The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-04-23


splendid success of the enterprise. The
Banks article is not mere logical effort,
mere argument it embodies profound
laborious historical research. It conveys a
knowledge of facts, those most stubborn
and effective of arguments. These facts are
arrayed in an overwhelming pbalanx,
clearly, succinctly set forth, carrying con-
viction to the mind. 1t is triumph which
can result only from com bination oflabor
and ability.
! The reviewer commences with history in
it's earliest authentic form, as recorded in
| the Old Testament. He shows that civil
authority in the persons of Abraham, of
Isaac, and of Jacob was ofimmediate divine
transmission. 1t was said to Jacob "Let
tile people serve thee =; be lord
over thy brethren" AS long as the judges
and rulers of the Israeiites were appointed
directly by the Almighty Himself through
his servants, the hereditary right was of
course not recognized, though certainly
there was no pretence of popular choice,
but when the people had by their clamor
obtained the establishment of aMonarchy,
it became hereditary and remained so in
the family of David for five hundred years.
The reviewer shows that in all the re-
cords of the dealing of the Jews with
peighboring nations, whether in war or
peace, every ruler is spoken of as being
king. Egypt, Eiom, Assyria, Babylon,
Persia, the natioss of the Hittites, the
Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites,
the Invites, the Jebustes, etc, were all
governed by kings. No hint can be found
of anything like popular government among
any of them.
Outside of sacred history, China, Japan,
India, all known parts of the inhabited
world in the ages preceding Christianity,
were governed exclusively by monarchs,
and generally under the hereditary princi-
pie. The So called republics of Greece
were not Democracies they were heredi-
tary Aristocracies, and the reviewer shows
that General Banks comedies the point. 1t
was a queer idea in a mar, who, like Gen.
Banks, must be supposed to have some in
telligence, to locate the beginning of heredi
tary monarchy in the time of Pepin of
France, when his very accession to the
throne was upon the overthrow of heredi-
tary monarchy in the Merovingian dynas-
ty. 1t was queer too, that he should have
stumbled into the error of saying that the
divine I ght of kings was invented at that
time by the Pope who recommended the
election of Pepin, because, as we learn
from Gibbons great history, Pope Zachary,
to use the very words of the historian !;
pronounced that the nation might lawfully
unite in the same person the Office and au-
thority of King"
The nation might DO it. This too when
the nation hestated to DO it out of lin
gering superstitious regard for the sup
posed divine rights of the royal race-a
superstition inherited from the old heather
ages.
The very able reviewer then goes on to
show that the doctrine of the equality of
men before God was first taught by the
Catholic Church that the same Church
has been the persistent enemy to slavery
in every shape, and the unvarying cham
pion of woman's real rights. He shows that
the doctrine of Democratic power was fret
Thomas Aquinas, as quoted by him, says ::
Inc law, strlcIly speaking, Is directed |
primarily and principally to the common good ;
and to decree anything for the common benefit |
belongs either to the whole people, or to some |
one acting in their place." Again, where
fore, the choice of rulers in any state or king
dom is best when one is chosen for his merit to |
preside over all, and under him are other rulers |
chosen for their merit, and the government |
belongs to all, because the rulers may be chosen
from any class of society, aud the choice is
made by ALL"
Our author continues:
Belarmine is still more direct. He is speak
power resides immediately as to its subject, in |
al the multitude, for it is by Divine right. |
The Divine right has not given this power to |
any man in particular, for it has given it to the
multitude"
Gen. Banks Red River discontinue was
not more irreparable and overwhelming |
than that to W hich he has been subjected in
this intellectual encounter.
Would not New Departure" Now be in Order