Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-12
The Cardinals Letter.


Taken in connection with the toast
which recently threatened to disturb
tho slumbcrs Of the crowned heads
OF Europe Cardinal GmBoSs's letter
10 the Count DE Mux touching the latter's
pamphlet entitled "Quelques Aots d 'Erph-
oofiom,n must be regarded an highly inn
portant. We printed IL yesterday.
Cardinal GIBBoSs Is man who has the
courage Of bis convictions and an ecclesi-
astical dignitary who is not afraid that his
standing as such will be lowered by q
manifestation on his part OF sympathy
with the poorer classes. as his Church GEN.
furies ago protected the people against
kings. He was censured by some for
letter which he wrote last year in regard
70 the labor troubles in this country and
Canada, but nobody would censure him
for 1t now.
The Cardinals letter foreshadows what
may be expected TO DO the policy OF the
Vatican. and tells Kings and Princes that
they ought to learn from our example in
this free republic that the people are capa-
BILE of governing themselves. But this IS
not meant TO be confession that the Pope,
a. has often been charged, has heretofore
been too careful of the interests of the
ruling classes In Europe. His Church, as
we have said, was centuries ago the peo-
Piles protector. We can all, Protestants
and Catholics, concede that II IN the
United States tho Roman Catholics have
been so prosperous without the aid OF
an establishment" -without assistance
from the Government-theu unavoidable In
ference is that they could do still better IN
Europe, where they are 80 numerous and
% wealthy.
The reader may say that we have attach
cd meaning to the Cardinals letter which
It was not intended to have. Not so. We
have merely construed II in connection
with the circumstances under which 1t ap-
pears. II il @ statesman's letter. That is
to say, 1t speaks fora Church among whose
dicnitaries there are many statesmen.
"If he merits much who writes and
speaks for the poor, he merits more who
suffers for them" SO says the Cardinal,
and truly. So it ia much greater sacrifice
TO many man to visit the poor and needy
than TO give hundreds or thousands of dol
lars for their relief To suffer for the poor
Is what few of US are prepared to do.
Cardinal GIBsoSs's reference to 1.-THE
Sunday rest" is worthy of being repro
duced this Sunday morning. His lam
cuage is both emphatic and significant.
We quote:
"Abovo oil tho Sunday rest should DO insisted
on. For nothing is moro calculated to degrade
man and 70 embitter his days and TO crush out
from his heart the blessed influences OF Chris.
tisnity than the Dissertation OF tho Lords day by
forced manual labor"
We firmly believe in this utterance,
Nothing is better calculated to destroy
mans self-respect than forced manual
labor on Sunday. The victim of 1T can
not but feel that he does not stand upon
the same high plane with his fellow
citizens, who are not compelled to per
form manual labor" on the rest day. We
call attention to the Cardinals definition
ut is q definition in effecD Of Sunday a:
the "Sunday rest" and also to the phrase
"manual labor" The latter may find OBJ
jectors.
We finish rs we began by saying that WI
regard the Cardinals letter as highly i'm
portant because we understand it to fore
shadow the policy of the Vatican as Il
many matters in which the experience o
this country will cause US to take deel
interest,