22 NOVEMBER 1879, Page 3

M. Lepbre, the French Minister of the Interior and of

Public 1Vorship, has issued a circular to the Prefects, calling their attention to the alleged fact that many priests omit from the service the " Domine, salvam fac Rempublicam,"—which, by the Concordat, they ought to recite. The omission, if it occurs, is certainly very foolish. No priest is committed. by it to the prayer that God shall preserve the Republic longer than in his wisdom it seems to be useful to the people, but only that while it lasts it shall have the divine Spirit in it,—which every good Catholic ought to wish. The true antithetical prayer to "God. preserve the Republic," is not, "God. destroy the Repub- lic," but, "God leave the Republic to itself,"—ad no such prayer could be breathed by any true Christian.