New Orleans Republican., 1875-11-17
A sTRueeLE FOE SUPREMACY.

| A.u d livery tu5sie VIII IluS IA. AL Sau-
ada yesterday, on point involving the
right of sovereignty in the dominion.
Mr. Guibord, subject of the Queen, but
in some manner owing allegiance to the
Pope, died recently somewhat outside of
the odor of sanctity. The church digni-
taries, therefore, in obedience to general
canon or special order of the church,
undertook to discipline the lifeless tene-
ment of the departed spirit, which had
rebelled while in the flesh. Although q
member of the chur ch and at one time in
good standing, burial in his family tomb
was forbidden by the Canadian ecclesias-
ties, contrary to the civil statute Of the
realm. There has been trouble and bad
blood between the respective adherents
for some time, and yesterday it was
brought to an issue. The Queen called
out her troops, and the priests had mob
of five thousand zealots on hand ready to
overpower any weak force that might ap-
pear for the purpose of escorting Gui-
bord's remains to the tomb.
The question which of the two parties,
the Church or the State, was right in this
matter, will not be regarded in the United
States as important. 1t is necessarily
secondary and subordinate 10 the other
and vital inquiry, which is to decide in
cases 6f dispute. Is the canon law to
supersede the civil law of one of the most
powerful nations of the world, whose
Protestant government threw off the &C.
clesiastical yoke more than three hundred
years ago? Can not loyal subject of
her majesty be buried in his own family
tomb without calling out the army to awe
into obedience those who would snatch
his body from its sacophagus and throw
it into q ditch2 While England is gal
lantly trying this experiment, the United
States is looking on thoughtfully, perhaps
regretfully. 1t may be asked, which
is the true civilization, which the
true Christian spirit which gently
and tenderly commits all that remains of
erring humanity to its mother earth,
leaving his faults to be judged by its
Creator, Or the policy that pursues with
human wrath the poor fugitives even be-
yond the portals of eternity? The civil
law afirms the first, the canon law the
last alternative.
This question of supremacy OF the civil
over canon law, is the irrepressible con-
fict of the world. 1t has from time to
time been brought to an issue with some
what varying results, but generally in
modern times in favor of the civil au-
thorities 1t is to the world outside of
the United States, what the slavery ques-
ton and cognate issues are to us. 1t now
divides the little kingdom of Bavaria into
two hostile factions, the one being deter
mined, if possible, to destroy the other.
According to the Munich correspondent
OF the London World, a fourth of Janu-
ary crisis was reached on the fifteenth of
October, when desperate and final trial
of strength was made between the Ca
tholic and Protestant deputies. Every
member being in his place and voting,
the Chamber of Deputies passed an ad-
dress to the king impeaching the ministry
for being Protestants the same as the
Legislature of Mississippi is expected to i'm
peach Governor Ames for being Repub-
ican. AT the elections in July, in Bava-
ria, the Catholic party secured bare ma
jority of two increased since to three by
the death of Liberal member. The vote
therefore stood seventy-nine Catholics to
seventy-six Liberals. The result of this
vote is to put the King of Bavaria in an
tagonism with Prussia, or compel him to
dissolve his Parliament and ofend the
Church. To do either would subject him
to great difficulty and danger, and per-
haps bring about some such revolution as
we experienced here on the fourteenth of
September year ago.
Mr.. Shannon, the United States minis
ter to Brazil, writing to Secretary Fish
from Rio Janeiro under date of March l,
1874, relates the particulars of struggle
which was then in progress there between
the ecclesiastical and civil authorities.
We extract as follows:
Alter the receipt of the papal bull of the |
twenty-pinth OF May last, applaudipp the
course Of the Bishop of Olinda in interdict-
ing the various religious brotherhoods of |
OF bis diocese, beeause they declined to ex-
pei, upon his order, those of their mem mbers
who were Free Masons, all the other bishops
took open stand against the government,
One after another they publicly announced |
it as their resOlute purpose to faithfully |
obey any and all instructions which his |
holiness might send them, being firmly con.
vinced that, though Brazilians, their first |
allegiance was due to Rome.
Thus the government was forced to the |
adoption of extreme measures, and since |
the opposition of the bishop OF Olinda had |
been more vigorous and even defiant than |
that of any of his colleagues, he having |
persistently refused to obey the resolution |
OF the Council of State of the twelfth of |
june, it was finally resolved to bring that |
prelate 10 trial.
It had been decided in September to take
TINS step, but three months passed away /
before the preliminary legal forms of cita-
tion, response and indictment had been CON
cluded, and then It was announced that the
true bill, charging the bishop With an mn.
bailable offeAse. His arrest was immediste
" ordered, and early in January he vas
brought to the capital and confined in the
Arsenal of Marine. The trial began m the
eighteenth ultimO amid much public inter.
est, and ON the following twenty.first re-