The Times' correspondent states that the persecution of the Catholic
priesthood in Germany is proceeding vigorously. All the Bishops have refused to submit the plans for their semi- naries to Government, and the State has accordingly begun to act. The Bishop of Ermeland has lost the salaries contributed by Government to his Chapter, the scholars of Westphalia have been informed that they will not be admitted to livings, the Bishop of Fulda's schools have been closed, while the semi- narists of Posen are to be drafted into the Army. As no pastor can be appointed without Government approval, and as no Bishop will ask such approval, it is believed that the Bishops will before long close all churches at once, and leave their flocks to fight it out with the State. The upper classes, who are sceptical, will then go with the King, and the lower classes with the prelates. In other words, the prelates calculate on insurrection, which will undoubtedly occur unless the King goes a great deal farther, abolishes and banishes or beheads the Bishops, appoints priests of State opinions, and carries Henry VIII.'s plan fully out. Even then, we suspect, he will make of the Catholic provinces not an England, but an Ireland. The persecution, if it stops short of the full logical limit, will only turn the Voltairians into fervent Catholics. The idea of crushing a creed by petty fines is almost laughable.
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