Year: 1871

l perts Hroo Keno and Bcrifn-What Does
II All Meant


The difficulties Of the Holy Father, touching
the relations between Church and State in the
city OF Rome, are evidently approaching a
crisis. We published yesterday from Rome
and Berlin some very remarkable and sug-
gestive dispatches on the subject. Thus from
Rome we are informed that the reunion of the
Cardinals of the Church for a solemn concave
or council has been completed in the Vatican
that the question placed before the Cardin ais
action should be taken by the Pope relative to
the claim of the King of Italy to the supremacy
| of rule In temporal affairs over the city and
domain of the Holy See; that the Cardinals
| have advised His Holiness to quit Rome, 'in
order to preserve his spiritual independence"
and that the Pope has virtually determined to
take his departure from Rome at the moment
Of the convocation of the Italian Parliament
| within the bounds Of the municipality.


| On the same day, Friday last, we were in
formed in q telegram from Berlin that on that
| day q special ambassador from the Pope had
obtained an interview with the Emperor Will
| liam, in which this Ambassador had stated
that he had been commissioned by the Pope to
inquire and ascertain of the Emperor if it
would be allowable and in order for the mem
bers Of the approaching conclave Of the
| Church to assemble and sit in session outside
Of Rome. say in some French city. The
Emperor, it further appears received this
| ooio hut


referred him for an answer to the Papal


message to the Imperial Chancellor, Prince


Bismarck; and that accordingly the Prince


was next approached with the important ques-


tion, bot that he evaded reply. Finally, it


appears that the Emperor committed to the


care of the Papal envoy, for delivery into the


hands of the Pope, an autograph letter ex-


pressive of his personal sympathy for His


Holiness in his present difficulties. And this


Is ALL and for the precise meaning and


objects of these extraordinary proceedings in


Rome and Berlin we are left to our own


conclusions.


The despatch from Rome is comparatively
clear. The Pope, it appears, has sought the
advice of his Cardinals in reference to his
course of action on the coming of the Italian
Parliament to Rome. They have advised
him to retire, and he is inclined to do so.
He has most emphatically, heretofore, in
various encyclicals and remonstrances, de-
nounced the invasion and occupation of his
temporalities by the Italian government as the
most outrageous usurpations, and the laws
passed by the Italian Parliament for the pro-
lection of the Church and the dignity of the
Pope as the head of the Church, as nothing
| better than the protection which the wolf
vouchsafes to the lamb. With equal clear


ness and emphasis the Holy Father has de-


clared that while he can never consent to


these sacrilegious spoliations; he can never,


as the custodian Of the sacred patrimony of


st. Peter, enter into any compromises affect


ing its integrity with ''the sub-Alpine govern


ment-" Since the promulgation of this Papal


ultimatum the King of Italy has entered into


the occupation of the Quirinal as his official


residence in Rome; has dspossessed the


Church of several converts in the city, in


cluding one from which the nuns have been


elected to make room for the Kings horses,


and has in many other things shown the Pope
that not only is he completely dispossessed
and superseded in his temporalities, but that
be is the Servant of servants" in Rome.


We can hardly doubt this report, therefore,
that in view of the coming of the Italian Par
Lament to Rome, the sorely distressed Head
of the Church is again medtating retreat
from the city and the scenes Of his many trials
and tribulations. Some months ago it was
said he had entered into certain arrangements
for temporary refuge in the island of Cor
sica but it was next given out that M. Theirs
| had persuaded him to abandon the hazardous
alternative and to await in Rome the progress
Of events and the Intervention of Providence,
| for that France was not in condition for in
| tervention. Now, this despatch from Berlin,
referring to the German Emperors permission
for conclave or council Of the Church, ''say
| in some French city, may mean the little city


of Ajaccio, in the island Of the Bonapartes-
the island Of Corsica. Let us see. The


Prince Napoleon (Plon Plon) is now, with the


permission Of the Theirs government, making


q pilgrimage to this ''ever faithful island"


There is another Bonaparte who is Roman


Cardinal, and the ex-Emperor Napoleon him


self is, or has been, distinguished as the ''eld-


est son Of the Church" At the same time, it
must not be forgotten that the devoted En-
press Eugene, recipient Of the Golden Rose
| (stll an Empress among women in her own
right, has just been making pilgrimage to
the land of her nativity and the castles of her
mother in Spain. Putting all these things to
gether, with the Bonapartist intrigues going
on in France, have we not the materials for


very plausible and very important explana-
ton Of this Papal enyoy's proposition In the