, 1879-08-10
EXILED GERMAN BISHOPS.
WHY EMPEROR WILLIAMS AMNESTY DOES NOT

EXILED GERMAN BISHOPS.
WHY EMPERoR WILLIAMS AMNESTY DOES NOT
| INCLUDE THEM.
The Rev. DR.. Joseph P. Thompson, formerly
of this city, now of Berlin, writes an interest.
! ing letter to the Independent, in which he says
| that there is good deal Of surprise manifested
| In the German Capital because the names OF the
i Roman Catholic Bishops and priests, who have
been prescribed for refusing to submit to the
so-calIca Falk laws, do not appear In the list OF
| the 500 persons amucsticd on the Emprr or
| Williams golden wedding. For nearly q
| gear, the Doctor says, there had been
| runors OF some compact OF the
Pusslan Government with the Pope, by which
these ecclesiastics should be restored to their
functions upon some technical profession Of al.
legiance to the State, and the Falk laws should
| fall into abeyauce as dead letter. The public
had been curious aud alarmed ut the strange in-
titnacy which had sprung up between Bismarck
and Windhorst, leader OF the U1tramontanes,
his most puguacious and thorny opponent. It
was plain that Windborst and his party had
agreed to support the Chancellor Ia bis new
policy of protection, and it is through the ad-
hesion OF this once hostile party that on the
tariff question the Chancellor has been able to
WELD majority iu Parliament against his old
supporters, the National Liberals. Nobody
could believe that this support was pledged
without consideration. Some faucied that this
consideration would be given in restoring the
throne OF Hanover to the Duke of Cumberland;
but all expectation in that quarter has died out.
Thcn it was rumored that the exied clergy were
10 oe restorea' anu 'ua1 ne" conco'oat was 10
be established between the Prussian Govern
,arf and T Naeh ff,1ff
wedding would be the occasion for diynlging
these new arrangements, and the friends OF
Minister Fa1k were in hourly expectation OF bis
compulsory resignation. But thc day has passed,
Catholic clergy, 1t now leaks out that this had
been contemplated, but was hindcred by insuper-
able obstacles.
"The TRUTH" says DR.. Thompson "seems to
be that Prince Bismarck, whose governing poll
cy is tile interest Of Today irrespective Of 1he
measures of yesterday, was willing to conci}faIe
tho party OF the Centre, for the sake of their
support in bis financial schemes for the army.
But when compromise over the Falk laws was
hinted at, the feeling of the people was reused
against aay retroccssion OF the Government be-
fore the Catholic clergy Many who deprecated
those laws at the first now feel that the dignity
and supremacy Of the Government are involved
III their support. But the chief obstacle to a
the fact that last year, when acting ID the name
Of the Emperor, the Crown Prince addressed 4
letter to the Pope, in which he said that any
plan Of reconciliation between the Ptussian Gov
ernment and the Pope must proceed upon the
basis OF the submission Of the clergy to the au-
thorfty Of the State according to the laws This
declaration. OF course. carried with it the full
authority OF the Emperor: Now, the Grown
Prince. being no longer in Office, cannot revoke
or modify the words OF that official letter. The
Emperor could not cancel thHt letter Without
repudiating the action Of his son, to whom he
had delegated Ills power and thus creating dis
sension throughout the Empire. Thus the
Bishops and clergy VINO dehed tile laws are
baked OF their amnesty.
Bur this gives new pungency to the ccclesi-
astical controversy, which had begun to subsile.
4 violent Uisramontane in Parliament, Won !
Schorlcner, has sketched tho situation with pun
gent satire. The treaty Just made between |
Germany and the Samoan Islands guarantees !
absolute freedom OF conscience aud OF worship !
to the SUBJECTS OF ootn rowefs' ny se1oIisner e.
claims: ~ happy samoans; u. ts; we Catholics In
dercd to the last degree by genaarmes und the !
police. BY this treaty the Satnoans my have
free play Tor their pI,ests IN Germany. while