The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-08-29
London Register, Au1.1t

tLondon Register, Aug.7f
From time to time we ask ourseives-ls
the Catholic cause making progress IN
Europe, or are we loaing groundf The
question 10 o serious one. Let us see what
answer we can give TO IL at the present mo-
ment. Glancing over the wide field of Con-
tineutal politics, 1t seems to Us that have
every reason to be satisfied with the action
of the Catholic party In the various
countries of Europe during the last two or
three months--and our survey extends no
farther. More than one brilliant success
has been obtained by persevering and in
telligent action under we'll tried leaders,
and theae amply compensate for partial
failures 10 other quarters. Every whore the
clergy and the people are closely united,
fearless Preas snppOrts and defends
Catholic interests, and mere or less organ
ICED electorate secures for them q represent
tative voice in the Senate aud the munich
pality.
We naturally look frst-not to France,
or Germany, or Spain, bat to Italy and
Rome, the great centre of the Catholic
world. There, under the revolutionary
rule of the Subalpine Monarchy, Catholic
action is necessarily dwarfsd and restricted
by q hundred anti Catholic lave; aud,
throughout the Peuinsuls, the Catholics
are debarred from making any attempt to
secure representation Ia Parliament, for
the elected members would have to take
the oath of allegiance to the usurping King,
and the electors themselves could not re-
cord their votes without at once acknowl-
edging and ratifying the usurpation. They
had even abstained from voting at the
municipal elections until, three years ago,
the Holy Father permitted aud invited
them to endeavour to obtain . share in the
local government of the country. The first
effort was, on the whole, . failure. At Nap
les, indeed, the Catholic committees, di.
pne kaA hu Hhn ior DO
SforSa, secured 0 victory, and Catholic
candidates were sfso successful in many of
the smaller towns, especially Ia the South
and in the Papal States. But in far the
greater majority Of cases the Liberals were
returned. Throughout Italy the result was
Of plebiscitc confirming the work of the
Revolution. It was said that sol long az the
Catholic party had refused to take any part
In the elections, so long as their motto was
''Ne elettoTi ne eletti," they had been able to
boast that they were in the majority and
that the country was with them but, hav-
ing once ventured TO the urns and suffered
q signal defeat, the delusion was at an end
for ever.
The English press ever ready to adopt
the falsehoods and misstatements of the
Liberal press of Italy and France, took up
the cry, and proclaimed that the Catholic
party 10 Italy, was q miserable and impo>
TENT traction. TOE once Tue 5ebf-0fHSt8t
press of Germany spoke the truth and
showed keener insight into the situation
in Italy, perhaps, because the Liberals of
Germany felt deep and personal interest
10 what was passing beyond the Alps, and,
therefore, watched the current of Italian
politics with more than usual assiduity.
More than one semi-official organ pointed
out that the Catholics had in general
mustered strong minorities at the urps, and
declared that their defeat was to be attri-
buGed leRs to want of numbers than to
hurried and imperfect organization, which
rendered these numbers unRvailing at the
critical moment. IF the Liberals wish to
hold their own," said one OF the leading
Journals of Berlin, "they muet be vigilant
and united" Gradually the one want Of
the Catholics has been supplied. The
present year found them fully aud efficient
~ organized, and the result has been o
victory at the recent municipal elections,
won, not in q few places, but throughout
the whole of Italy. At Rome, indeed, the
presence of the bussnrri and the whole army
Of Government officials has kept the Libe-
raj municipality in power; but in all the
country towns and at Naples, Florence, &C.
noa, and Turin; and even at Venice, where
the Catholic party was supposed to be
hOpelessiy disOrganiEed, Catholic majorities
have been returned. This success has
somewhat startled the Optimists Of the Lib
eral press. 1t 10 q certain proof of the
failure of the Revolutionary regime in
Italy. 1t Ahows that the Catholics are
atronger than the Republicans and the
Moderates united, and 1t gives good hope
of q reaction, at NO distant date, from the
Alps to the sea. For the present it places
the local Government throughout the
greater part of the Peninsula under Catho.
lie control, and in Italy, despite Piedmon.
tese rehabilitation, the municipalities still
possess great power for good or evil within
their boundaries, and local interests arc
above all others.
In France, though the Republic 10 def
nitely establiehed, though the temporisiug
politicians Of the Centre are In power, and
for the moment there seems but little
prospect of the restoration Of = Christian
monarch-in France, too, the prospect 10 q
bright one. We have more than once
spoken of the wonderful revival of Catholic
spirit in all ranks of society. In the As
sembly it has led to the enactment Of a
measure which-we cay it without hesita-
tion-wili have q more important influence
on the future of France than any other law
which has been passed since the work of
RECOMMENDATION ha0an in 1870. The lay fnr