The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-03

earthly influences and Independent of all
physical force. The pope to be able in
the name of conscience, in the name of
moral order to command kings and gov
ernments, to be able to maintain the
independence of conscience, must not be
the subject of any civil government.
The necessity of the case, by the nature
Of the mission of the church, makes IN
dependence necessary. Scarcely had the
church merged from the cataconbs,
when the bishop of Rome became an in
dependent sovereign, for !, 400 years he
remained an Independent sovereign.
Christian nations understood the need
of temporal power for the pope, and de-
clared temporal power to be the very
corner stone of pontifical independence,
and, of the independence of conscience.
CRIME AGAINST RELIGION.
A few years ago, however, the govern
ment of Italy, rushed into Rome and al
tered the providential disposition of CEN
turies. Not only was there in the breach
of Porta Pia, the crime of Selling a city
belonging to a sovereign, willing to be-
long to that sovereign; there was there
crime against Catholic conscience,
against Catholic christendom the world
over Since then, despite the presence
of the King of Italy, of his policemen,
and of his soldiers, Leo remains inde-
pendent, Independent by his protest
against the Italian government, by
his protest, repeated again and
again. He may be the captive, he
is not the slave or the SUBJ
ject 1t is said, and with truth, not for
centuries did the papacy enjoy the great
moral prestige that it has today, there
fore 1T needs no temporal sovereignty. It
has such prestige because Of the personal
qualities of Leo, despite the obstacles cast
in his way by an invading government;
it has that prestige owing to Leo's contin-
uous protest against the presence of a for
eign power in the capital. The Pope pro-
tests, and you ask what Is the use? The
use! Why! is there no use in proclaim
ing truth, in maintaining principle? Such
Is the mission Of the church. whether her
words are in fact obeyed or not.
Is there practical benefit to come from
his protests? Leo cares not. 1t may be
that for years. and years, and years to
come there shall be no change. The
papacy is eternal and can afford to be
patient We the children of day, who
live few years, despair If things are
not righted before our eyes.
PROSPERITY is IMPERILLED.
'"The health and prosperity of Italy
are impcrilled because of the divisions
begotten by tie Roman question. The
best, most conservative elements in the
population take no part in political
affairs, for the pope's will is that, until
the great wrong is righted Catholics
should take no part in national elections,
or in the administration of national
affairs. Italian statesmen. recognize that
the present is ntolerable-however un-
willingly they may be to propose effec-
tive remedies. Nor in proposing remedies
need they propose the destruction Of
Italian unity or a return throughout the
peninsula to a multiplicity of small pr1n-
cipalities, or partial foreign domination,
as formerly existed The question is of
Rome-whither the makers of Italian
unity never should have turned their
steps. Rome, historically, providentially,
by the necessities Of Italy and of the
world, by the necessities of Christ's
church, is city all by itself-to stand
out from all powers and principalities
! as the seat of empire of ChriSt's spiritual
| kingdom. Let Italy take eXample-to a
| degree, from America itself, where the
! city of Washington, the seat of the
| federal government, is independent of all
| and any of the several states composing
| the union The pope, sovereign of Rome,
| would not be the sovereign of united
! Italy. as the president residing in WASH
! ington is the president of the United
! States; but the reasons for an independ-
! ent Rome are the same as the reasons
! for an independent Washington; and in
J 10 ONfh way, 1NO1lCy N tlIlS independent,
would contribute to the general welfare
end glory of all Italy as Washington
| does to the welfare and glory of all
! America.
PROVIDENCE WILL SOLVE 1T
and now, the reasons given for the
independence of the pope, and for his
sovereignty over Rome as the sole effec-
! tive guarantee of that independence we
leave in the hands of providence, to
whom ages are but as months in whose
care is the church, to mark the time
when the Roman question shall be
solved, and the precise methods which
shall determine its solution