The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-12-01

Ne eletti ne elettoTi, was the maxim No.
claimed in 1860 and followed up to fS. tS.
present time. But that maxim was brt1
transitOry expedient, not moral or perm.
nent rule. 1t was declared incon vepisnt
for Catholics to plunge into electoral strsa
under unfavorable circumstances, but h
was never pretended that it was illicit "a
Catholics under any circumstances to tai,
part in elections. The Sacred PenitentiarS
when intorrogated on the subject, responS
ed with the words non erpedire. And :,
that time it was not expedient, because tbsri
the Pontiff reigned and governed in Roma
and the elections were made under Sinh,
Alpine statutes. The suffrage was then tbo
privilege of a small number, and scarcsir
five hundred thousand citizens, ont ~
twenty five millions of Italians, had tho
right to vote.
Moreover, the Government, by means of
its projects and police agents, could direct
the elections as it pleased, and, as a mat.
ter of fact, every Ministry which had the
victory. 1t was at that time right and
proper to protest against the privileges
usurped by the Government, and against
the violence ffered by theee State elections
to the Catholic majority, which manifested
its existence, while abstaining from elec.
tions, by contributions of Peters Pence
and by repeated demonstrations of LOYALTY
and affection to the Holy Father. Thess
demonstrations convinced the Italian Gov.
ernment and the Catholic world that the
sentiments of the major part of the Italian
population were on the side of the Church
and the Pontiff. The Catholics, by sending
millions of lire to the Pope, by obeyipS
their Bishops and reverencing the will Of
the Church, proved their loyalty to the
Pontiff in way more efficacious than by
hocking to the voting urns under a system
condemned even by Gilberti, who announc.
ed in the RinnOuamento that "partial sniff
RACES have always something fictitious,
arbitrary, and unnatural"
But, now, 60 argues the Unita, We find
ourselves near to great political, and it
may be great social, Revelation. The
universally of suffrage may save us from
preceding dangers, and from intrusons,
violences, caprices, and exclusions on the
part of the Government. The Catholic
populations are called on to marifest the
principles of their faith aud the affections
of their hearts. A new era is at hand, and
perhaps Providence is opening for US
gateway of safety. The very enemies of
the Church are condemned to prepare her
triumph, and We must se;ze the weapon
placed in our hands. AS we shall certain
Iy avail ourselves of the liberty of teach.
ing, if they concede it to Us, and as We
shall freely use the liberty of the Press,
80 ought we also to use the privilege of
sal suffrage we shall be as much convinced
not only of the expediency, but even of
the necessity and duty, of joining in the
political elections, as we were before per-
euaded, under most limited suffrage, of
the utility of absteining from them.
Therefore [it is the U,sita which speaksl
We shall begin from this day forth to insist
frequent articles, in order to convince the
Catholic people, arouse them, and urge
them to work and to render a signal ser.
vice and benefit not only to the Papacy
and the Church, but to Italy and them.
selves. Universal suffrage constitutes us
q Republic de facto, if not de jure. We
alone can and must save our altare, our
families, our properties and social order
Catholic people, the great moment has
to to comb combat Ito ioyally in the name Of God and
our country! The Virgin Of Lepsnto will
aid you in the strife, and the victory will
be yours.