New-York tribune., 1901-07-31
CHANGING THE BRITISH SUCCESSION.

The proposal TO modify the Kings coronation
oath in accordance with the demands of Roman
Catholics is making progress in the British
Parliament. 1t has already passed its second
reading in the House of Lords and its ultimate
adoption seems TO be pretty generally expected.
If it IS enacted il may-it Is 10 be hoped it will
prove benefcent But it will certainly be one
of the most noteworthy enactments OF modern
times in Great Britain. and one of the most
noteworthy political concessions and renunca-
tiOns in the history of the world. The Catholic
Emancipation act was mere trife compared
with it, and if we wish TO find its match in i'm
pOrtance we must 90 back 10 the days of the
Reformation and the Revolution. For. stripped
of all conventionllities this proposed change is
directly calculated 10 make for such an altera
ton OF the British Constitution will permit
Roman Catholic to succeed to the throne. or. in
deed. permit the present sovereign to renounce
Professionalism and embrace Catholicism.
In express terms of course, 1t does no such
thing. and its supporters. the majority of
them. would doubtless sincerely deny that it
had any such purpose that they had any
such intent. Ostensibly. it leaves the law of
succession unchanged. and merely eliminates
from the coronation oath certain extreme ex-
pressions which are said to be offensive TO
Roman Catholics II is instructive, however TO
see how Roman Catholics themselves regard it.
Referring TO the part of the oath which ii is
now proposed TO strike out THE Tablet" of
London the chief organ Of the Roman Catholic
Church in the English speaking world, recently
declared that British PrOtestants doubtless had
great interest in it, for lit was their flag to
speak nailed over the threshold of the throne
"and on the very apex of the constitution.
Hence a change would have the sig
'nifcance of something more than n mere onis-
'sion. 1t would be to them the hauling down
'of their flag on fortress which has been their
chief point of vantage" Again. in a publica-
ton put forth under the authority of Cardinal
Vaughan. it is declared that the part of the
oath in question was inserted as "an effective
bar against Papists," for which purpose lit
must be admitted the test was effective
Many other utterances might be cited TO the
same effect showing that intelligent Roman
Catholics who have interested themselves in the
matter regard the proposed modification of the
Kings oath as a removal of the chief bar TO
Catholic accession TO the throne. II may be, of
course that such change in the law or in the
possibilities of succession to the throne is de-
sirabIe That is matter for the British ma ton
10 Judge for itself. The point of present interest
10 outside observers is that the pending pro-
posal is construed by Catholics themselves as
tending 10 such a change and therefore rs
tending to undo the very work upon the basis
of which the late Hanoveran dynasty was
called 10 the throne.
THIS may be regarded long step toward
complete separation of church and state, which
latter is undoubtedly, Americans generally
think a good thing. We have no religious
test oath here. 1t would be gratifying,
from that point OF view. TO the example
followed elsewhere. If, let us say, a formal
declaration were made that the thrones of
Austria and Spain were open to Protestant sue
cession and no religious discrimination were TO
be made III matters of state. those Catholic
countries would show themselves tolerant
and generous Great Britain is asked 10
be- But it = gravoy 10 be doubted whether