The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-18

celved, but the real and solid advantages
of civilization are not TO be found. 1t
cannot be regarded a perfection OF
civil life to See an au-rCious dlsdsln o
all legitimate power; neither can we salt
ute by the name OF liberty the pursuit OF
d 8 graceful aud unhappy course leading
to the unchecked propagation OF errors
the unhindered satisfying OF the worst
passions, the impunity with which crimes
may be committed, and the oppression OF
honest citizens OF every class. These are
false, erroneous and perverse principles
they can assuredly be OF no assistance
in rendering human nature perfect, or IN
making it more prosperous, for, m1Ssros
fact Dopulos peccatun, "sin lnsketh ma
tions miserable" On the contrary, 1t Is
absolutely inevitable that these prlncl-
Piles, after having corrupted the spirit
and mind, will, by their own natural IN.
fuence, precipitate the people INTO all
sorts of mlsfortunes, that they will re-
verse all legitimate order, and thus,
sooner or later, lead to the final destruc
ton OF the State and OF the public tran.
guilty.
But if on the other hand, the works OF
the Roman Pont'ficate are contemplated,
what can be more UBIQUITOUS than to de-
nv how we'll and noble the Pontltfs have
deserved of all civil society," Our prede-
cessors, DESTROYS OF contributing to the
welfare of the people engaged in strug-
giles OF every description, supported the
severest trials, and never hesitsted to ex-
pose themselves to the most arduous dlth'
culties. With eyes fixed on Heaven,
they ever bowed the head before The
threats of the wicked or debased them
selves 80 far as to consent to be seduced
from their duty by promises or hattery
1t was the Apostolic See which gathered
up the remains of ancient society, which
had been destroyed, and reunited them
That See was also the friendly torch
which illuminated the civilization OF
Christian times, the anchor of safety IN
the midst of the most terrible tempests
which ever tossed about the human race,
the holy bond of concord which united
far distant nations of ditfrent customs,
and, in fact, the common centre at which
were sought advice and promises OF peace
as we'll as the doctrines OF faith and In
struction in religion. And more, 1t has
been the glory Of the Roman Pontitls
that they constantly and unceasiDg OPP
posed themselves as wall and ram
part against the return Of human society
into the degradation of the ancient super
st;tion and barbarism. Would that God
had granted that this salutary authority
had never been neglected or repudiated
The civil power in that case would as
suredly not have lost the august and holy
ecLat which it formerly possessed from
religion, and which alone renders the
state of obedience noble and worthy OF
man. There would not have been SO
many of these revolutions and wars
which have desolsted the earth by raplne
and murder, and so many kingdoms at
one time fourishing, but now fallen from
the height of their prosperity, would not
lie crushed under the.welsht OF such grle-
| vous miseries. We have an instance OF
the misfortunes caused by the repudis-
ton of the authority of the Church in
the peoples OF the East, who, having bro.
ken the mild bonds which united them to
the Apostolic See, have lost the splendor
of their ancient reputation, the glory OF
science and art, and the dignity OF their
empire.
These precious advantages which the
Apostolic See has expanded all over the
world, and which are evidenced by the
most illustrlous monuments of every age,
have been specially felt in this Italian ma
ton, which has received much more
abundant benefits from the Holy See on
account of its natural situation. 1t is
certainly TO the Roman Pontitfs that lta-
ly ought to attribute the tangible glory
she has achieved and the greatness which
has distinguished her over all other ma
lions. Their authority and paternal care
have often preserved her from the at
tscks of her enemies, and have given her
the encouragement and help necessary for
the full maintenance Of the Catholic faith
in the hearts of the Italian people. These
merits of our predecessors. not to mention
any others, are sttested by the history Of
the times of st. Leo the Great, Alexander
Ill, Innocent Ill, st. Plus ", Leo ",
and many other Pontitis, by whose care
and under whose auspices Italy escaped
the total ruin with which she was menac-
ed by the barbsrisns, conserved intact
the ancient faith, and in the midst OF
darkness and barbarisn of an ignorant
age developed the light OF science and
the splendor of the arts, and kept them
in fourishlng condition. They are testi-
fed as we'll by this holy city, the seat of
the Pontlfis, which has drawn from them
this great advantage of not only being
the strongest citadel Of the faith, but still
more of having gained the admiration
and respect of the entire world IN bscom-
ing the asylum of the fine arts and the
home of science. As the greatness OF
these facts have been transmitted to the
eternal remembrance Of pOsterity by the
monuments of history, 1t Is easy to un-
derstsnd that alone hostile mind and
an outrageous calumny could, with the
object of deception, pretend by speech or
writing that the Apostolic See has been
an obstacle to the civilization OF the peo-
pie and the happiness OF Italy.
If then, all the hopes of Italy and OF
the entire world are based on q force 80
favorable to the well-being and useful
ness of all under the authority OF the
Apostolic See, aud under the fast bond
which unites all the faithful to the Re-
man Pontiff, we are aware that we ought
to have nothing so much at heart as to
maintain intact and in its integrity the
dignity of the Chair of Peter, and to
draw more closely together the mem
beers of the head-the sons and the faith
er.
Therefore it is that in order to main
tain above all, and to the best o. our
mower, the rights and liberty OF the Holy
See we shall never cease to use every et.
fort to exact the obedience due to our al-
tbority. TO remove the obstacles which
nrevent the free exercise of our ministry
and oar power, and to obtain the restora-
ton of that position of affairs in which
tho design of divine wisdom had former
iv nI,ced the Roman Pontitts. And 1t
il neither by a passion for ambition nor q
desire for domination, venerable brethren,
that we seek this restitution; but solely
on account of the duties of our charge
and by the terms OF the osth which binds
IL -