, 1880-07-25
TIE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND BISMARCK.

| SuDStdHLld4ly rs 1Qll0Ws. 1ut BRICK lsN'
gave the Ecclesiastical Court authority tt
depose recalcitrant Bishops and priests
! in the most summary manner, ant
it exercised its authority in tht
most wholesale way, the Ultramontanes
and whole Centre party maintaining
that the State could not depose them, since il
had not appointed them. The Government
now admits this was an error, as the new law
declares that the Court can only pronounce
inability to enter upon the Office. The Falck
laws prescribed special oath for the clergy,
which was a very rigid one but the new law
makes radical change by providing that tpe
Vicar OF vacant See may be relieved from
taking any oath at ali, provided he:be a Ger
man. Under the Falck laws the State had
| the right to suppress the salaries Of clergy
men it they did not bind themselves. to obey
all the future as we'll as the present laws Of
| the Empire Now they are freed from uak-
ing any agreement of the kind, and those
who have been dismissed ca1t resume their
| puipits and their salaries without taking
such an obligation The old laws also estab-
lshcd all administrative council of laymcn
for each parish. This restriction upon the
prerogatiyes Of the Bishops and priests can
now be>dispensad with by permission Of tha
Minister Of Public Worship. So ::
It will be seen that Bismarck has been very
liberal in his concessions, and has opened
the State doors very wide for the admission
OF the Vatican. It is notorious that he mafie
these concessions not from any lore Of tho
Church, but purely for the purpose of keep
ing his majority and OF securing votes to
carry out his purposes with reference to
political matters. The deposed Bishops and
priests have all come back 10 their Sees, mud
the Catholics are satisfied because they can
now manage affairs again without much ref
erence to the State. But what equivalent |
have they rendered? ?. No one but the Catho- |
lies is satisfied. The Gazette's correspond |
ent af6rms that all the parties: except the |
Ultramontanes are dissatisfied. The Pro-
gressfsts assail the bill as revolutionary. |
The National Liberals have been split into
two sections byit one Of them bitterly hostile.
The Conservatives who opposed the bill de-
clare that its passage Is more deplorable than
anything that has occurred for years, and
those who supported the Government now
feel humfllated, while the Liberals are re-
joicing at Bis1narck's discontinue, and it is |
said that even Bismarck Is furious at finding
that while he has made great concessions he
has received nothing in return. His real
purpose, which. was 10 grant the concessions
upon condition Of assistance in carrying out
other measures, has not been gained, fol; tho
Centre still continues the struggle, and If the
Government attempts to 1etaIiate there is !
essh hope Of success than ever before, as the
have secured a vantage |
ground which they can make stronger than
>yer.. Speaking Of Bismarck's defeat, the
te'scorrespondcnt says: !. .~s>; :
The defeat of the chance lor f. dqe to the fact
hat, in attacking it Just as he would d foreign !
'ower OF, a p6ticar party, be undervnlued
xsmpie Of how diiicuit Il IS Tor atooratic nnts
Tres to realize the defensive force OF spiritual
I'LL po 1a5
ood and evil passion: at its command as the | =
atholic hiernrchy; Any relapse into that fn:e
) the State o. dominion whose essential charac- :
erlstc It IS to withdraw itself from the reach OF
ondition for establishing 4ooa relations % Win :;
ne Church is to abstain from any attempt to
ome TO q formal understandtng with the Curia. G.
.ne11ages, each being untntellieiblo to. the =.
ther. conventional understanding is only +
n9%re 81 the
,rdafs are past; the State In modelling Its rela-
ons win the Church cau make the limits nf its Il
terference coexrensive only with the bounda- | ~
Is Of Its foreign power. 49, u
The g1st Of the matter seems to be that the b
atty German Premier has been overteached, cl
not infrequently happens when principles te
9 bartered for political advantage. It is q
It likely that the Catholic Church would T.
u any of its rights or dogmas or practices III
help pany one's political ambitions, and it Is IT
'tremarkable, therefore, now that the barter is
$ been made, that Bismarck finds he has co
sde very important CONCESSIONS and has tn
eeived an intangible, impalpable nothing pc
return, besides placing himself at. great be
advantage ia future The moment that y
abandoned the high position OF making So
urch and State Separate, and sought to e1- ut
ange religious advantages for political III
vantages, he exposed himself to Inevitable oe :
initiation and defeat. ...: -. T. sci