Year: 1875

Italian Ecclesiastical Policy.


On the lst instant there was an M


terpellation in the Italian Chamber,


touching upon ecclesiastical affairs.


which serves TO illustrate in a very


striking manner the difference between


the policy of Germany toward the


Church of Rome, and that which 1t.
ally tells called upon to adopt. The


opposition in the Chamber are dispos-
ed 10 initiate the Bismarekian policy,
and Signor Laporta, q prominent rep


resentatiye of those who condemn tie


mild measures of the Government, as


serted that the clergy had violated


the laws" and should be warned by


proper punishment that they could


not do SO with impunity. Signor La


porta was in favor of rigorous repres-
sion of ecclesiastical encroachments,


and was hugely scandalized by the


indifference and indulgence Of the
Government.
The reply of the Minister of Public


Worship was somewhat cold. He


said, in effect, that the clergy had Of


late behaved about as we'll as could


be reasonably expected, all things
considered. They had not recently
committed any "acts of rebellion ="
and that ought to be counted for
something. Minghetti, who has re.
peatedly been accused of design to
form a new Catholic party said it
could not be denied that there is q
conflict between the Church on one
side and liberal society on the other.
The State could not stand altogether
aloof from this conflict in all its pha-
ses 4; but the extent 10 which it should
engage in it, and the methods to
which it should resort in resisting the
alleged encroachments of the ecclesi-
astical power must be determined by
every nation for itself In accordance
with It's own traditions, laws and in
terests, and with reference to the state
of public opinion and the circumstan-
ces of each particular case.


This amounts to saying that Italy
is not prepared TO make common cause
with Germany on the ecclesiastical
question. In fact there is no apparent
necessity In her case for acting with
severity, or, for that matter, of acting
at all. In Italy the ecclesiastical
power is not formidable TO the State.
The Church has, in a great measure,
lost its influence with the people. and
does not possess sufficient power to
embarrass the Government. The
Pope can no longer summon Austrian
or Neapolitan regiments to enforce
his will.


The temporal arm is no longer his
obedient instrument. He cannot sup
press atheistic' or heretical journ-
ais, or summon his military police to
punish otfenses against his religion
The secular power in Italy has within
a few years gained SO much, and is
now so secure in its gains, that it CAN
afford TO view with unruffied compos-
IRE acts which throw Prussia into
spasms of wrath. There is sound
sense and political wisdom in the pol
icy pursued by the Italian Government
toward the Papacy, and there would
be neither i'll the adoption Of the Ger
man policy.


The circumstances of the two ma
tions in reference to the Papal ques-
ton are entirely dissimilar, and what
is right and necessary in the one may
be mischievous and inexpedient in the
other. For Victor Emmanuel TO fol.
low the lead of Germany would be
to endanger his throne by encOurag-
ing what he felicitously styled, in his
autograph letter to the Pope Of Sep
tember Sth, 1870, "tbe party of cos
mopolitan revolution" Singular as
it may seem in the light of history,
the unquestionable truth is that the
power of the Church in Italy is to-day
much less than it is in Germany, and
hence the Italian Government do not
need to initiate the stern, repressive
policy of Bismarck. The wisest course
for that Government is to let Ger
many steer her own boat in her own
wav, while Italy does the same.