Year: 1860

page


THe Pupal Question in this Country.


Archbishop Hughes of New York, and the
nine SufFiagan Bishops OF his province. have
issued au address to the clergy and laity of the
Roman Catholic Church, in which they endeav-
or to yindicate the right Of the Pope and his
Cardinals to retain the Ecclesiastical States
under the POpe's dominion. The official cir
cular is opposed to any dirinutiOn Ofthe POpe's
temporal sovereignty, and is directed prinei-
Pally against the celebrated Paris pamphlet,
which the Archbishop cannot believe was writ
ten by the French Emperor. The circular is
long and possesses interest, both on account of
th3 source from which it emanates, and the
reasons which it alleges in favor Of allowing
the Church to retain the worldly power it has
exercised so long We clis the following
notice Of the address from the N. Y Post:


One, at least, of these reasons is not of
nature to have much effect upon those who
believe, with the authors Of our Declaration Of
Independence, that governments derive their
just powers from the consent of the governed"
The archbishop and his suffrsgans insist with
great esrnestness that the title of the Pope to
the provinces which have rev0ltel from him,
and which it is proposed shall not again be
brought under his rule, is legitimate, 'the most
legitimate that can be put forward by any SOW
eTeign in Europe" Arguments addressed to
Americans in favor of the POpe's authority to
govern the people of Romagna, whether they
like his government or not, and his right to
shoot them down if they offer to choose gov
E,. l.,
nobody. If mere legitimacy foIbds the sub
stitution Of one government for another, we
Finned greatly when we threw eff the yoke of
Great Britain. The title of George the Third
to the American colonies was Legitimate enough,
but that was not the question with US His
government was oppressive; we did not choose
to live under it, and we threw it of In like
manner have the people of ROmagna thrown off
she yoke of Plus the Ninth, never, we hope, to
be reimposed They have followed our exam
Pile, and it will be to the shame of our country
if any considerable part of our population should
question the right Of an oppressed nation to
break its fetters, whether they be forged by the
minions ofa Pope or a King.


4 great deal is said in this Address of the
temerity of Great Britain in taking the part of
the Italians, and admitting the right Of reyo-
luton. On the right Of revolution the present
British government is founded; on the right of
revolution rests the independence and freedom |
ofour own republic. If the right of revolution
be not admitted, Great Britain goes back to the !
form of absoutism from which SIZE vas deliver |
ed by the expulsion of the Stuarts; if that rgat
be denied, the United States 60 back under the |
dominion of England. 1t was a revolution |
which gave birth to the republic of Switzsr- |
land, an example Of free government that has
s,,bsisfo1 siD.o sho mid Ma 'a0aa II MAS a
olution-a revolution against which the Gath
Ole Church Ibid not protest-a revolution in |
which Catholics took Part-that separated Bel.
gium from Holland. Whatever American
denies the right of FeVaIut;on denies his coun.
try and blasphemes the creed Of liberty.


We have looked over the address TOT scme
definite expression Of an opinion that the peOs |
pie of Romagna ara attached to the govern
ment of the Pope, but, although an attempt is
made to raise doubt as to theig dlsika Of the
Papal rule, the signels of the address wisely |
leave the matter there. The people Of Res
magma have revolted, they have given the same
proof of discomfort that we gave when we
threw off the British yoke, and the world will
be satisfied with that evidence, whatever the
priests may say.


The question of reform in the State Of the
Church is not overlooked in the address elf
reforms are necessary" ," say the Bishops, I'VE
are sure that they will be granted, but let there
be no dictation on the subject By any sovereign
or statesman upon earth " We answer, that
if reforms in civil affairs cannot be had without
dictatIon, dictation is very well, and the more
of it the better. 1t matters not what the ruler
who is to make these reforms be called, whether
Pope, King or Emperor; the administration of
civil affairs is matter which relates to this world,
and if he abuses the powers of his office he must
be forced TO amend his course, in case he can-
not be persuaded.


But the Pope will not be called upon to make
any reforms in those parts of his dOminiOns in
which his late subjects have thrown of his
yoke. The Latin clergy will fed it out of their
power to roll back the tide which has swept
those provinces from under his scepter. EvS
cry circumstance which indicates the policy
Of the European soyeIeigns goes to show that
the Italian revolution has introduced a perma>
nent change. Il was Napoleon the first, we
believe, who said that all the tempoTalIties
which the Pope requires are q palace and
garden, and his successor on the French |
throne seems to be nearly of the same opinion. |