The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-07-09
TEE ELECxTONs IN R0aGR
WANT or UNITY AMoRs THE cArHoI1cs.


An occasioned correspondent Of the Lon
don Tablet, writing from Rome under dat
of June 1Ith; says:
The moral result of the disastrous elec
tions that have taken place to-day, car
| scarcely be appreciated In their full impor
tance outside Of Rome. tits not alone tha
the municipal administration is perpetuateG
for another series of years in the hands o
the worst enemies OF religion, whose anti.
Christian instincts are only subordinatec
to their individual greed; nor is it that the
Catholic population as such, has been ig-
nominiously defeated but il is that the
party OF law, order and piety, although
possessed OF sufficient power TO vote down
| all their adversaries, has not even ventured
to correspond with the known wishes of the
Holy Father, and of the Italian Episcopste,
and make an energetic stand in defense OF
their liberties. It was decided as long ago
"a last Novemb her, at the Congress of Bish-
ops. representatives of Catholic AssOcia-
| tions, and other Church noEables held at
Floresce, that italian Catholics should
hencefOrth take part in tie Comm unal and
Provincial Administrative elections, and
the Pope seized the occasion to address q
letter to that assemblage containing these
words:-"The entire programme set forth "
formity with our desire that We have not
rarely expressed in an open manner our
wisb." In an ALLEGATION pronounced on the
last Feast of Epiphany, Plus TX reitera-
ted the hope that Catholics would display
requisite energy in combating the enemies
of the Church at the polls whenever it was
allowable. Since that time the Catholic
party, uniting itself to all friends of
Church liberty, has succeeded in securing
the control of municipal power in several
communities, and it was confidently hoped
that this day would have Witnessed trans
E. cAk.- AZ Al -
of Rome itself to honest hands but at the
last moment it was announced that no
Catholic ticket would be presented, and NO
effort be made to secure Rome from corrup
tion. Up to Friday morning-day before
yesterday-it was universally understood
that Catholic candidates would be nomina-
ted, and it was believed that they might be
elected. There is, however, an influential
body of Catholics in the capital, entirely
opposed to Intervention of any kind in pub
lie affairs, and these succeeded in impress
ing upon the minds of a sufdcient number
of their followers that abstention from vot-
ing was the only prudent policy for Catho-
lies at present. Their principal argument
would seem to have been the certainty, as
they alleged, of defeat, and that q show of
resistance uselessly made would leave
Catholics after the election in o worse posi-
tion than before. If the elections of 1872
are analyze however, victory and not de-
greater number of Catholics had presented
themselves at the polls. In 1872 the num-
ber of registered voters in Rome was Is 800.
Only 800 votes were cast altogether, of
which l 800 were for Torlonia. Thus the
Liberal vote on the Government and ultra
Radical tickets united was but $50 votes.
1t was understood that the 1000 absten-
tioBs were nearly all clerical, and these
united to the 1 800 votes given to Torlonia
would have made over 8 500 votes in favor
of good Government. This year the num-
ber of registered votes is 10 900. Over 2, 600
have been brought into Rome and register
ed by the Radicals within q short space of
time. The number of actual voters to-day
will not be known officially until tomorrow,
perhaps not 30 soon, but tits presumed there
will be nearly if not quite 1900 or O,O0O
Had the Catholics among
these have voted, their candidates would
have indubirably been returned. The ad-
vocates of abstention reply, it is to be
feared too truly, that they would not have
voted, aud could not have been induced to
do so. Indeed, systematic Catholic organ
ization is wanting. The number, more
over, of timid, lukewarm, lazy, discourag
ed, and thick skinned Charlottesville latter
beyond the power of conviction that they
can do anything else than groan and stare
lis immense. It may, therefore be grant
ed as possible that success would not have
attended the endeavors of Catholics to
elect their ticket; but what then They
would, in any case, have presented pow
erful minority, only needing perseverance
to become, on later occasion, an over
whslming majority. Those who had taken
part in the struggle would have been
more united than before, more Jealous, and
the holders-back would have been put to
shame and forced to do their duty. A great
opportunity has, it is to be feared, been
thrown away, and, unfortunately, the
really energetic masses, who have endea-
vored to carry out the programme of the
Congress at Florence, and of the Holy
Father, have been put to shame, and Sse
exposed to the ec0rn of the Liberals against
whom they were not permitted to enter the
arena.