The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-09-26
cambe,ta and the u1tramop,anes.

SAtNNAAuu LEN2Efs
The cable dispatches OF the last three
day have contained numerous indications
that the French Republic Is setting down
for q final conflict with the Roman Catho'
lie Church. Last Wednesday N. Leon
Gambettatook occasion to make knownh his
programme at little gathering at Romans,
Denouncing as an ever.in.creasing danger
to society that influence which runs
through the Vatican, (which is but the
abuse of ignorance for the purpose of en-
shaving IT, he declared that 1t was only
Ultramontanism that the Republic had to
fear. This power, he said, always increas'
ed when the fortunes OF the country fail,
The Ultramontane influence, he said, fit.
rates int the army, into the magistracyr
into the Assembly. He believed in giving
every mai full liberty Of conscience, but
demanded that the laws Of the country
should be supreme; that no one should
be granted exceptional privileges, aud
that the clergy should be compelled to pay
| IIltlT utDl W IIlt IAtlbu IIht ONlAGl N4tNSNAtE
This means that young men cannot escape
service In the army BY going into o semi
nary TO become a priest. They must pay
for n substitute or pass a few years in the
army. After that II they wish to enter
the clergy there will be no obstacle in
their way. /.
This may be considered the opening Of
q desperate struggle between the church
and state in France, The great leader OF
tie Republican party has long been PLAN
ming this attack upon the enemies OF free
government, and he doubtless knows the
character Of all the great obstacles he will
have to encounter. The power OF the
Romish church In france has been rapid
ly weakened for half acentury and during
the last few years the work OF diSintegra-
.tton has received accelerated rapldity.
The shrine worship. the pilgrimages, the
pretended miracles, were all powerleSs to
arrest the decay Of an Institution whose
chief aim was TO degrade and enslave the
human race. With the same instinct that
rats desert q sinking ship. the priests have
for years been abandoning the rotten
OF ultnmonatanism in France, and even
nov il is found impossible to obtain
recruits to go through the regular church
service. TIE clericals were about to set
on foot some scheme TO fill up their
thinned ranks, when Gambetta sounded
the tocsin for a forward movement
upon the enemy. He was fortunate, as
he always is, in selecting the proper time
for this important act. The church natn,
rally squirms, and while adopting is well
known role OF the martyr, it will, astn
Germany, use all means. good as well as
bad, to put down this daring a%ssailant. It
viii plot and scheme, offering its support
to Lsgitimatists, 0rleanists, Bonapartists,
or the red handed Commune II these can
aid In elevating Romanism upon the ruins
OF the Republic. Against this desperate
opponent u. Gambetta will unite all
shades of Repnblieanism: The cable yes
terday morning reported the radical Repub-
licans dissatisfied and charging Ganbetta
with timidity. On the other hand, the
moderate Republicans are uneasy and fear
that their leader-has- g~one-too Tar. It's
probable that he, has struck the happy,
mean between the two and will in the end
unite them in support OF bis programme