The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-24
MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN NEWS.
II ITO May ed
REVISION OF THE SWISS coNsrIrUr1oN.

L
bund, as to that league the Canton Ticino
did not belong. The numbers of the popu-
| lar vote were correctly given 1886 600 for
and 20O, 600 against and these figures
represent pretty accurately the strength of
| the Protestants and the Catholics within
the majority of 335 900 there were about
| 20 900 Catholics, these we're counterbalanc-
ed by the same number of Proteetants who
voted in the minority. All the Cantons in
| which the Catholics form the majority of
the population voted against the measure
| with the exception of Soleure and St. Gall,
which are the ead-quarters of the indif
ferent or rebellious Catholics and in the
other mixed Cantons the proportions in the
voting corresponded pretty accurately to
the proportions of the two religious bodies;
except in Geneva, where fear of the usual
mob violence induced a great number of
Catholics to abstain from voting.
COUNT ARNIM AND THE GERMAN GOVERN
MENT.
The extent to which the German Gov
eminent is going in carrying on its war to
to create dissatisfaction even among the
more moderate anti Catholics. Count Won
Arnim himself is one of these. The letters
written by him from Rome at the time Of
the Council, which have recently excited
so much attention, suffice to prove that he
Council, or of the Catholic Church. But
nobody who ever knew him would think
him likely man to sympathiZe with down.
right persecution. And the proceedings of
his Government have become 30 strongly
marked with that character that he has
been moved to express his disapprobation.
Such, at least, is the only Interpretation
which we can put upon the kilograms which
record the anger of the Berlin official or
semi official press at letter written last
week by Count Won Arnim to DR.. Dollln-
ger. The criticisms which that letter con-
taips on the course pursued by the German
Government in ecclesiastical matters are
such-snys the North German GaSette-as
it is "difficult to reconcile with the trad-
tions of the Prussian diplomatic service )"
and the National Zeitun9 can only under
stand the publication of them on the sup
position that Count Won Arnim ''declines
any laDger to represent the policy OF the
Emperor and Prince Bismarck" 1t ia
limited that Count Won Arnins will not be
| able to retain his appointment to Constan-
tiuople, or, indeed, to remain at all in the
| diplomatic service in reply to which his
friends are said to threaten that, if he is
ILL treated, he will be obliged to publish
| in self defence documents which 'will COW
er Prince Bismarck with confusion" 1.-The
does, he will probably prove a far more
embaI RAISING antagonist than even General
| La Marmora.
HIS LETTER TO DIR. Won DoLLINaER.
Itmust not be supposed that Count Won
Arnim at all takes the part of the persecut-
ed Catholics. But that he is disgusted at
| the present state of hostiities between
State aud Church is apparent from the terms
| which he employ in bis letter to describe it,
If the Government, he says, had adopted
the course which he should have preferred,
and which Prince Won Hohenlohe advised
! at the time of the Council, "we should not
at this moment be involved In an incom-
| prehensible muddle, which calls into ques-
ton that which long since appeared to have
become the common property of Chris
tians." The phrase cannot be interpreted
otherwise than as meaning that freedom in
matters of religion and conscience, which
be holds to be "the common property Of
all Christians" is now violated in the case
of Catholics. AS to the expedient for pre-
venting the conflict to which Count Won
Arnim would have resorted, it is in the
eyes of Catholics most absurd. He would
1 have entered into "moTe serious negotia-
tions"-whether between the Powers them
selves or between them and the Holy See,
is not quite clear-with a view of chipping
in the bud the rank growth cultivated by
the Council" Nothing bas been more
conspicuous in all Count Arnim's letters
than his inability to recognize, not only
any divine element, but even any con-
/ scientuous motives in the action of the
|
negotiations'' would have stopped q defni
ton of doctrine, and the "explanation"
which he says that be received "respect,
ing the consequences of the dogma from
some German Bishops, evidently was either
misunderstood by him, or was not apph
cable to the definition which was actually
decreed, as, in the judgment of the Ger
man Bishops themselves, that was utterly
incapable of affecting the existing relations
between the Powers and the Holy See
TIE AUSTRIAN CONVERTS BILL.
Another piece of anti Catholic legislation
has been advanced step, the Converts
Bill having been read second time in the
Lower House of the Austrian Reichsrath.
Two amendments have been added with
view of rendering the measure still more
stringent, one prohibiting the use of the
disciplinary authority of the convent to
| prevent persons obeying tue laws or freely
exercising their rights 81 citizenship
which. from any point of view, seems su-
pei huous, as obedience to religious supe-
| rinrS n,rst in anv Case bts "A matter of con-