Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-30
MEMPHIS APPEAL
THURSDAY. MARCH 80, 1889

REPUBLICAN PROGRESS IN TRANCE
France is steadily making progress toward
complete republicanism. Monarchy has left
its impress deep and wide in the land. To
uproot feudal views, and feelings, and insti-
tutions is no easy task, but it is one at which
the French working diligently. The
court is banished, and they are getting rid Of
the trappings, the gorgeous show of luxury
and rank; title and palace, domination and
throne are receiving dismissal. Monsieur"
is supplanting "Monseigneur," and Due, and
Compile are gradually but surely subsiding
toward the condition when The only nobility
will be the title of "Citizen of France" To
accomplish this end fully, it is necessary to
pluck power and place from the hands that
have been the most persistent of all the sup
porters of rank and privilege and aristocratic
power-those of the State Church. First, it
is necessary to deprive the priesthood of
the monopoly of educating the young,
which they have so long possessed. That
order earnestly covets the training of the
young vines, sure that it can fashion the
Juvenile growth as shall suit its purpose.
That purpose in France is adverse to the
progress of liberty, and unfavorable to the
development of republican ideas and institu-
tions. The French legislature has therefore
passed bill establishing primary educa-
ton, which bill makes the instruction Of the
young compulsory, and requires that it be
purely civil and unsectaIisn. The priest is
therefore no longer TO be appointed instruct
or by the State in the State schools This is
heavy blow to d church that las endured
much and lost much since the pope's subjects
refused to allow him longer to be temporal
sovereign. The higher schools and colleges
had already been purged OF the clerical
element by the removal of the Jesuits and
other unauthorized instructors, by the action
of the government. This last is bold and
admirable step, and is preliminary to
another which must logically follow
1.-THE separation of the Church from
the State. Napoleon, among his other VIC
tories, Wruug concordat, or treaty, from the |
pope, which he believed to be highly favora-
BILE to France. What Napoleon regarded as !
prize France is about, leisurely but de- |
terminedly, to cast out. AS with ourselves, |
the clergy will have full liberty of religious
teaching, but the political power that has
been such a snare to the church and such a |
degrader OF religion will be Withdrawn. OF |
course thousands in Europe view these in |
novations with horror, and shudder at them |
as impiety, and condemn them as blows |
aimed at religion. The religion that gave
the mass to Louis NV as he came down in
a morning from the chamber of his mistress;
the religion whose fruit was the oppression,
injustice and corruption that led to the first
French revolution, and that toadied to a
Louis Napoleon, cannot but profit by a dis
connection from the State, and a separation
from the degradation of political intrigue.
We know that in our own land religion has
suffered nothing by being left in its own
grand independence Of man, and we know
that own clergy have the love of the
people in a way they could never secure if
they were mingled in the strife of politics,
and corrupted by the possession of official
power. France is doing well, and her sue
cess as a republic is the death-knell of every
in Europe.