Year: 1870

chronicles under the Latin term OF lTeuy0 Des,


and identifying the first Of these words with the
German expression treue, meaning fidelity,
was an early attempt of the Church to mitigate
and control the animosities of almost barbarOus
ages. 1t was first proclaimed by the bishops
of Aquitaine (now part Of France) just after
the terrible famines which had scourged the
land for nearly five years, until the close Of
1880. 1t prohibited all overt acts In any pri-
vate quarrels throughout the season OF Ad-
vent, Lent, and the great holidays Of the year,
embracing, also, the lapse of time from every
Thursday until every Sunday evening Dur
ing the specified period no act of violence was
tolerated, under penalty Of the severest chas-
tisement. The good prelates had originally
proclaimed universal peace, but found 1t utterly
impossible to maintain IL in those rude days,
and hence were compelled to set apart certain
subdivisions Of time. About the middle of the
eleventh century they extended the period of
truce from Wednesday sunset until Monday
sunrise. However, 1t was nearly one hundred
years later when the noble idea of a general
pacifcation was formalized by the Pope
Calxtus H., who, at the Council Of Rheims In
ll36, denounced war in the most solemn lam
guage, and consigned all violators of the gene
raj peace throughout Christendom to the
accommodation of the Church, with total
deprivation of Christian burial Gradually
this law became q settled regulation In all
countries over which the Papal authority in
religion extended and it continued to be
almost the only refuge from the reign Of uni
versal violence until the civil administration
of Europe grew strong enough to restrain the
passions of the multitude.


Seven centuries and more have rolled away
since the great edct of Calixtus and civil
authority has its immense machinery estab-
lished in every part Of what is called the
civilized world; yet at this moment we behold
France, ''the eldest daughter of the Church,
and Germany, the land Of Martin Luther
both claiming the highest pre-eminence in
their respective views Of orthodoxy and the
faith of Christ-holding together a revel
of blood saturnalia of human slaughter
the like of which has not been witnessed by
Mortified humanity since the days of the savage
Huns and Visigoths. The devastated fields OF
Eastern France reek with human putrescence,
and for dozen degrees of latitude and longi-
tude in the very heart of Christendom the
tramp of fierce armies, the clangor of their
battalions and the roar Of their ordnance
scarcely drown the wall Of the affrighted and
ber9aved people whose substance they are de-
stroying and whose homes they are laying
waste.


As there no hand venerable enough in years,
powerful enough in authority, sacred enough
in its traditional character, to stay this deluge
of blood and tears? Some of the latest advices
direct from Europe suggest reply to this
most important question. They hint that
Plus TX has offered his mediation to King
William for peace between Prussia and
France, and that the German monarch grace
fully and cordially expresses his utmost will
| ingness TO avail himself of this genial offer,
upon such conditions as shall secure future


tranquility to his country. If this announce


ment be true it discloses an act worthy the


head of great Christian Church which claims
| the devotion of a hundred millions of our race,
and worthy mighty Christian monarch upon
whose helm victory has for years been eagerly
twning her laurel wreaths. King William has
now thirteen millions, and in year or two
more may have twenty millions, Of Catholic
subjects, to whom, as to France, the mandate
or entreaty on behalf Of justice Of an infallible
Pontif will be inviolable law. Why, then,
should not the world rejoice in so great an
event, SO sublmely illustrating the sincerity
of allewho follow, by whatever paths, the STAN
dard of Him whose holiest title next to Divin-
ity was s'Prince of Peace?" We can conceive
of no brain so dull, no heart so cold, that it
would not grow bright and warm toward 80
grand proffer of general conciliation of which
the very first effect would be the rescue of
seventy-6ve millions of our fellow creatures
from the horrors of war. Let us behold this
effort, which in its simple grandeur would far
surpass any triumph of the merely diplomatic
council or the embattled field. Let Plus TX.
and King William crown the glories of their
reign and time by new proclamation of the


''Truce of God"


The MISSION TO ENGLAND having been
finally declined by Mr.. Frelinghuysen, and
Minister Motley having been reduced to a
mere cipher while awaiting his successor,
this important post at this important crisis in
European affairs we may say remains vacant.
1t is to be hoped that the President will lose
no time in filling this position with some man
of broad craftsmanship, who will not lose
| sight of the interests of the United States in
the event of any peace arrangements in Europe
affecting the general law of nations upon such
questions as the rights of neutrals and belige-
rent rights. Indeed, we think that the time
has come when the Minister of this country at