Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-04-16
sAToLLI LAUDs THE PRESS.


Independent of nor indifferent to the
popular opinion which manifests itself
through the press.-Mgr. SatOli."
In the first place, it is not the public
press (which has the most general and
efficacious influence in constructing,
moderating, keeping alive and modify
ing, when necessity requires, public
opinion y not in this country, at least,
whatever it may be in Italy. take it
for granted that by "the press" is meant
the newspaper press of the country.
In the second place, it is not "a ques-
ton whether law depends on the social
dispositions of the people or whther the
social dispositions of the people depend
on the law"
Iu the next place, if the opinion of
Mgr. Sotolli be anywhere near correct,
that "the legislative power"-here or
elsewhere-can not hold itself inde-
pendent of nor Indifferent to the popu
lar opinion, which manifests itself
through the press, then The legislative
power had better sell out openly and at
once to the devil and his angels, aud let
hell itself rule this nation and this earth
openly and without rebuke from any
source or soul whatever.
Regarding the first part of the papal
legate's proposition, if he had studied
these last thirty years or these last ten
wears, as have studied these last forty
years, the relation of the results of our
popular elections to the influence of the
supposed most potent newspapers in
the country at large or in any particu-
lar State or leading city of this land, he
would have learned that the so-called
popular verdict can seldom, if ever, be
traced to any direct or indirect inhu-
ence of the popular press upon this pop
ular verdict. In a word, the popular
verdict, so-called, usually flies in the
face OF the most influential press opin-
ion. So the facts of history are against
his excellency's opinion.
Again, did the so-called popular ver-
dict, as rule, sustain his proposition,
it would be a sorry comment upon the
master force of the one infallible church
of God in this world-of which church
Mgr. Satolli is the honored representa-
tive.
Furthermore, history teaches us--in
this land at least, and, in fact, in all lands
that in any great emergencies, as in
cases of mobs, wars, strikes, ETC., the
press is simply a babbling, baby news
monger as to the casualties, and very
interesting as such, but quite as power
less as a child to arouse, suppress, CON
troll or in any serious way modify the
| popular impulses and tides of the times;
and I confess myself utterly amazed to
find what I supposed to be an acute
thinking, even deep.thinking, man, and
| the special envoy of his holiness, the
Pope, to this country, indulging in such
utterly shallow and ill-informed opin-
ions, and still more amazed at the easy
confidence with which he expresses the
same.
Touching the second part of the prop
osition, which is more abstract and less
| capable of popular handling, if ii be q
question whether law-any law, human
or divine-"depends on the social dis
positions of the people," etc, or not ,
| then the powers that be, which, accord
| ing to St. Paul, are ordained of God, had
better Immediately abdicate-French-
man-like-and let the mob trample our
courts of Justice into hell-fre and spit
upon our sacred altars. No, no, Mon
signor, law is made of sterner stuff than
the social dispositions ofthe people; and
! if you have not gone deep enough into
| the secrets of nature and revelation and
history to know better than this, you
had better prolong your studies before
uttering yourself in the public press OF
this country again.
l am grieved to say these things.
Next to the holy father himself, / honor
this man in his own appointed sphere;
but in the name of the intelligent and
keen witted Catholic clergy and laymen
| of this land, can not see the chosen
representative of his holiness falling
into the hands of the demon of modern
democratic ignorant prejudices without
offering a respectful protest.
The third part of the Objectionable
paragraph l consider the most danger
Gus and pernicious of all.
That our legislative assemblies in
State and nation are hoodwinked by
the press at times and bribed by vari-
Gus hirelings of upstart powers, bought
outright and controlled utterly by the
plutocracy of the day, dictated to by
domestic and foreign bankers, and
driven, like dumb asses or oxen, by the
lash of the money power, am sad to
admit; and any man who knows the
press of this country-or of England,
France or Germany-knows that to a
very great extent it is purchasable
quantity in the money markets of the
world. But for the papal legate, with
the immense prestige and power back
of him which his position presumes, to
say practically that these things should
be so, aThat the legislative power can
not hold itself independent ETC., etc.,
implies that it can not do so in reason,
hence, ought not to do so, hence, that
4 &C