NEWS OF THE WEEK.
MDE FREYCINET has beaten the Pope in a grave die- • pute. It was officially announced in Paris on Wednesday that the French representative at the Vatican had received on Sunday the following communication —"The Sovereign Pontiff, considering the whole of the circumstances, and taking into ac- count the latest information, suspends the departure of the Envoy whom he had thought of despatching to Pekin, but reserves the rights of the Holy See." Considering that Leo XIII. had completely made up his mind, had made all arrangements with the ,Government of Pekin, and had selected his Legate, Mgr. Agliardi, the pressure applied to him must have been severe. It was probably a threat that the Concordat should at once be set aside if he persisted. The change was originally suggested by the Chinese Government, which is exceedingly irritated by the French pretension to protect all Chinese Catholics, and it re- mains to be seen whether it will sit down under this rebuff. The French Government, 6f course, cares nothing about the converts ; but it wishes for a position in China and Indo-China, and finds one as Protector of the Christians, who, it is said, under its shelter often defy the Mandarins.
