The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-18

There is no doubt that BIsMARCK's pow
er, built as IL Is on the prestige OF uner-
ring forecast and immutable success,
might be shaken by single blunder. For
this reason the manifest miscarriage Of his
ecclesiastical policy Is viewed with curious
interest in all quarter, and we are led 10
inquire what motives could have prompt
ed the ChancelloI's patronage OF the Old
Catholic movement, aud what causes have
frustrated his calculations. II Nv does II
happen that the anti-PaInl le rislation Of
the last three years has proy'' abortive,
and thar half a dozen pre.ates have been
nble TO defy the coercivc machinery OF the
PIussian monarchy
Had the Prussian Government confined
Itself to policy of self-defence, protect
ing for instance. its primary schools
against clerical interference, prohibit
Ing the creation of estates III mortmain,
and asserting right Of audit and super
vision over ecclesiastical revenues, il would
have encountered the censure OF the Ro-
man curla aud the protest of the German
episc1pate; but the great body of the
Catholic laity would probably have looked
on at least with resignation. Thus the
Holy See and the Austrian bishops
protested in 1874 against laws of such
n character, but they ended by conform
ing to them because they were not sus-
tanned in their resistance by the lay Cath
olics of Austria. Neither did the hierarchy,
under similar circumstances, attempt to
contend with the petty kingdom of Wur-
temberg but submitted quietly to the leg
islation of 1852. On the other hand, the
Prussian bishops have refused TO obey the
laws dictated by BISMARCK in May. 1873
because they were persuaded that not only
the clergy, but the whole Catholic popu-
lauon, would side with them and the event
has proved that they We're not mistaken.
Even In a despotic State like Prussia
there are obvious limits to the interven-
ton of the civil authority in ecclesiastical
concerns. but these were ignored by the
PrIssian statesman and his coadjutors.
BY incoherent, ill-digested laws, they in-
frlnged both the disciplinary powers and
the doctrinal liberty Of the Papal Church,
and enabled the clergy to intrench them
selves behind the lay conscience. The pur-
port of these measures was to apprise the
bishops that the dogma of Papal infalli-
bility was not viewed with favor ut Ber-
lin. Accordingly, ii any priests were sub
jected to penalties for refusing, with DR..
D0LLINGER, to inoulcate that doctrine, an
appeal was given them TO a Government
tribunal No member of the laity could
be accommodated for rejecting the
tenet, tTlusgressiOu Of this rule entailng
years Imprisonment and "A fine of from
two to FIVE hundred thalcrs. Moreover,
the education of the clergy was hencefor-
ware TO be directed by the State either i'm
the national universities or in special
seminary under official control Finally.
no appointment 10 benelce would be
valid unless the nomination had been sub
mitted to the civil head of province aud
approved by him; and the refusal TO MI
vacancies under such restrictions was Sc
yerely punished.
No one was ever better armed than Bis
MARcK for contest with the Church Of
Rome. He had force on his side ana the
Jealous cooperation Of the most efficient
bureaucracy IN tho world; he had with
him the prestige OF military glory, aud
the memory of Sadowa and Sedan He
eApcet' that the Old Catholic movement,
bH'e'deI h) hun from accommodation,
"ou'H max" RAPID progress, and that he
would presently lac enabled TO take il