Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-01
Napoleon Bonaparte and the CatAohs
Church.

When Gen. Bonaparte seized the reins
of government by the coup d'etat of
Brumaire, lie soon resolved to put an end
to the independence of the Church, which
was incompatible with his intention of
concentrating all power in his own hapd
His genius was too clear-sie hted for him
not to perceive that religion was, after
all, the highest moral authority,
the strongest influence in
human society. Hence it was
his design to make it dependent upon
himself, by protecting and substituting it.
1t is altogether erroneous to speak Of
him, as it has been common to do, as tbs
restorer of the alters of worship. AL
that he restored was a throne; the alters
had already been reared again
under the impulse of that deathless
religious sentiment which can never be
long stided in the heart of man. Bona
parte only found it convenient to prop up
his throne by the altar, as afford.ng it the
most solid support, and at the same time
enabling him, while sustaining himself
by means Of religion. to keep it under
his control and dependent upon himself.
We need only recall his own words, a.
they have been handed down to Us by
his contemporaries, in order to see clear
" that religion was nothing to him but
an instrument by which to govern. This
pretended restorer of the Christian re-
ligion had two years before, in hia
Egyptian campaign, used the languages
of thorough Mussulman to please the
followers of the Prophet For myself
he said in his Council of State, II see in
religion, not the mystery of the Incarna-
ton, but the mystery of social order. It
connects with heaven an idea Of equality
which prevents the massacre of the rich
by the poor.' For him the Gospel was
all summed up in one verse, to which he
referred perpetually, quoting it, however.
only in part. This was the text which
commences, "Render unto Cesar the
things which are Cesar's;" but he always
stopped there; he never admitted the COM
plement, "Render unto God the things
which are Gods" This addition be
treated as a mere gloss invented by the
priests. It must be clearly understood,
therefore, that he only concluded the
Concordat with the Pope with the firm
intention of lettering religion and max
and difficult negotiations with the Court
of Rome, in which the Court found it i'm
possible to proceed with its usual cautious
slowness, since it was dealing with man
| of war, accustomed rather 20 command
| than to persuade, the Concordat was at
length concluded between the two powers
This was Immediately supplemented by
the laws of G.rminal, year 10, which were
the complement and Interpretation of the
| treaty, added to it after it was concluded,
and without aay intimation given to the
Pope. Napoleon had embodied all his
own views in this addendum, which has
always called forth vehement but inef-
fectual protests from the Papacy.
When the TIE Deum was chanted in Notrs
Dame, after the proclamation of the Con-
cordat, Napoleon declared that the peace
OF religion was henceforth assured. 1t
was soon evident what that peace would
mean, if tho clergy did not yield their
master the same implicit obedience, as
did the Army. The first Consul had said
at the very time when he was treating
with the Papscy, ~ can always rely on
| the support of the French armies" He
knew too we'll that the arm es of France
were at his bidding, for him TO daily long
with an old man who had nothing to OPP
pose to him but conscientious scruples
and the traditions of his Church He did
| not hest ate, on the frs. show of resistance,
to have him carried off from the Vatican
by body OF gend 'armes, and dragged
from prison to prison while his estates were
coniscated. More than 500 priests were
incarcerated at the close of Bonaparte's
reign, and the conflict OF the two powers
between whom he had pretended to
cement an alliance was becoming daily
more bitter. Hence his exclamation at
st. Helena: ..Th, Concordat was the
greatest mistake of my reign. The Con
temporary Revieao.