The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-05-28
Morning Star and Catholic Messeng er.
INV oRLEANs eUNDAY. NAY % ls1e.
LYTRxR FROM ROME.

n
0aye audience on the 25th of April to the
members of the Chapter of st; John Late
ran. who came to return him thanks for his
Iiherality in undertaking the cost OF the
projected reservations 10 that Basilica.
The charitable foundations in Italy are
doomed to speedy extinction. Neces-
aItv has no law. The spoliation of Church
property svailed little to stay. the de-
6ciencies of the exchequer. There now
remain but 90, 507 lots of the ecclesiastical
lands unsold, and 1t Is easy TO see, as tns
italian Liberal newspapers confess with
dismay, that "this resource OF the sale OF
ecclesia stical properties, of which the past
Z "Ministries made so large use, as 1t were,
: is now exhausted" The past Ministries were
of the Right The present Ministry OF the
old fashion Of spolistion, and suppress the
lay corporations as their predecessors sup
pres eed the clerical corporations. For IL 10
false to assert that the charitable founda-
fiops in Italy are vested in clerical manage
ment. That assertion is made merely TO
blind the eyes of the ignorant, and to ex-
cite q prejudice against the clergy. The
fact is that nine-tenths of the charitable
institutes in Italy are vested IN confrater-
mites of laymen, or managed by local
municipal boards. If there has been mis-
management or pecuiation, in the matter OF
these charities, the blame attaches to the
lay administrators of these funds, and not
TO the clergy who have nothing to say to
them, II reform be needed in some respects
&c would be easy to give the local boards
power to make Improvements or altera-
lions. But the Government will not be
satisAed with half measures. The coDfis-
cation of all this property held in trust for
the poor is demanded in order to benefit the
empty exchequer Of the State, and the real
property of the lay corporations must be
aold by auction and converted into the
paper, which in the kingdom of Italy does
duty for gold and silver coin; The Gov
eminent on the 2osh of April issued de-
cree nominating q commission Of Deputies
and Advocates to propose plan for re-
forming the Charitable Foundations. The
preamble to that decree speaks of directing
these charities to scope more conformable
with the new civilization and the changed
condition of the times" in order to obtain
truly and efficaciously the intellectual,
moral, and material Improvement Of the
poorer classes. 1t talks of "reca1liDg these
Institutes to their principles, 30 far
as they do not contrast with the movement
Of modern civilization and the necessities
OF the population, by modifying or rear
ranging them according to an impartial,
enlightened, and provident spirit of char
ity." The decree itself is very short. It
dominates a commission to study and pro-
pose those reforms and Improvements in
She management of public benefcence
which are required by exgencies of civil
patrimony of the poor. and to further
good and circumspect administration of the
said patrimony. The commission consists
of one Senator, ten mem hers of the Cham
Der of Deputies, who are mostly advocates,
and two other gentlemen, one Of whom is
also an advocate, the other being princi
pal clerk in the Home Office. The Sena-
tor Marquis Charles Altieri di Sostegno,
has already declined to accept the post.
The president of the Commission is SignOr
Cesar Correnti, Councillor of State. The
total sum to be realised by the sale of
these charitable foundations is said TO be
at least twelve hundred millions of francs,
or nearly fifty milllons Of pounds English.
The institutes, whose lands and rents are
to be sold, include hospitals, almshouses,
asylums, and all the chapter and Church
funds which have not been already confis-
Gated, besides other charitable donations
and bequests of various kinds.
Over three hundred French pilgrims ar
rived in Turin this week on their way to
visit the principal sarctuaries in Italy,
and to pay their homage to Plus TX, at the
Vatican.
General Garibaldi has received from
Victor Emmanuel a beautiful table, made
in mosaics, worth 500, 600 francs. He has
had an angry alteration by letter with
come noted Republican, named Campo
nella, who assures the General that Repub-
licanism will maintain itself in Italy with,
without, or against Garloa'Gl.
A branch or section of TIC Society for
Catholic Interests has occupied itself with
promoting the observance in Rome of
holy days aud Sundays. Count Adolphus
Pianciapi, the president, has organized q
system which bids fair to succeed in OBJ
tanning the CO operation of Catholic shop
keepers and tradesmen towards checking
the profanation of Sundays. The names
Of all Catholic shopkeepeEs who close their
establishments on Sundays are printed in a
volume which 10 supplied to all members
Of the Society for Promoting Catholic In
terestS, This society includes by far the
larger number of Catholic gentlemen in
Rome, and it is understood that no Catho-
lie will knowingly give his custom to any
Of the shops, whose proprietors do not
enroll their names in tho list of Sunday
closers.
The CRESCENT INSURANCE CoMPANY.-The
tWentyseventh annual statement of this time konored
pn1 ali In oolur