The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-01-02

and guarded by almost every individual with
Interested activity and punctilious jealousy
NOW TINS imPanity, threatened and assaifed
but not destroyed, by these proclamatious
would naturally, at every new attack, employ
lresh ehorts and devices to maintain itself
The proclamation were sufficient, it Is true. in
fettefing and embarrassing the honest man
! VINO had neither power in himself nor pro
teotion from others, inasmuch as, in order to
ments of each private individual to the arbi.
trary will of q thousand magistrates and ex-
! ecutive ofncers. But he, who before the com
mission nas OF his crime had prepared himself q
| FeiaRe IN some convent or palace where baiIiffs
] never dared to enter; or who simply wore o
nVery, which engaged in his defence the
| vanity or the interest of a powerful family I;
Snch one was free in his actions, and could
| laugh TO scoru every proclamation. OF those
| very persons whose part it WAS to ensure the
execution of these DEGREES, some belonged by
| Dirth TO the privileged cfass, others were its
clients and dependants and as the latter IA
well as the former had, from education, from
habit, from imitation, mbraoed it's maxims,
they would be very careful not to violate
them. Had they, however, been bold as heroes
obedient as monks, and devoted as martyrs
they could never have accomplished the s1ecu-
," lion OF the laws nfertor as they were in num-
Der to those with whom they must on gage and
with the frequent probability of being aban.
doned, or even sacrificed, by him who ia a mo
ment OF theoretical abstraction, might require
them to act. But, in addition to this their
once would be regarded as q base one in public
opinion, and their names stamped with re-
Proach; 1t was therefore very natural that,
instead of risking, nay, throwing away their
iiVcs in fruitless attempt, they should sell
their inaction, or, rather. their oonnivance to
the powerful; or, at least. exercise their
authority only on those occasions when it
might be done with safety to themselves: that
less.
The man who acts with violence or who 10
constantly in fear of violence from others
seeks companions and allies. Hence il han.
pened that, during these times, individuals
dfspfayed so strong tendency to combine
themselves into classes, and to advance as far
as each one was able, the power of that to
which be belonged. The clergy was vigiiant
IN the defence and extension of its immuni ties
its exem ptiops; and the N erchan is and artisans
enrolled in companies and fraternities; the
tawyersswere united in leagues, and even the
physicians formed corporation Each of these
little oligarchies had it's own appropriate
PoWer,-in each of them the individual found
the advantage of employ ing for himself in
proportion to his influence and dexterity, the
united force of numbers. The more honest
avalied themselves of this advantage merely
for their defence; the crafty and the wicked
prohted by it to assure themselves of success
In their rogueries, and impunity from their re
suits. The strength, however of these various
combinations was far from being equal; aud,
especially in the country, the wealthy and
and surrounded by peasants accustomed to
regard themselves as subjects and soldiers of
their lord, exercised an irresistible power. and
set all laws at defiance.
Don Abbondio, neither noble. rich nor
valiant, had from early youth found himself
alone and unaided in such q state Of society
ike an ehrthern vessel thrown amidst iron
jars; he therefore readily obeyed his parents
who wished him to become q priest He did, TO
say the truth, not regard the legations and the
noble ends of the ministry to which he dedi-
Gated himself, but was only desirous to secure
the means OF living, and to connect himself
with a powerful and respected class. But no
CLASS provided for the individual, or secured
his safety, further than to a certain point; none
rendered 1t unnecessary for him to adopt for
himself system of his own. The system of
Don Abhondo consisted chiefly in stunning all
disputes; he maintained an armed neutrality
In all the contests that broke out around him
between the clergy aud the civil power be-
tween persons in office aud mobiles and maCis
trates hravoes and soldiers, down to the
squabbies of peasautry themsel Yes termina ate6
by the fist or the knife By keepinu uloof
from the overbearing, by affecting not to notice
thetr acts OF violence, by boHipg low and with
the most profound respect to all whom he met
the poor rnan had succeeded in passing over
sixty years without encountering any violent
storms; not but that he also had some small
portion of gall in his com position and this
continual exercise of patience exacerbated it to
such degree that, if he had not had it n his
power occasionally to give it vent, his beaith
must have suffered. But as there were n few
persons in the world connected with himself
whom he knew to be po owerless, he could from
time to time. discharge them his long pent.
up ifi-humor. He was, moreover severe
SoHeo "a thoso " no ulu not regulate their con-
duct by his example. provided he could censure
without danger, According to his creed, the
poor fellow who had been cnd gelled hal been
little imprndent; the murdered man had
always been turbulent; the man who main
tanned his right against the po werful, aud met
with broken head, must have been some " h al
wrong which is. perhaps. true enough, for in !
all disputes the line never be drawn 50 |
finely as not to leave little wrong on both |
sides He especially declamed against those
OF MS conttaternt?, who, at their own risk
took part with the oppressed against u po wer-
ful oPpressor This" he said, {" was to pur- |
chase trouble with ready money, to kick at |
snarling dogs and an in intermeddling in profane !
things that lowered the dignity of the sacred
ministry" He had in short, favorite maxim, |
that an honest man, who looked to himself and !
minded his own affairs, never met with any |
rough encounters.
From all that has been said, may ima agine
the eject the meeting just described must
have had upon the mind of poor Don Abbondio
Ihose herce countenances, the threats of u lord
who was well known not to speak idly, his |
plan of quiet life aud patient eudurauce dis,
concerted in an Instant, difficulty before him
from which he saw no possi blity of extrica-
tion; all these thoughts rushed eonfusedIy