The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-01-21
THE "LIBERAL" APOSTASY IN THE GEE.
MN REICHSTAG.
IL,ondon Tablet. Dec. 80 !

mentary annals. Seldom, indeed, in the
history of deliberative assemblies has
there been occasion to record so fragrant
an instance of regeneration and political
apostasy AZ Berlin witnessed during the
| early days of last week. The facts them
selves and their circumstances are emf
nently instructive, and will probably have
important consequences in Germany.
Experience has proved the truth Of the
forebodings of the political prophets in
| 1871, that the loose arrangements which
were dignifed with the name of the Con-
stitution of the German Empire were snffi-
GENTLY elastic to admit of any amount of
| Tightening in the name of National Unity.
Already, almost in the first year of it's exis-
tence, the Catholics of South Germany
were favored with a specimen of the ten
dernees with which the new Empire wonld
reepect the independence of it's confederate
members, and their State rights and hber-
ties, so soiemniy guaranteed by written
compacts. The Jesuits and "similar Teli-
gious associations" were ruthlessiy expelled
from Germany, under the pretext that their
presence was dangerous to- the Empire"
And yet, both in the separate treaties with
Bavaria and the other States, which were
ratified at Versailles in January, 1871, and
in the Constitutional Ordinances sabse-
quently adopted by the Constituent Assem-
bly,, all matters connected with religion
were in express terms reserved for the ex-
elusive control of the individual States
Since that time every year has witnessed
some fresh advance on the path of mi
formity of institutions and practlce, SO that
it can only be a question of time when the
National Unity, both social and political,
shall have arrived at such a stage as that
the further maintenance of separate State
organizations and sovereignties could not
reasonably be defended.
One of tue reforms upon which not only
the astute politicians at Berlio, but also
many sincere we'll wisheTs of German pro-
gress, had set their hearts, was the simpl
tication aud uniformity las far as possible),
of the Judiciary system, especially In re-
gard to criminal cases. Every one who
has ally acquaintance with this department
of German life knows the variety and many
objectiongl features which prevail all over
the many districts of the FatherlaEd. In
the first session of the Reichstag, the exis
tence of which has just rmlpated, the
question was mooted. The majority of
that assembly were avowed Liberals; and
it was apparent that they would avail
themselves of any proposal Of change to
introduce alterations tending to secure a
larger amount of personal freedom than at
present exists in Germany. Thus at once
AN interesting situation was created, which
was in fact equivalent to a triangular duel.
Prince Bismarck and his colleagues were
desirOus of renodelliDg the judicial system
of Germany, in the direction of uniformity
al u CSnLT6ilZdUIOus no U0Endu AluSldi5
of the Reichstag were also desirous to &C
complish the same reform, bot In the direc-
ton of larger freedom. The Governments
of the smaller States were intensely IN
willing to enter into any such undertaking,
she result of which could not fail TO subject
them still more hopelessly to the iron
grasp of the Imperial authority while at
the same time it might make it mole diff
cult for them to coerce the turbulent
elements that troubled them at b. me. Much
delicate negotiation went on for several
months, and, judging from previous cases,
it is not unfair to believe that considerable
pressure was brought to bear from Berlin
on the secondary courts. AT length, about
a year ago, a Parliamentary Commission
was appointed with the concurrence OF the
Governments, which was charged with ex
aiming certain drafts of lave, having for
their object the remodelliDg of the whole
system of legal procedure. This Commits
| sion sat during a considerable part of the
present year, 1t was In constant commu :
nication with the legal advisers aud the
representatives of the Imperial Govern
ment, that il, of Prince Bismarck. It was
known that great divergence of opinion ex
listed between the Government and the
Commission, mainly on the grounds refer
red to above. Last November, at the COM
mencement of the session, q group of bills
on this subject were laid before the Reich
stag. They were not the bills as settled
by the Commission, but the original drafts,
| slightly altered to meet some unanswera-
Bile arguments. The Liberal party put
their back against the wall. Very con-
veniently Prince Bismarck was unable to
come up to Berlin, and other Ministers had
to bear the brunt of the discussion. The
bills were remodelled in the direction of
the scheme adopted by the Parliamentary
Commission, and the Minister of Justice,
DR.. Leonhardt, declared that the Govern
ment could not accept the alterations, aud
that it would be necessary for the Reich
stag to withdraw from it's position, unless
it wished Germany to remain without this
reform for several years. This was to our
Constitutional ears, strange language for q
Minister to use to q Parliamentary ma
jority. And what was the amount of that
msjority7 The Reichstag numbers about
400 members, of whom barely so supported
the views of the Government. The points
in dispute were not few, and were necessa-
rily considered to be important. Among
them was the trial Of press offences by q
jury. This the Government opposed. 1t
is strong evidence of the profound anti
Catholic spirit which sways the Liberal
majority, that one of the chief arguments
alleged by the Government against sending
H.