The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-02-17
RUSSIA AND TIE HOLY SEE.


RUSSIA AND THE HOLY SEE.
The Paris Unirers of January Goth prints o
series of documents relative to the breach of
diplomatic intercourse between the Holy Sec
and the Russian Government. The first OF
these documents is @ cirouiar addressed IN %
Cardinal Simecni, to the Nuncos Apostolic at
the various Governments of Europe and else
where, detailing the high handed and disoour-
wards the Holy See, by whom that Governments
had been addressed with the view Of obtaining
some amelioration, or at least some mitigation,
of the cruel sufferipgs and prosecutions IN
Catholic subjeets, and OF the uDJust aggree-
sions and tyranny with which the Church
itself is harassed in the Russian dominione.
The circular states that efforts have continual
ly been made by the Holy See with these views,
bat those Efforts have been uniformly unsuo
cessful. The Sovereign Pontif had resolved
to make q public complaint in reference to
these facts, and to transmit to the oppressed
BishoIs, Clergy and faithful in Russian do.
miuiobs words of praise, encouragement and
cons olation. The Holy Father pateInal heart
could never be satisfied to abandon whole
nation in it's sfdiotions merely because it is
helpless, and because the pretended exlgencies
Of modern politics dissusde us from tron enng
ourselves about those that are helpless, and
who are oppressed-not by weak nation, but
by q powerful and formidable Government.
The Holy Father had entertained the intention
of fulfilling this sacred duty at the time of the
Episcopal Jubilee, when Rome was full OF
deputations that had come bringing bim their
congratulations on that happy event, and, in
particular q numerous deputation which had
arrived in Rome from those parts of Poland
which do not belong to the domipions of Ras-
sia. His Holiness was, however, diverted from
the remonstrances of the Russian semi off al
representative or Charge d4fGires 1T the Holy
See Prince Onroussoft expressed to the Car
dinal Secretary Of State on several occasions
y hat 10 pn nn
put forth any public complaints against the
Russian Government, but would once more
have recourse to diplomatic measures. 1t was
in compliance with this request that memo
rial addressed to Prince Gortscha akof, Chancel-
lor of the Russian Empire, was drawn up, 80 t.
ting forth the chief points relative to the
sian Empire and the Kingdom of Poland"
This document was cent to the Russian Charge
d1faires with o private and confidential note
from Cardinal Simeoni: Great, therefore,
was the surprise of His Eminence and OF the
Holy Father himself, and of all who were cog
nisant of the fact, at the reception which
these documents met with at the bands or the
Russian semi-oficial representative Prip0e
Ouroussctf neglected to ackno Wedge their re-
ceipt as in ordinary diplomatic courtesy he
was bound to have done and after the lapse
of fortnight he returned the Memorandum
and letter, with q declaration to the effect
that his Governmen5 was not accustomed to re-
ceive cepsure from any quarter whatsoever, and
that he did not consider himself authorized to
forward the documents in question to the I'm
perial Chancellerie. SIT was to no purpose"
says Cardinal Simeoni, "that called his at
tention to the act he was about to commit an
act upjusSifi able in itself, and unprecedented
in the history of diplomacy-as well as to the
very serious consequences that must result
from it-consequences on which he had,
perhaps, not sufficiently reflected. He remain
ed iufexible, taking upon himself all conse-
qCences of his act and adding that III the
Pope wanted war LIE should have war;" Ihe
Cardinal Secretary replied to this coarse in
suit by remsrkiDg that "the Holy See made
war op one, aud was never the hrst to be-
gin war but that war had been declared and
carried on for q long time by the Russian
Government, and that the said Government
was now descending to provocetions and men
aces, and that the Sovereign Pontif, trusting
il the help of the Lord, which would never
fail him, would be able to make adequate de-
fence against attacks levelled either at the
Church's integrity OF hls own dignity ana su- u
say that the Sovereign Pontiff, on being in
formed of the gratuitous insult that had been
offered to the Holy See, ordered 1t to DO imme-
diately notified to Prince Ouroueson tnat IN
Government the diplomatic documents of the
Holy See his further relations with tho Score
tary of States department had become useless.
Cardinal Simeoni also states that It was
mont should avail itself of the good offices of
some friendly and Catholic power to mako
known these facts to the Russian Cabinet, in
order that 1t might either dissvow the pro-
ceedin9s of its agent, or assume the responsi-
bility of them. On this head the Circular
takes note of the assertion Of Prince Ouroseoh
that he had returned the documents on bis
own responsibility; while, on the other hand,
Cardinal Simeoni says that "there Is too much
reason to believe that the Russian Chancelle-
rie without reading the documents In 0ueS-
tion, and simply accepting its agents :epre-
santation of tEeir contents; had ordered him
to reuse them" The Holy See is therefore
aet free from all duties of consideration or