrine, conviction
and practice as faithful and devoted citizens as
the best OF you.
Forgive me II must at the outset emphatically
deny one other Affirmation Of yours. that religion,
namely, is but "a sentiment" No. sir, my creed
Is not o sentiment mere subjective feeling, az
fecttng the mind, the Imagination W the senslbi-
ties OF tue individual believer, but resting on
nothing positive, tangible or indestructble be-
yond that My religion ia based on hard set
clearly cut doctrtnal facts-called dogmas.
The dogmatc structure Of that great Catholic
creed Is as firmly based. as sharply defined and as
visible to the minds eye in the intellectual world
as the pyramid OF Cheops has been to the traveller
In Egypt for the last 1,SO0 years.
And it is precisely because the doctrine Of allie.
glance the civil magistrate has ever been clearly
defined and declared age after age, without am
biguity or reservation" that approach this dis-
cussion with unhesltating confidence.
affirm 1t, and fearlessly challenge contradiction
or the TACT, there is neither in Catholic doctrine
on the relations OF Church and State nor In the
authoritative declaration Of councils or Popes any
one thing which warrants Jour assertion that ''the
whole Catholic system is based upon q Teserva-
tom precisely like the higher law OF the anti.
slavery men,"
After the most careful and conscientious study
OF the tenets Of other religious denominations, I
can find no reservation" In this matter OF obedi-
ence 10 law which Is not made by the members OF
every Church in the Union-nay, which is not MADE
by every citizen in the community when he casts
his vote for President or Governor, Congressman
or Assemblyman, Judge, Attorney General or Al
derman.
The question at issue Is too serious az at least
conceive IT, that we should engage In war OF
words. What then, Is the State to whose ord-
nances, II understand you Alright, your principles
would demand the acquiescence OF my judgment
and the submission OF my will without '.reserva-
tionn or conditions Let US look into the matter
little more closely.
The state is not mere abstraction, an ideal be-
ing standing between earth and heaven, superior
to the entire body OF citizens, invested with mys
terious powers derived one knows not whence in.
capable OF dong wrong, inaccessible to a sense
either Of mercy or OF justice, and irresponsible to
any one for Its acts.
IL is, in our time-honored Anglo-Saxon theory OF
government derived in its every essential feature
from old Catholic generations), a thing OF flesh
and blood, made up OF the chosen men Of the COM
munity, intrusted for the time being with the