Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-06

The Latter Seems to BE Reced
ing From the Former.
Threatened With ExCommuni-
cation by the Pope.

Salaries Discontinued to the Successors
of Retired or Deceased Bishops snd
Priests-Many Churches without Pas
tors and Seminaries Being Deserted.
How win 1t End?
ROME, Jan. CIT is rumored that the
relations between the Vatican and Bra
lillian government are so strained that a
rupture is imminent. The pope, it is
said, has intimated that he will excom-
municate President Peixotto, his cabinet
and the members of the Brazilian con-
gress unless measures are taken to renew
the former relations between church
and state in Brazil The Vatican has re-
Ceived numerous complaints from the
Brazilian clergy of the disastrous effect
upon church interests of the policy Of
separation adopted by the republic.
1t is said that many churches are with
out pastors and the selninaries are being
deserted because the government re-
fuses to continue contributions for the
maintenance of the clergy and the chairs
in the seminaries. The prelates and
priests who ere in ecclesiastical service
at the time that connection between
church and state was abolished are still
nominally in receipt of salaries from the
federal treasury but when a bishop OF
priest retires or dies the salary is not
continued to his successor, so that the
death of priest means the cessation of
salary to his charge, and perhaps the
closing of a church. The Brazih-n
hierarchy did not at first feel the effect
of the change, but as time progressed
and salaries ceased the bishops have be-
come alarmed.
Archbishop De Macedo Costa, primal
of Brazil, has sent statement of tAe
facts and an earnest appeal for the -
sistance of the pope in restoring the
church to the former place. In this tie
primate is stained by the whole hi
archy. 1t is on account of the ecclesia5-
tics that there is no apparent prospects
of voluntary support for the church.
The people have been 50 long accustom d
to the state church that they will not
contribute to the maintenance of the
new priests, appointed without a sta.e
salary and thrown upon the people for
support. Attempts to take contributions
for the priests salaries have generally
failed. Although the provincial govern
ments are permitted by federal law to
provide for the support of religion, they
have omitted TO make any such provision
on the plea that if the church is to have
public support the old system should
continue.
Bishop Count De Saint Agostinho, of
Pernambuco, is among the most earnest
of the prelates struggling for restored
establishment, and it is said that the de-
termined attitude of the Vatican is large
ly due to his influence. 1t is reported
that papal ultilnatum will be present
ed to the brazilian government, and if
it be unfavorably received, it will be
followed by communication. Among
South Americans in Rome The opinion
prevails that Brazil ylii not yield, and
that hostile action by the Vatican will
provoke retaliation and bring about a
compete Withdrawal Of state support.
This opinion is founded on the fact that
the Brazilian clergy have generally
sympathized with the deposed imperial
family, and that some Of them are
charged with aiding to keep alive the
sentiment in favor of restoring the en-
pire.