A BLOW TO CARLISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7567, 20 February 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

A BLOW TO CARLISM.

The manifesto of the Spanish bishops, now on tho eve of official publication, says the New York Herald, will strike consternation into the hearts of those Catholics all over Europe who persist in being more clerical than the Pope, and with mixing up things eternal with things political. It will mark a new departure in the history of the Catholic Church in Spain, aud will be another step toward the realisation of that ideal to which all Lto XIII.'B aspirations tend— identification of Catholicism with the people. The Spanish bishops, after a long and secret consultation, proclaim what in Spain is a novel doctrine. Henceforth politics and religion must not be confounded in Spain. The pith of the document will be in clauses which state that, provided that the faith and Catholic principles be respected, all forms of government. are admissible," and that "no newspaper or publication in Spain shall in any way be considered an organ of the Vatican as to any form of government that may be adopted." The bishops denounce. all who may oppose this doctrine as bad Catholics, and plumply informed the ultramontane journalists that their ravings have just so much authority as their arguments, but no , more. The Holy Father had already dealt several crushing blows at the French and Italian ultramontanes. By sanctioning the publication of the Spanish bishops' manifesto, he now rebukes the Carlist agitators, who, under the cloak of religion, are stirring up civil war and advocating tyranny. Thanks to Papal wisdom, the bigotry and ignorance which made Catholic Spain a byword has gradually been dispelled. The mere announcement of the manifesto has made an .impression. If adhered to, it. will cripple monarchical conspirators who are watching the opportunity for a new revolution.