The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-13
THE PAPACY.
The Pope's Contest with
the Secular Powers.
THE LOGIC OF EVENTS.
The Church in a state
OF Bondage.

When Italy pursuing the path OF national aspi-
ration which truly wonderful combination OF cir
eumstances now for the first time, alter so many
generations OF waiting ana OF hope deferred,
opened her took violent possession OF the states
Of the Church, OF che, OF all the nations of
the earth was in the eyes OF the Papacy the worst
and most dangerous enemy with which the Church
had 10 contend. That the nation should have
seized the opportunity OF delivering herself from
yoke OF the foreigner thatl should have thrown
down the barriers which parceled out the sod into
half dozen petty prncipaties and forbade the
name OF Italy TO be aught save geographical ex-
pression''-this was 70 have been expected ana
might have been tolerated by a Pontin among
whose predecessors there were some, at least who
would have regarded such en- terprise with no
hostile eve. II, OF late years and centuries the
ChurcB had been found on the side OF the stronger
and the oppressor and had been seen to throw its
lot in with the petty tyrants whose life and OBJ
ject 1t to maze the soon OF the Austrian states
man permanent truth, 1t was because the Apos-
tolic Court, with that unerring instinct that mas
always warned 1t OF the approach OF danger and
given IL The power OF Enthusiastically Judging the
direction OF human tendencies, saw that
this national course BODIED no good TO Papal
pretensions. But it thought that the rising
tide which swept away the barriers OF Law prince.
hngs, would have stopped short at the frontiers OF
the sacred dominions of the Church. And there is
good reason 10 believe that if the matter had been
In the HANDS OF the leaders OF the nation whether
King or Ministers such would have been the case
The hesitation ana doubt that characterized the
last decisive step. which made Rome itself part OF
the new Italian State, have been spoken OF in a
former letter. similar hesitation arising in
deed, not from any religious scruples but from
fear OF what might arise out OF the religious scru-
pies ofothers, marked every step In the progress or
the Invasion OF the Papal dominlons. But the tide
swept on. because it a tide, and it was beyond
the power OF kings or statesmen to stop it.
THE LOGIC OF NATIONAL EVENTS.
That so irresistible tide should have existed
II very remarkable and nationally CHARACTERISTIC
fact, which those who speculate on the probable
future OF States and Churches may consider with
instruction. This thing happened in a nation
par excellence Catholic. Every Individual civil
or military, who was implicated directly or in
directly, by act or by WISH in the overthrowlnc
Of the Papal frontiers and the invasion OF the
Papal State was bound to believe by the religion
ne protested to hold that he was thereby
FORGETTING his hopes OF eternal salvation
and mourning an eternity OF punishment
Yet these considerations awaited absolutely
nothing to prevent the entire nation from
rushing forward on the course which promised to
realize its national wishes Surely a very singu-
ing similar religious tenets who would surely
have been held in check bv the monitions and
mensces OF their sith Upon this people these had
simply no effect at ali. And the people OF relig-
ious nations. American ana English, began forth.
with 10 say, they looked at the strange phe-
nomeDon IN question, evidently these people are
not Catholics. Evidently they must ne ready TO
Tenource . creed which they clearly care nothing
about, and we have only to distribute SUFFICIENT
quantity OF Bibles and reaching among them TO
make them into Professionals, like our
selves.p signal error, as | am sorry to
have 70 warn our well-meaning friends on either
shore OF the Atlantic they will in time discover.
Truly the Inference, that becxuse this people is
very little amensble to the doctrines OF Catholicism
they must surely be ready to become Protestan
IL very much akin TO that OF the would-be actor
who, when Garrlck assured him that he had no
talent for tragedy, replied that it was clearly.
then, IN comedy that mis- genus must lie The
truth that the italian people are probably the
least religious on the face OF the earthly which
mean that they are less actuated by any reveren-
tial thought OF the Invisible or care about any
world save that IN which they now live. But
this s depression though ii touches very curious
subject, which would well repay more detailed ex-
animation and which has to be considered by who
soever would understand rightly the present situa-
ton OF affairs In 1tay. The italian people, then,
throwing their catholic teaching and Catholic pro-
LESSONS 10 the winGs invaded the Popes territory,
set al naught HIS authority and his threats, and
finally dethroned MIN IN his own city. And OF
course they were looked upon. as have said, as
the worst and most dangerous enemies OF the
Church and the Papacy But matters nave con-
considerably changed in that respect IN Europe
snce that time. Probably the feelings or the Pom
tn and OF his Court still more sore on the
subject OF Italys detection than on that OF
their other troubles. For there is a sort OF "Et tn
Bruter feeling which embitters the Pope's resent
ment against Italy. But the real truth is, that
other OBJECTIONS which have declared themselves
since ltays rebellion was contaminated are more
deadly and more dangerous to the future OF the
Church than that is or is likely TO be. Italy, If
only the Church would not give her TOO much
trouble in temporal matters, would be content to
60 on ior many generation 10 come allowing the
Pope 10 be undlsputed lord on his own side OF the
hedge, calling themselves devout Catholics, and
paying bishops ana priests OF the Popes appoint
ment. But II Is very different sort OF spirit that
has been evoked on the other side or the Alps
The people there take religion an Se7teurf The
chances really are there, that II the population find
that they have no talent FOR Catholicism they Will
show themselves to have agenius Tor Professionalism
And now still more recently, Austria, too is fall
ing away, rejecting her eoncordat, and in every
way declining TO give the Pontin any support
whether moral or other, towards the maintenance
OF MS pretensions. And those South Germans
with their tender nature and emotional sentl.
menialisms, will assuredy believe one thing If
they dont believe the other. But believe you
Know, really IN earnest, after quite different
fashion from the easy-going practical saduceeism
winch prevails TO the south OF the Alpine barrier.
The rulers OF the Church may be sure that the
lowering OF the sky in the North portends much
more dangerously stormy weather than the squalls
which have dashed Italy, even though they have
been the immediate agents in the pulling down OF
the Pspa temporal power.
POLICY OF THE pArAcy
1t is probable that this may be recognized to be
the truth in the councils OF the vatican to a
greater degree than is allowed to become apparent