The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1899-02-25
POPE AND REBEl.


yean It has been charged and
denied, and denied and charged,
that the Vatican was in sympathy
with the South during the war. In
his political history of the Rebellion
MCPHERSON, who, In matters of
doubt, always and naturally leans
20 the noTthward, says that the
church took no Official actio /, al
though Archbishop Lynch went to
Rome - an agent of the Confeder-
ssy. He also gives a letter from
Cardinal Antonelli, addressed TO
A. Dudley Mann, J. NJ. Mason and
John Slidell, commissioners OF the
Confederate States of Amer ca,
acknowledging on behalf of the
Pope the receipt of q manifesto
from Jefferson Davis, and express
ing the hope of the Pope that war
between the states may be speedily
terminated. This is ell / can end
in history on the subject, beyond
numerous general assertions and
denials that the Pope did officially
recognize the Confederate govern
ment and give Jefferson Davis his
august blessing. That Davis sought
the same has never been disputed,
and that he received it has been
claimed by nearly all the historical
writer's on the Confederate side.
High functionaries of the church
have repeatedly denied that that the
pontifcal benediction was ever
pronounced upon the CUnfederacy,
and their denial has been accepted
as final.
At the treasury department the
other day Mr. Critics of Nebraska,
the chief of the division of cap
tured and abandoned property,
showed me a time worn paper,
which vas found among the records
captured at the time of the evacua-
ton of Richmond, that will settle
the controversy forever. 1t has
lain all this time in the pigeon
holes of the department, unknown
and unnoticed, while the historians
and theologians have been disput-
ing Its existence. Attached to it is
the following letter of transmittal:
Brussels, May 9, l864.-To the
President: Herewith l have the
honor to transmit the letter which
his Holiness, Pope Plus the Ninth,
addressed to your excellency the Sd
of December last. Mr.. w. Jeffer-
son Buchanan has obligingly un-
dertaken Its conveyance and will
deliver It to you In person. This
letter viii grace the archives of the
executive Office In all coming time.
1t Will live, too, forever in story as
the production of the first poten-
tate who formally recognized your
official position and accorded to
one of the diplomatic representa-
tiyes of the Confederate States an
audience In an established court
palace, like that of st. James and
the T1ileries. / have the honor to
be with the most distinguished con-
sideration, ycur excellency's obed-
lent servant. A. DUDLEY MANN.
To his Excellency, Jefferson
Davis, President c. S. A., Rich.
mond.
The letter of the Pope is written
upon parchment In the quaint
ecclesiastical style, In Latin, of
course, and il addressed as follows:
HlEsfre ct HonorabiIie Hiro, Jefer-
son DaUis, Praesidi Eederatarxm
Americae RegioaHm Richmond:
The following is translation of
the text:
IIIxsfri0Es and Honorable Sir: We
have received with fitting kindness
the gentleman sent by your Excel
lency to deliver N your letters
bearing date of the 18th of Septem-
Der last. We certainly experienced
no small pleasure when we learned
from the same gentlemen and the
letters of your exceIlency with
what emotions of JOY and gratitude
towards NJ you were affected, IL
lustrious and honorable sir, when
you were first made acquainted |
with our letters 70 that reverend |
brother John, Archbishop Of New |
York and John, Archbishop of New |
Orleans, written the 18th Of 0cto-
Der last, In which we again and
again urged and exhorted the same
reverend brethren that, a. behooyed
their distinguished piety and their
episcopal charge, they should most
seal0usly use every effort in our