The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-16
Bismarck and the Catholic Church

Prince Bismarck, in one of his recent
speeches, announces that he is not an enemy
of the Catholic Church, that che warred only
against the Papacy, which had adopted the
principle of the determination of heretics and
was IN enmity with the Gospel as well as with
the Prussan State 1t is difficult TO follow
the exalted, and at times feverish temper OF
Prince Bismarck's recent speeches. He has
told US that lie believes the Jesuits forced
France into war. Now he insists that the
Pope means to renew the Inquisition and the
''acrs of faith" We can hardly believe that
Prince Bismarck thinks that if the Pope had
his way he would 'extermlnate heretics;
that he would insist upon putting to the rack
or the sword all the Germans and Americans
and Englishmen who do not subscribe to the
dogma of infallibility. We could compre-
bend statements of this kind from street
preachers of the fervent school, who have
given their minds to the study of the Book of
Revelation and who know the meaning of the
different walls ; but we cannot imagine tenn
perate and responsible minister, charged with
the peace of great kingdom, seriously ex-
pressing an apprehension thar if the old Pope
had his way he would throw him into the
embrace of the Iron Virgin at Nuremberg or
condemn him to the noisome depths of
Madrid dungeon.
The feverishncss of Prince Bismarck's
rhetoric throws a strong light upon the exact
position Of the Holy See in Europe. The
German Chancellor makes war upon an in
duence he cannot reach. He aims his blows
at the Pope, who is really an intangible,
evanescent power. He is, so far as the material
forces OF the conflict are concerned, simply
venerable and rather stubborn ecclesiastical
dignitary, who exists in Rome by the suffer-
ance of the King of Italy, and who could be
sent over the frontier tomorrow by an Italian
policeman should Victor Emmanuel so will.
He has unlimited command of excommunica-
tons and anatnemas but not soldier.
What has Prince Bismarck to fear from this
old clergyman? Nothing in one way and
many things in other ways. The powerless
priest is in truth the most powerful of poten-
tates. AS prince he is nothing; as an in
fuence everything. He is the chief of
the largest body of civilized people in Chris
tendon. His authority is obeyed to the utter
most ends OF the earth. lie has not shown
the full meaning of his authority. Bismarck
makes war upon the Pope as the minister of q
monarch " no reigns by the grace of God. In
this capacity he disdains and assails the
Roman pretensions to infallibility which he
regards as o scheme of the Jesuits to
strengthen the Holy See. But has the Pope
/ - - E l.
as the Emperor has to claim his crown by
Gods grace? If one is the legend of priests
the other is q legend of princes, and, even
from worldly view, one has as much right to
the support of mankind as the other.
But in this struggle between divine right
and infalllbility there is an agency open to
the Pope which he has not welded; an
agency of irresistible power We mean the
dogma of democracy. The Pope at the outset
of his pontificate showed disposition to cul-
tiyate liberal ideas and act with the liberal
party in Italy. But he was prevented by the
influence OF the Italian party which then sur
rounded him. He preferred the support of
the kings-a support that has vanished. He
sees now that the kings bave only used him
for their advantage-that there was no sim
certify in their friendship-that so long as he
blessed ''divine right and encouraged his
focks to be faithful subjects they aided him.
But in the time of trial no Power IN Europe,
no matter how Catholic, dares to salute His
Holiness with true filial affection. Belgium
has Just been soundly bullied by Prussia fer
presuming to do so, and Marshal MacMahon
has been compelled to moderate his
bishops to prevent another scene with
Bismarck. All this time the Pope sees
that only in republican countries is the
Church free-in republican Peru, which is
Catholic, and in republican America, which
is Protestant. He sees that if his Church will
live it must rest upon the affections of the
people, and that without this support it will
never possess true independence. This is the
meaning we attach to the appointment of an
American prelate to be cardinal for the first
time in our history This is why the Pope
has given special privileges to the President
of Peru. This is slso the reason why he has
maintained with the President of the French
Republic relations of ostentatious amity. The
quarrel between Bismarck aud the Pope is
really quarrel between two dogmas-divinc
right and infallibility. Let the Pope accept
the other dogma, Americas contribution to
the political wisdom of the future, that call
men are created free and equal, and there
will be severer blow to Bismarck and his
class than they have received at any time since
the fall of the Bastile.
Criminal Games.