Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-01-15
BISMARCK and THE POPE.

1hO holhCQ VI tuC OCIAdu
Chanceilor's policy with reference to the
See of Rome, and the advances recently
made by the German Empire looking to
a renewal of diplomatic intercourse with
the Roman Pontiff, are events well calcu-
lated to engross, for at least the present
decade, the attention of the Old and New
World. The cosmopolitan character of
the church of Rome, which necessitates
the absolute independence of its head
from the restraints and influences of tenn
poral princes, is not only recognized by
the German governments proposing to
accredit minister to the Vatican, but
the present attitude of Italy with refer
ence to the provinces which constituted
the See of Rome from the mid
die of the eighth century down
to 1870, is reported to be
so much at variance with Bismarck's
present views, as to furnish grounds for
the uncontradicted statement that, should
the Pope conclude to remove from Rome.
he will be invited by the German empire
to take up his temporary residence in
Fulda. with his temporal powers fully
recognized and guaranteed. This action
on the part of the German government is
in such marked contrast with the course
pursued by Prince Bismarck towards the
church few years since, as to make
resume of the causes which led to the es-
Enlistment of the temporal power of the
Pope, both interesting and instructive at
the present time. !
The temporal power of the
Roman Pontifs may be stated
to have commenced with Con-
stantine and to have been fully
established under King Pepin, of France.
During the, year A. D. 327 Constantine
transferred the seat of government from
Rome to Constantinople, the present cap
ital of Turkey, and subsequently gov
ernor was appointed to rule over Italy,
and he took up his residence at Ravena.
To rule Italy from Constantinople
through a governor at Ravena produced
among the Italians of the fourth century
nation of Ireland through lord Eeuten-
ant has produced in the nineteenth CEN
fury. The principle of home rule, and
direct responsibility of the ruler to the
ruled, has been strong in all ages. Alien
rule, deriving its authority from for
eign prince Indifferent to the true inter-
ests of his subjects, has been fruitful of
dissatisfaction and revolutions culmi-
mating in giving relief to the oppressed
from the days Of the Patriarchs in the
time of Moses, down to the present
time The governor at Ravena had
! the same affection for the Italians that
| Foster, the alien ruler of Ireland,
| has for the Irish people; and the
anarchy and bloodshed, which distracts
the Irish people to-day, is only history
of the fourth century repeating itself in
the nineteenth. About this time an event
took place which called for the united
efforts of the Italians to protect their
country from plumber and invasion. The
Northern hordes under Attila were
marching on Rome, and an appeal was
made by the Italian people to Constan-
tine and the governor of Ravena for as
sistance, but in vain.
| Abandoned to the fury of the barbar-
ians, and unable to obtain assistance
from the emperor Or the governor
at Ravena, the Italians, as dernier re-
sort, turned to the See of Rome. Nor
were the confidence of the Italians mis-
placed, for when Attila appeared before
the gates of Rome with an army of five
hundred thousand men, he was con-
fronted by Pope Leo with no other
weapons save the cross and the black
gown, and persuaded to retrace his steps
without entering Rome. Again, the same
pontiff, when the Vandals under Genseric
| entered Rome, saved the city from the
horrors of slaughter and the torch.
These events were well calculated to
strengthen the Pope in the affections of
the Italian people, and ALLEVIATE them
from their heartless rulers. Leo Isauri-
Gus, however, added fuel to the fame
already kindled by his predecessor, when
he outraged the religious sentiment of
the Italian nation by removing the paint
ings of our Savior from the churches
against the earnest remonstrance of Pope
Gregory II. This was followed soon by
an event which forever abolished the
sway of the Byzantine rulers in Italy
and the establishment of the temporal
power of the Roman Pontiffs.
In the middle of the eighth CEN
fury, on the approach of the
Lombards on Rome, Pope Stephen III
appealed to Copronymous, the successor
of Leo, the Isaurian, for protection
against the invaders, but his application
was treated with GOODNESS and neglect,
and Stephen seeing no time was to be
lost, crossed the Alps and appealed to
Pepin, king of France, to protect Italy
from invasion. The Faench mon
arch not only complied with the
Pope's request, but in person headed an