The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-01-07
YoREIGN MAn NEWS.
THE BILL AGAINST "cLERIcAL ABUsEs'
IN ITALY.

the clergy naturally excites anxiety at
present among Catholics in Italy. The
eellor, SignOr MaReini, and which was al
ready, como months ago, approved by tue
Senate when it was proposed as part of the
new Penal Code, seems likely not to meet
with unanimous approval in the Chamber
of Deputies. ID fact the first al ticle of the
Mancipi Bill has been referred back for al
terstion. That the Chamber of Deputies
would gladly pass some meaE 0re which
would show their animosity to the Catholic
Church 10 apparent, witness the unbecom
ing shouts of applause with which the de-
puIies greeted the allnsion in the address
70 the Crown to the promised "Clericul
Abuses BSsJ" Consequently it may be
presumed that the objections taken by the
deputies to the Bill. as printed and eircuia-
ted among them, proceed from no love TO
Catholics. TIE reason given for eNmina=
ting the first article Of the Bill is it's mani
directors, in what cases the public con-
sclesce may be offended, or the peace of
families dlsturbedf We will not, they
say, vote an absuTdity. So numerous are
the deputies who think in this way that it
10 generally believed that Article of the
Bill will be struck ont, aod in that case the
remaining clauses will be of comparatively
small Importance. Article l is TO this eff
feet: "Any clergyman who abuses the
acts Of his ministry, and thereby disturbs
the public conscience or the peace of fsmi-
lies, is to be pnnished with Imprisonment
for q term not less than four months and
not more than two years, and with fine
not exceeding one Thousand lire" When
this clause was discussed in the Senate,
and accused of being too indefinite, Seha-
tor Eula explained the cases to which il
would be applicable, and said it would be
useful to Teprees the custom of the priests
SO refuse the Sacramento to dying men
upon upeanonieal pretexts, by which refn-
sal families were much distressed, and the
peace of mind of relatives and friends of
the dying man was disturbed" On the
other hand, the present opponents of this
clause perceive the improperly of making
the lay civil power an aGbiter in the sd
ministration of sacramento, aud they see
the impolicy of depriving the priest of all
liberty of Coincidence. They know also
that such law would be impossible to en-
force. Every Catholic priest in Italy
would go to prison cheerfuily rather than
submit his conduct, in the administration
of Communion TO the dying, to the olcta
tion of the civil magistrate. The first arti
Gle of the Mancpi Bal was ubtless
framed for the express purpose OF COM
the destruction of the Catholic
Church in Italy. and trying the expert
ment OF employing apostste priests to fill
the posts of the Catholic elerRymeu whom
his Bill, if enacted, would send to prison
N scores. The anti Catholic zeal CO Sig
nor Mancini appears. however, to have
oversbot the mark. The present Cham Der
of Deputies may not unnaturaily object to
share the Protestao Using designs of the
and cares not TO enter on the
tedious, Improbable, and dangerous course
of attempting to un-CathOlicise Italy.
INTERN Ar1oNALIsTs AT WORK IN GENOA
On the fifth of December, a5 Genoa, was
Uncovered q depot OF Orsinl bombs. fire.
arms, swords, and other weapons. At
about six o'clock on the morning of the 5Sh,
q loud explosion was heard, and lmmedl-
ately afterwards two similar decorations
in a lane called "Del Fico," attracted the
notlce of the inhaAitants. aud spread
aIn run throughout the DeigabOEhood. The
explosions occurred in a large sDOp which
ostebsibly Il second hand goods store,
and which was set on hIe By the explo-
sions. The FIRE brigade, and the soldiers
from the neiS u boring barrack of ST. Am
brogio, were at "uce np"n the spot. accom-
panied by tie Kings Proeurator General,
rhe Questor, and the Commander of the
Division. The flames were soon subdned.
On proceeding to ascertain the cause of tue
explosion, it was discovered that the shop,
which ia u very large one, instead of being
81 reeopd- hand clothes store, was in reality
depot and mandatory OF Orsini bombs
and guns, swords and daggers. The ex
plosion was the reealt of attempts to charge
the bombs. The pretended sbopkeeper
was badly burnt, but was aole TO escape
to the house where be slept, and where he
was coon after arrested in bed. An i'm
mense quantity of weapons and munitions
of war, including about four hundred Orsi-
nj bombs were found in thIs magazine, and
were seized by the military authorities.
The place where thisSexplosion occurred is
one of the most thickly Inhabited quarters
of Genoa. 1t is very remarkable that the
police were ignorant of such an extensive
depot of destructive weapons. The secret
societies aud revolutionists eeem to be &C
tive at present in Italy.
THE ELECTIONS IN CANTON FRIBoCRG.
The general elections for the Grand
Council of phe Swiss Canton of Frioourg
were held on Sunday, December 3 This
Council is composed of 90 members, elected
by universal suffrage, all males of 20
years and upwards having q right to vote.
In six of the seven districts into which the
Canton is divided the Catholic candidates
were returned. In the seventh district
of ha MurTnpr See 0r T,aEa no