The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-26

cision did not lie wholly, or even NANNY, WIN
those responsible leaders. Those leaders were
very much IN the position OF those French cniet
taiDs OF the Communist tnsurrection, who saio'
with reference to some outbreak OF tner
ungoyernable adherents, 1--WE are their leaders
and must. therefore. follow them" When II was
evident that the coveted prize was to be had Tor
the swapping At It the nation became upon tnat
point ungovernable The current Of the national
wish was TOO strong to be struggled against. the
King was understood to be most unwilling to make
the irrevocable step. II was said there Is reason
TO believe with perfect TRUTH that his personal re-
ngious feelings and convictions were "strong
against the deedp IL is probable also tnst there
were some among his constitutional advisers who
were not insensible to the influence OF similar
scruples. But resistance was Of no use. Delay
became unsafe. There never was case In which
the uor popls had to be assumed 10 be the Uoc Del
more entirely. "Ronsa oAortef'-Rome or Death
was chalked on every dead wall throughout the
Kingdom. s.Ronsa o Aorter was beloved in
every street by crowds who would have ran like
hares from the risk Of broken neadi Such mani
festations Of the sovereign popular will were nos
to be resisted, and
TO ROME ITALY WENT
But the great stephaving been determined on. the
Welding but stn alarmed Ministry were, anxious
to do oil that was possible to alternate the blow
they were innlcting on the Ponti6 and to prove
their "moderationn to those European govern
ments who. 1t was feared, might be disposed to
break lance lat least automatically In the Holy
Fathers behalf. And the Parliamentary leaders
Of the nation. overjoyed at the near prospect OF
the good fortune they had hardly dared to antici-
pate, were not In hum0r to be too ciose-hsted az
to the promises they were asked to make to the
oIC Cnup In htc nj I'M n
the national mind the celebrated claw of the
Guarantees" was passed-the law BY the passing
OF which Italy sought to conciliate In some degree
the Apostolic Court II possible, and to induce 1t to
come to some accord as TO the finding M0dals
UiUesdi which should make the CO existence OF
the two rival powers within the walls OF
the same city not too tntoerable-t0
accomplish this, in the first place. and
in such measure as might turn out to be possible,
but secondarily, ana az all events to prove to the
rest OF the world that the rising young nation had
no intention of unduly interfering with the spirit
uai supremacy Of the Holy Father. With this view
the Italian Parliament piled up its oners 1t went
to the very verge OF what was possible without
absolutely making Its own civil government I'M
possible 1t went, In the opinion OF many persons,
somewhat farther than this. What with the prOdt-
gality ofjoy at having Unexpectedly come into
this great Inheritance and fear lest even then 1t
might be snatched out OF her grasp, Italy was
ready to promise almost anything. And certainly
II the passing OF that law or the guarantees had
been deferred for twelve months the terms Of 1t
would nave been very different. That lapse Of
time would have auficed to show that no country
in the world, save France. which had been reduced
to impotence, was at all disposed to take up the
cudqels for the Holy Father; and much smaller
period was more than enough to prove, to the
despair OF the most hopeful that the notion OF con-
ciliating the Vatican was chimerical one.
THE VATICAN As A PASSIVE POWER.
The truth is, as dispassIonate locker on
cannot fail to see. that both parties to
this dispute were fencing with words,
while keeping facts In the background, and
putting forward arguments, the strength OF which
lay in the recognized fact that the opposite party
was prevented Dy the theory OF its position from
demolishing them by candid statement OF the
real state OF the case. The italian government
asseverated that the greatest care should be taken
that the spiritual authority OF the Holy Father and
his means Of governing the Universal Church
should remain intact. They knew, OF course, per-
fecty well that the real power and prestige Of
Catholicism would be very fatally injured by the
deposition OF the Pontln from his status as . tenn
poral prince But they also knew that the Vatican
could not reply what, In fact, 10 the truth
that the temporal power is--or rather was
in these days the best crutch OF the
spiritual power; that though the real spiritual
power OF spoken word and the efficacy or the
preacher had often and in many lands done much,
the fathers of the Church were by no means ais
posed to trust the safety OF the Church to such
means alone. 1t Is mistake to suppose or to In
sinuate that the Pope and his advisers cling 30
passlonately to the dominion which has been
wrenched from them and to the temporal power
belonging to it simply from the lust OF state, and
power and wealth and kingly grandeur. Nc
doubt they are intimately persuaded that these
things are necessary for the well-being Of ST.
Peters bark. Only they do not stop to investigate
the question how far this safety OF st. Peters bark
expresses altogether the same ideas which are
present to the mind or layman when he
talks OF uphol1ing the interests Of religion.
THE ARGUMENT OF THE head OF THE CHURCH.
The Pope on his side has this justification Tor the
persistent "tinseo Danaos ct dona Jerentes" Of his
consistent refusal of all that Italy can ofIer. tina
he really knows that the men he has to deal witt
care in their own hearts nothing for him and hi
religion that they are, II not what we should cal
implous and irreligious reprobates, yet certainly
what he understands by those terms. But the
Italian statesmen and Paria mentary leaders ough
TO nave kuOWu tuht tnc IcCOuCiiluLlOu DcLWeeu tut
Roman PontiH and themselves and their deeds ant
their pretensions was ana must always remain al
utterly vain dream. At al events 1t has become
clear to all men that the famous guarantees, O
which so much has been written and so much
talked have effected nothing whatever towards
this end. Yet 1t cannot be denied that much, very
much, was really offered and that, though
some part or what was offered has been
rejected, much also has been accepted. The civil
list oil three millions and half annually has been
steadily refused. And looking at the matter from
the Vatican point OF view, 1t cannot be wondered
at that such should have been the decision OF Plus
the Ninth and the Apostolic Court. We may talk
about ''civil list" and use the most gcnteel Of
courtly phrases to give the thing an appearance as
little OFFENSIVE as may be. but the fact is minis
taxable that by the acceptance OF the sum thus
pronered the Pope would not only recognize the
right OF those who paid 1t to him to the property
out OF the revenues OF which the sum was forth
coming, but would place himself In the position Of