The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-29
Spain and the I'apacy.

Spain is the last stronghold Of Roman
Catholicism in Europe. There is proba-
bly, no other country in which the Papa
cy exercises SO powerful and unquestion-
able an influence, there Us no other Eu.
ropean country which can show "a
greater. amount Of ignorance and super
stition. And yet in Spain liberal spirit
Is struggling for breathing space Eand
light, and has acquired sufficient power
to make itself felt as motive force in
politics, and to call forth the protests
and anathemas Of the representatives Of
the Papacy. According TO the treaty
between Spain and the Pope, dating as
far back ,as 1851, the ROmish Church is
established as the sole and supreme relig-
ious authority in Spain. No theoretical"
teaching is permitted; even private as
well as public schools are to be under the
supervision OF Roman Catholic Bishops;
and the secular power is pledged TO sup
port the bishops in whatever measures
they may adopt to oppose the spread Of
uon.Catholic teaching, and especially 10
prevent the printing, introduction, and
circulation Of books which according 10
the peculiar idea OF the Popish authori-
ties, are "bad and perverted" Lately,
however, in new Constitution" intro.
duccd by the Spanish Government, a
clause has been inserted, TO the effect that
"no one who respects Christian morality
shall be punished on account OF his re-
ligious opinion, or for worshipping in his
own way"
But even this moderate concession is
qualified by the addition Of u statement,
which mag mean much or little Accord
ing to the spirit Of those who interpret il,
that "aIl ceremonies and public nantes.
tations other than those Of the State reli.
gion, are forbidden" What constitutes
ceremonies and public manifestations"
has not been authoritatiVely defined, but
some lawyers have expressed the opinion
that the expression applies TO the holding
OF public worship by Professionals. New.
ertheless, this slight concession 10 lib.
erty of religious opinion has thrown the
clerical party OF Spain into fever oil in.
dignatiOn and alarm, md has evoked
from Rome rChukc and remonstrance
couched in those terms OF invective, alter
nately fierce and hystericAl, which the
hierarchal Papal power knows 70 well
how 10 use. The Pope has addressed
letter to tho Cardinal Archbishop OF
Toledo, in which referring to the article
in the new Constitution, the substance Of
which we have quoted, he says: ave
declare that Article Nl,, which pretends
to be able to give freedom Of worship to
the country, violates every right OF truth
and Of the Catholic religion, annuls lille.
gally the ConcordRt between the Holy
See and the Spanish nation, lays the State
open 10 the charge Of wrong doing, and
opens the door 10 error-crror which is
but tho precursor OF long succession Of
rulnous ills to the nation, 80 long and
true lover OF Catholic unity"
We pause when We have read this sen.
tence, to take breath; for indeed, tho
mingled audacity and blindness implied
in such adeclaration is strange to witness,
even in tho Romish Church. Spain,
alas! has already had to endure, in spite
Of her love for Catholic unity" "iong
succession Of ruinous ills" and to lockers
on, not gifted with the infallibity Of the
Vatican, it seems that one Of the first
conditions Of her recovery is that she