New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-22
THE POPE MAY LEAVE ROME.
THE ITALIAN KULTURKAMPF INSPIRED BY
AN ANGRY WOMAN.

,rRox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRibuSEo
p"'~ =" Rome, July 2.
A.. No time since 1870 have the discussions
hctweon the Papal Court and the Royal Govern
mont been So intensely bitter as at the present
moment All those prospects OIL an carry recon-
cilation between the Vatican ana the oulrinal
which appcared so promising laSt autumn nave
,oon aoshod to the around. The hostility has be-
800 v,o,o acpte than ever, and the departure
- .so ILL Father from Rome is now more seri-
onslv threatened than at any time during the past
oicbteon wears Matters have IN fact come to
,roh n mich that the Prime Minister Of Italy
oeic;alIr declares that any attempt even 10 bring
hut n reconciliation between Church and State
OH no regarded by the latter as high treason
and no punished ms such. In future the people
If Italy will be forced to assume an attitude of
omen antagonsm either toward the Government
or toward the PontiG. There can be no longer
any middle course, and it has become absolutely
impossible TO remain on good terms with both
Leo NH. casting aside his usual diplomacy and
shrewdncss publicly denounces the dongs of King
Uumberts Ministers as the works Of Satan" while
on the other hand the members of the Cabinet
lose no opportunity of openly and officially de-
claring that they striving to bring about the
Sedan of Clcricalism."
Strange 10 relate, the abrupt termination of the
former modus vivendi, and the existence OF the
present unpleasant state Of affairs is mainly que
TO petticoat influence" In former letter
have related how the Prime Minister Signor
Crispi, having deserted his first wife, cooiiy mar
red, in 1863. the famous Garibadean cantinlere,
Resale, without having obtained divorce or any
other kind of release from Madame Crlspl no. l.
and how on the death of the latter in 1889, he
suddenly took TO himself third vile, eXcuslhG
his abandonment of Rosalie On the altogether
specious grounds that his marriage with her, hav-
ing been contracted during the lifetime of his
first wife, was bigamous one, and therefore Ipse
facto null and void Madame Resale being
very popular and estimable old lady, much feeling
was displayed in the matter among all classes OF
Roman society, the universal antipathy toward
Madame Crisp No. being intensified by the
fact that her past life had been notorious at
Syracuse. For long time Queen Marguerite
sternly refused to receive her. On the Premers re-
turn however, from his visit to Prince Bismarck
last autumn, he felt himself powerful enough prac-
tically to force his wife on the Court, and Queen
Marguerite, much against her will, was at length
prevailed upon TO admit the former demi-mon-
dame TO her presence Emboldcned by Her
Majesty's gracousness Madame Crispi determined
TO take the bull by the hcrns, and to make
grand effort to break down the wall which shut
her of from Roman society. Bearing in mind the
proverb which asserts that Charity covers
multitude of sns,p she decided that the best man.
ner of attaining the object she had in view would
be TO promote entertainment or fair for some
popular and benevolent institution. Awaiting
herself of this preteXt, she called upon all the
principal leaders of society here for the purpose
of invoking their assistance. With the exception
of the Foreign Embassies and legations and of
a few unimportant political Salons she found all
doors closed against her. II is in fact almost
impossible TO conceive the affronts to which she
was subjected by the great Roman ladies. who arc
all earnest Catholics and more or less devoted to
the Church party The climax was reached on the
day when she happened to meet at one of the
foreign legations the young wife of the Duke OF
Torlona who but q few days before had declined
10 receive her With brazcn efrrontery Madame
Crispi attempted to avail herself of the opportunity
TO enter into conversation with the Duchess
whereupon the latter Immediately arose, and took
her departure, explaining in clear and audible
tones to the Ambassadors that no Roman lady
could ever submit to the ndignity of remaining
in the same room with such a woman as the wife
of the Prime Minister of Italy.
Sgnor Crispi who is not only devoted to his
third wife, but also entirely subject to her influence
was enraged beyond all expression at the treat
ment to which she had been subjected, all the
more so inasmuch the Duke of Ioronia, as
Syndic or Mayor of Rome, was TO certain extent
his hierarchical subordinate. An opportunity Tor
revenge came two days later The Duke acting
in the name of the majority of the Municipal
Council, called upon Cardinal Parrochi, the Vicar
General of the Italian Metropolis, to offer good
wishes and congratulations to the Pope on the
occasion of his jubilee. Signor Crispi eagerly
availed himself of this perfectly natural act OF
courtesy on the part of the Duke to dismiss nm
from his post of Mayor Of Rome IN O
most insulting and ignomipious manner. VI
course this coming just at the very moment when
special ambassadors were arriving at the vatican
from all the courts OF Europe with messages OF con-
graduation and presents, deeply offended the
Pontin. who az the moment only in the incl
dent an altogether unprovoked and uncalled Tor
act of hostility toward himself. Unfortunately
he allowed his feelings to get the better OF MS
usual moderation and diplomacy, and made most
bitter speech against the Government which
created great sensation at the time ana obtained
immense publicity, both at home and abroad. 10
this Signor Crispi Immediately responded by adopt
ing most energetic measures for the purpose OF
putting stop to the monster petition which for
over twelve months had been c1rcu-
lated in every town, village and
hamlet, in which the King was entreat-
ed to comply with the Pope's modified demands
concerning the sovereignty of portion of Rome,
and to effect public reconciliation, in the place
Of the secret modus vlvendi which, up to the end |
Of December last undoubtedly existed between |
the Quirinal and the Vatican. The bona hde sig |
natures already collected at the time numbered |
over 2, 800 900, figures which are by no means as
tonishing when it is borne in mind that, like all
Southern races the Italians at heart devout ana
superstitious easily Influenced by the clergy, ana
imbued with an extraordinary amount OF faith IN
the powers Of the Church That the petition had
the tacit approval of the Government until the end
of December last is shown by the assertion maze
about that time by the Minister of Justice, who
on being questioned about the matter in the Cham
Der Of Deputies, replied that Italy being free
country, and everybody at liberty to express his
own political opinion without interference on the