The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-23
Cardinal Antonslli and bismarck.
IN. Y. Freeman's Journal ]


On the 10Th nit. Bismarck, in q speech to
the Chamber of deputies OF the German
Empire, INDUCED in language of coarse
insult, such as is habitual with him, in re-
gard to the Court of Rome. Among other
things, he said that 'Some years ago he
Autonelli that the formation of the Party
of the Gentle, lin the German Parliament,)
constituted q danger. Cardinal AntoDellig
who was not yet under the Influence of the
Jesuits, disspproved the formation of
the Party of the Centre; but the Centre dis-
Cardinal Antonelli, and was needed by the
Pope"
1t seems Count Taufkirchen, then the
German ambassador near the Holy See,
did have an interview with Cardinal An
tonelli, and reported the Cardinal as bav-
ing spoken to such purpose. In non
official communication to the OsssrcGtors
Romano, Cardinal Autoneli has caused
Distinct denial to be- given to the interpre-
tstion put on his conversation with the
German ambassador. The German official
papers on the other hand insist that Card
lnal AntoneIfi did SO express himself.
But az they have not line of Cardinal
Antonelli's writing to show for it, this in
sistance rests only on the word of the Ger
man ambassador, naturally anxious to
prove to his master, Bismarck, that he
was an efficient and successful dipfomatist.
1t is exceedingly ridiculous to be making
so mach of what was, at best, an entirely
informal conversation. Cardinal Antonelli
is charged with affairs of State, rather than
with ecclesiastical matters. AS states
man, in receiving a communication, not
written from the German ,Embassador. he
might very well, without committing HIM
self in the least, have uttered expressions
founded on hypothesis presented by his
interlocutor. For Example. Suppose Tauf-
kirchen had said There are Catholic
barons and Catholic Bishops, in the Ger
man parliament, who are using their posi-
ton as Catholic leaders to drag into play the
influence of the Catholic Church solely to
promote their own personal and family in
terests and ambitions"
What more natural than for Cardinal An
tonellr to reply: 'Ifyou are not ken
in your appreciation, that would be very
much to be deplored," ect. Whether the
Cardinal did make any such Hypothetical
remarks or not, he remembers making
others which he has communicated to the
OsserVatore Romano. Among other things,
that, "while he could not speak officially in
30 grave q matter without referring the con-
versation to the Holy Father, he could, on
general principles, assure the German
ambassador that it was not the habit of the
Holy See to NEEDLE in the internal Conflicts
of parties in any country, except when one
or other of these parties infrlnged directly
the rights and liberties of the Catholic
Church. That if Catholics, as others, acted
in a way contrary to the acknowledged
Constitution of the German Empire, it
belonged to the Empire, not to the Holy
See, to vipdicate the integrity of that
Constitution, And other similar things.
CoHnt TaufkrcheB might, on the head of
this, dispatch to Bismarck that Cardinal
Antonelli disapproved the action of the
Centre party in the German parliament
but any one see that he put his own inter-
probation on the cautious and diplomatic
language of Cardinal Aptonelli.
Examined in all it's parts, we cannot see
why-except for the desire of something to
talk about-the official press of Germany
are making so much fuss over this incident.