The record-union., 1894-12-01
CASTELAR, IN THE VATICAN.
Pope Leo the Most Able Politician of
this Epoch.


CASTELAR, IN THE VATICAN.
Pope Leo the Most Able Politician oi
this Epoch.
| Translated from the Spanish by S. II. GerIish
for the RE CoRD-UNION
This account OF visit OF Mr.. CASTELAR,
| to the Holy Father we take from dis
/ patch from Rome to the press of Madrid:
! Mr.. CASTELAR, directed his course this
| morning towards the Vatican, where he
| arrived at IL, the hour fixed for the audi
ence that his holiness had conceded tc
| him.
AS soon as he entered the secret ante
room, the chief OF the same, his excel
! lency Monsignor Cagiauo de Aceyedo,
conducted him TO the Pope without the
! least delay. The audience began at ten
minutes past L and was prolonged until
! half-past II of that day, being the longest
| that the dignitaries OF the Apostolic
/ Palace have on record as having been
conceded TO any person during the pres
ent pontificate.
Leo XIII., during all this, expressed
| himself with the greatest benevolence
and cordially. He began by speaking to
Mr.. Castelar,, in reference to his political
work and OF the diverse acts that ne had
part in during his political life, which
had helped to make the Spanish name
AlAoSbAAOdo III I-dlOpSs LIS bOllASoS bu0ll
paused TO explain to his interlocutor the
policy that formed the determination OF
the holy See and inspired its acts towards
! the French Republic and in reference To
Spain. And at last the Pope announced
to Mr.. Castelar, the next publication OF
important encyclicals, one directed to the
| North American countries and the other
! to those Of South America.
Mr.. CASTELAR, was greatly surprised al
| the perfect health of the Pope, of the alb
( solute clearness of his conceptions, of The
amplitude of his views, Of the profound
and admirable intuition that he disclosed
in all his thoughts.
The venerable Pontiff has produced on
! him the impression of truly superior
spirit, whose work is equal 10 that of the
greatest men Of history. In his feelings
! Leo XIII. is for and does much to secure
! International peace.
In relation to the ideas that Mr.. Caste
/ lar expressed TO his holiness, it is worth
| the mentioning, among many others.
| that he declared his profession of the
! Republican faith.
"A Republican 1 have always been,
and ever Will be Republican," said the
Pontltf. but Notwithstanding, l would
not ask TO have the present situation
changed, and in view of this situation
have counseled and counsel my friends
to lend their adhesion TO the constitu-
liOl1dI 1u6 L ODO
the 1llustrlouS orator for the loyalty and
the noble frank ness with which he ex-
! pressed himself as a true and good Span
lard upon political point of so much
! importance.
| AS he left the Office of his holiness, Lee
Alll., Mr.. Castelar, said to those around
! him: 1.-The Pope has treated me as q
father, ana he received me as soyer-
eign."
| From an interview that the corr espond-
ent OF lie H0tm of Paris had with Mr..
/ CASTELAR, we take the following occount:
! How did you find the Pope ?" asked
the French journalist.
a prodigy Of youth, with healthy
constitution, moral and vigorous. We
! touched all ubjectS-religion, politics,
! socialism, geographical questions, peace,
! war, relations with the States; in all and
| everything the Pope had personal ideas,
new and original. If would dare to use
the word l should say the Pope is a DEM
ocrat. an advanced spirit. If you talk
with him on diplomacy he viii answer
! you with as perfect a knowledge of lEu-
| rope as Metternich. Speak TO him OF
| the expansion OF the religious movement
Of Catholicism, and he will show you to
! the letter the Catholic conquests in the
New World like geographer. In fine,
we went over the social problems and the
social question. Without falling into
the socialistic Utopia, the Pope would
amaze with his reasonings many politi-
clans and many a socialist. And not to
humble the crowns before the people.
! Respect the thrones until they serve the
necessities of their political day and not
! To maintain any prejudice in regard to
them. Leo XIII. has given the church
an enormous impulse toward the new
! ideas, toward democracy. is it not nec-
essary,' he said to me, for the church 10
! return to its origin, to its cradle to its
fountain" The Pope did not say, as the
Abbe Maury, Jesus Christ was the first
of the sansculottes,' but he cannot be
very far from thinking it.
Thence his marvellous encyclicals di-
rected to Kings, Governors, Bishops,
| people and to the masses, and they are a
harmonious teaching within demo-
cratic method. Leo XIII. is one of the
most able politicians of this epoch. ."-El
| Comercio.