reins fa tbr
THE CAPITAL OF ITALY-ROME OR VENICE?
October 24, 1860. Sm,-Each passing week places before us, more and more clearly, as an accepted fact, the dissolution of what we have long entitled "the Temporal Power of the Pope ;" and snore than one salutary lesson may be found in appreciating the wonderful change wrought in men's minds by the rapid and decisive march of external circumstances. When (some few months only have since past) the famous brochure issued from the press in the Galerie d' Orleans, it spoke in terms unaccustomed, of strange eventualities. Those of the Pope's spiritual subjects, whosil inmost hearts had long sor- rowed over the hapless honours of his temporal rule, had not then learnt to hope that the union, so long imposed, of things most earthly with things heavenly could possibly, within the lifetime of living men, come to be severed by the will of many, and with the active opposition of but few. For scarcely had those words, le Pape et is Congres, come before men's eyes in the clearly-cut type of M. Dentu, when the spark was struck, and flames of indignant wrath burst through Europe, and even in other parts of the earth. And now we have seen, in this short interval, province and city rouse themselves one after another to " mit& themselves Alike men," and seek emancipation from that rule which had forgotten justice and which feared mercy. Today, we are considering not whether the States of the Church have, of their very nature to be held neuter, and therefore impreg- nable, but we discuss whether Pius IX. shall be numbered among the Princes of Europe holding sovereign rule. Such and so irresistible is the sway of truth when once unveiled, and such the force of those minds born leaders of their fellow men.
But the equitable and tinal establishment of the temporal position of the Holy See is full of perplexities, and many clear heads, and strong, warm hearts, Catholic and non-Catholic, must at this hour ponder, in wistful anxiety, over the issue of these days. It is said that, it the Pope be no longer the sovereign of States, he of necessity becomes a subject, and there- by the subject of that state or monarch within whose rule he may reside. Setting aside the other objections as to this anomalous position, there is one so self-evident, and of such power, that 1 cannot but think it places an un- answerable negative upon such a proposal. It is this : will the other Euro- pean Powers, the Catholic ones especially, consent that any one of their number shall hold an exclusive right over the civil relations of the Pope, who, in his spiritual headship, must hold power over the minds of their own subjects? As a Catholic, I desire the independence of the Holy See, i.e.,I desire that the head of the Church may be free to take every step he may hold good for the benefits of the Church committed to his charge. With this in- tent, the Pope's residence must be a free city. Of this city, if advisable,le may be the titular prince ; but the freedom of this city, within and without, must be universally guaranteed, the rights of its citizens secured, and its inviolability, as the residence of a power wholly spiritual, the head of the Church, firmly established. I pass over all questions of ineome and revenue, as it is clear that henceforth the Pope's funds cannot be supplied by the taxes of provinces under his rule ; and also because the money question offers comparatively few and unimportant difficulties. But there is another matter of more pressing moment-the choice of the Pupal residence. I well believe that the new sons of Italy long to feel that they have Old Rome for their chief metropolis, since Rome must ever be the richest jewel of Italy's crown. But, urgent as the calls of the Italian Volunteers and their ohiefs may be, I, for one, (and, doubtless, in this feeling Catl„tolies will not alone agree,) that the natural fitness of things requires that the Church, Catholic, Apo,telic, and .Roman, should ever held her chair at Rome. To the Roman Church we owe all that we now see of Imperial and Consular Rome ; to the same Roman Church we owe the artistic wealth of Rome, from St. Peter's down to the little church of Sa. Maria in Via,. from the aged mosaics of Sa. Croce and St. Clement to the richest treasures of the Vatican. The only character congruous to Rome, is, and over must be, ecclesiastical. To Rome, Catholic Christendom has long learnt to turn as the home of her faith, the seat of her head, and there the millions of Chris- tians who hold the Holy Father to be the sole rightful successor of St. Peter, must ever desire that the heir of the Apostles may always watch over their tomb. He will watch, may be none the less faithfully, that he no longer is made to bend in the shifts of political expediency, to -which his powerful protectors have, in all times, so often forced that man to submit, who, being as an ecclesiastical power most strong, must ever be as a temporal sovereign most weak. The chief glory of Christian Rome will live for ever, for it is the blood of her countless martyrs ; her chief success must ever be that from her the nations-of our earth have received their hope of immortality;- for, from out of her bosom, sprang the great evangelizers of Europe and -of the Christian world. Is it then an impossibility that the first true King of Italy should, like German Emperors of other dap, be crowned in a free city, wherein he does not rule or dwell? There is yet another of Italy's cities which resembles Rome in its isolation, in its grand individual history and in its claims to greatness, second to those of Rome alone. If the King of Dalin unite be crowned in Rome, will not Venice offer to him a most rcagnificent abode, a right royal residence ? All her history is gilded with costly burnishing ; she alone, in Southern lands, sits mistress of the seas; she alone has been the espoused of regal Doge from century to century. Her greatness is material; her resources are vast. She has long slept the lifeless sleep that comes, not from Nature's refreshing hand, but from the drugged stillness of oppression. But the deep blue sky is still overhead ; the waters still uphold their Queen ready, when her handcuffs fall, once more to fill her treasury witli the gifts of a commerce of far wider extension than ever dreamed a single one among her merchant lords. May her dawn arise I To reverse the occupation thus proposed, of these great cities of the South, is at once to destroy the fitness which marked their destiny as long as they were free in their choice. For as Venice should stand before us, the realization of earthly life and glory, so will Rome, however we may misuse her, ever rise before us-the mother and mistress of churches, the inheritor of the blood of Peter and Paul.
In a day long past by, the Popes received power at the hands of their people. Like other temporal rule, this sway fulfilled for a time the purpose which created it. But, since that which is but earthly must change, and must decay, if not renewed, so has it been with this temporal kingdom' now to be laid down; and (so far as we now living can direct our sight), it falls, never to rise again. "A new generation has arisen," as of old, but the Court of Rome refused to rise anew with the new day. Therefore, does it cease to reign, for the master had become a hireling, and sad is the chapter of Papal rule which, even in our own day, has so obstinately been engraved in the world's history. None can doubt who will honestly examine, that the temporal sway of Rome is at an end ; and the most faithful Catholic may thank feneully within his heart, the sublime providence of God, which takes the blush from his cheek, and, returning to Caesar that which is Cmsar's, leaves this Church free to follow, with undistracted heart, "those things that are God's." Surely, the day will come and that quickly, when every friend of the Church will rejoice in her freedom.
I am, Sir, apologizing for the length of my letter, your constant Subscriber, " MADNA EST YEETTAS, ET PREVALEBIT."
Previous page
