The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-03-04
The Non Catholic Press.

generally protest that it is strictly ueutra
in religious controversy. This neutrality /
carried 30 far that it passes beyond th'
domain of argument and invades that o
fact. Facts are essentially within the pro
vince of journalism; indeed they constitute
its especial field, no matter where found or
whittier leading. Deductions and conse-
quenceR, philosophical or religious. II ipwin :
from those facts or wrcsted from them, are
som.thing totally different and for Which
the journalist is not responsibl. unless he
60 Ihryond the field of facts and enter that
| of discussion.
| 1t is clear. how ever, that where facts
! have political Significance they ought to
ke discussed by the press, even though
connected with religion with
! rrhGious .nteres.. For paper 70 refuse
t. do so. would Imply III 1t ether a
totally perverted idea u; religious rem
traity ct An Intentional misconstructiou
of it for the purpose OF gratifying a malis
naut bus coward,y hostility. TIE dastatdly
perst cutou ot Catholics raging If late
years in Poland. Germany, Itsy, ard
Sw,t1.Jia ard. affords All Instance in point.
Ths persecution was and Is essentially a
political fact. lis not a contest between
two s,cts or CHURCHES, but between the
safe and the Churc' not result of dog
matte discussions ~ 10 faith, but Of politi |
cal lIcteusiors on the part OF the civil !
power. Yet the press of this country has. /
as q general thing, let tn" fac pass a!nurt .
unla:ccl aad with scaIcr'y continent. .
Because Ii was the Catholic Church that .
e0tl,r.d, our manly and considerations /
Amr'jcan journalism took shelter behind .
satisfaction n the situation under n Quihhlr I
Of which the vericst p;ttif"gg"r would hr
rs banned.
Bat revolutions do not go backward, ,
and the same dying ont of the fires of Pro.
tcstant fanaticism, which rendered at least
= hyp0critical neutrality advisable, is go
nG on still aud making that neutrality
more and more genuine.
One of the ablcst and most influential
papers in America ia the New York San,
and wepoint with pleasure to an article in
it's issue of the 25th of February, AZ exem-
plifying tho progress just alluded to. 1t
ID long and interesting review of work
recently published by the Harpers, from
the pen of r w. Thompson, entitled THE
Papacy and the Civil Power" Tho work,
1t seems, treats of the Church in its relation
to r"publlcanism, and maintains that
Cathohcity Is hostile to self government
and inc"mpatible with it. Al tirst sight
this proposition might be taken as rel-
Gious one, but in reality it is political, and
the San has not hesitated to take it up and
treat it boldly and fully.
1t is immateral how the Sun treated the
subject, whether as au advocate or an op-
ponent of the proposition; the noticeable
point is that it treats it at all and thus
opens the arena of journalistic discussion
to such questions. This is all that we
want. Truth does not fear the light of day,
but courts investigation regardless of W who
ls on its side and who against it. We may
add, however, as we do with pleasure, that
the Sun takes view which is in the main
eminently just, fair, and impartial.
Il seems that Mr.. Thompson main,nips
Catholci!y to be Incompatible with repub-
hcan government for two reasons: Ist,
because history shows that the Church has
always promoted Monarchy, and 2adly, be-
cause the dogma of infalibihty invests the
Pope with power over conscience in mat
ters not only of faith and morals but of
politics.
The Sun is not satisfied by Mr.. Thomp-
sons argument. 1t disposes of his frat po-
sition by two considerations. First, it SAWS
that Professionalism has always shown as
warm an affection for the kings who pro-
tected it as Catholics did on their side, and
secondly that the Catholic Church has not
hitherto exhibited any antagonism with re.
Puhlics. Thus, Switzerland, Gays the Sun.
has been republic of the purest democra-
tic type for eight centuries, that is to Say
for nearly five centuries before Protestant
ism was born. Then, too, the Spanish Ame.
rican republics have existed for over half
a century, though without leavening of
Professionalism within them. Maryland ia
also used as an instance Of Catholic co..
ony or community which proved loyal to