The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-08-04


ture. there can be no agreement betv.ss
the Church and Prussis. In the mestl sn.m
gwen 20 the Pope's letters, and eepeci.i,,|
| rent Of thought is distinctly v;s,S,Is
Alongside the desire for an accom,s.
tion to which we have already advs.,.s
We find the Inconsistent ATTEMPT Ia ,.
tain the position which the Govsrn.a'n
has held in this matter during late aoas ISL.
There is still the pretence of treat;nyrs ss,s. :,
Holy See as . ''foreign Power.n TSs Ss|
those laws which are subversive oS ~ oi|
| rights of the Church, is characterissd .ne|
claim to "make the Legislation of p.nas, -
dependent upon the consent of . tasNsia| tassia|
Power" If one could believe tbot
Prussian Government was seriona 4, I sne|
pretence, one could hardly blame i, - pIs Sals
it is too transparent, and incons;stsuass||
equally with history and with facts. Ths
population of Prussia includes more a.
600 coo of Catholics, who have r;ra inan|
abundant proofs of their LOYALTY to ~
reigning House. These Prussia1 Cath.
lies have never looked upon Rome as
"foreign Power" The only commun;s.1
tiOns which have ever passed between tS.
Holy See and them have had excluaive r.1
| ference to their spiritual concerns. tn.
Popes have never interfered in their polia1
cal affairs. But their spiritual dependencd
upon the authority of the Pope is as mucI1
a matter of fact as their political subiee1
ton to the laws of the land, and has 6sar|
so recognised by the Government Of Prus1
sis for more than half nentury. Indead
| this very correspondence contains an al.
mission of the fact, since we find the En-
peror William expressing the hope thsiI
"your Holiness will use the mighty in6u1
ence which the constitution Of your Churea|
seizures to your Holiness over all it's ser !
wants, to induce those among them whc|
have been hitherto remiss in doing 60 hi
initiate the example of the people commit
ted to their spiritual charge, and observe|
the laws of the land in which they dwell
Why address such q request to Leo XIII.
if truly he has no more legitimate author1
ity over the "servants of his Church" than
any other "foreign Powerf" Could wei
CO 1ceive the King of Prussia addressing
such a request to the President of the|
French Republic, or the King of Spainf
Another pretence is also put forward in|
the very passage which we have just nou|
quoted from the letter of the German EN-
peror. This ia the suggestion of differ
ence of opinion, with respect to the ecclesi-
astical legislation, between the clergy and
their flocks, and that the latter obey the|
laws to which the former object. Indeed
the suggestion goes beyond this, by insinu.|
hitherto been remiss in this duty" of oh.
serving the obnoxious lave. But the "steruI
logic Of facts" quickly disposes of both the|
suggestion and she insinuation. We have|
more than once had occasion to refer 10 the|
miserable handful of Prussian ecclesiastical
who have preferred their temporal abvan-
tage to their conscience. The number of
these unhappy men little exceeds . score
AS for the difference Of opinion between|
Clo 1oif he kNoo afpto ~ ov,nhI
O phantom is the existence of the Centre|
Party in the Reichstag. In the teeth of
every kind of opposition and obstacle the
German Catholics have cent almost 100 re-
to Berlin, who are the most
antagonists of those evil
laws. And our own columns have record
ed, week after week, noble instances ofthe
among the Catholic people demonstrate
their unwavering fidelity to the laws of the
Church.
1t may, however, be that the really i'm
portant portion of the correspondence 10
in the closing passage OF the
Crown Princes letter, in which be profess
5s his readiness ITO treat the difficulties
from this conflict in "pacihc and
spirit" and declares that he
will not "abandon the hope that the cen.
ciliatory sentiments of both parties will
open a road for peace Co Prussia" This
seems to point to desire to come to some
provisional arrangements on q de faeso
basis, such as was established after the oc-
of 1887 and following years. The
of Germany will welcome even
.ruce, provided it is not to be purchased at
;he sacrifice of principle. But upon this
point they will doubtless have the most im-
,licit confidence in the wisdom and frmnesa
IF the Holy See, which will sssuredly con
'ept to no proposals that can compromise|
ts own essential rights or the consciencea
If faithful people.
GEoRGErowN CoLLEGR.-On our fifth page|
will be found card from Very Rev. Father Healy s.
, President of this celebrated institution, announc