THE LATE PAPAL ALLOCUTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 236, 9 November 1877, Page 3

THE LATE PAPAL ALLOCUTION.

This important document must deeply affect the hearts of the two hundred millions of people to whom it is addressed. Sorrow, indignation, fear, hope, admiration, and revenge for the venerable and and august sufferer must be awakened in the breast of every faithful Catholic who reads it, or who comes to learn its contents. It will form an important chapter in the History of the Christian Church, and generations yet unborn will peruse it with strange feelings, as they look back to the memorable era in which it issued from St. Peter's " Seat." In, what light will future ages regard that Italian '' usurper,"Victor Emmanuel, whom the Pope has described as "treading under foot every divine and human right, in spite of the most solemn treaties, and profiting by the misfortunes of generous France to occupy by main force all that remained of the Roman Provinces, and invade Rome itself, filling the universal Church with mourning at so iniquitous a deed." Yet Victor Emmannuel is but carrying out the principles of the English Reformation, so called, by his unprincipled invasions and sacrilegious robberies. The English Press — the London Times in particular — actually screamed with joy when they saw Victor Emmanuel and his band of revolutionists about to destroy the power of the Pope for ever, as they vainly hoped. What matter, though Victor Emmanuel, as the Pope now tells us, made " hypocritical and disloyal promises" to respect the liberty of the Church and the independence of the Pope. What matter, though he trod under foot every Divine and human right, and violated his most solemn engagements, still the English Protestant Press and people extended to him their warmest sympathy, and gave him moral support to the best of their ability in his iniquitous career.

Other sovereigns besides Victor Emmanuel, we see, have learnt the lesson of violating the most solemn treaties without shame or scruple. It was an evil day for England when she applauded and encouraged Victor Emmanuel in liis hypocrisy and disloyalty to the Holy See. The Pope tells us that he is abandoned and forsaken in his present unhappy position by the powerful in this world. They refuse him any succor. His enemies have encamped round about him. They are, humanly speaking, more powerful than he. But there is at least one powerful Christian Sovereign who gives him public proofs of his sympathy and reverence. That is the Sovereign of England, who shows more of a Catholic spirit than some of those socalled princes, who crouch before the Revolutionary Demon, and tremble in his presence. Her throne is established in justice and the affections of her people, and the blessing of God is obviously "with her. Whatever else she do, she will not be found fighting against God we maybe sure in the present momentous crisis. "Who can fail to know," says His Holiness in this Allocution, that there cannot be prosperity for nations, tranquility and repose for the people, and firmness and stability for thrones, if the authority of the Church, which is the foundation of all well-ordered society, be trodden down and outraged, and if the person of the Supreme Hierarch be not free and independent in Ms elevated ministry ? Queen Victoria and Lord Beaconsfield know this well, as the great English statesmen of the past generation also knew it. France is now girding her loins for some great cffoit. Generov,s France ! God has chastised you, said the Pope on a late occasion, but He has not forsaken you for ever, nor given yon up entirely to the will of your enemies. If circumstances should force France into the field in a war, we may be sure that it will not be as the enemy of the Holy See that she will shape lier course. Masrhal MacMahou knows as well as Queen Victoria that the throne, or any established Government, can never be secure uor the people tranquil and prosperous in any country so long as the Head of the Catholic Church remains virtually a prisoner. He must either be a prisoner or a sovereign. But the Tope does not conclude his allocution in the language of despondency. lie knows in -whom be puts his trust while lighting against the powers of darkness and tie perversity ol the age. L.

Contrary to the somewhat popular belief, Mgr. Salvado, a Benedictine missionary, in an account oE the natives of Australia, gives his opinion that they can be considerably elevated in civilization. He bases his views mainly upon the readiness with which the aborigines leani the European languages. Mr. Carmicliacl brought Salvado's investigations regarding the Australian race and language before the Anthropological Society, London, lately, aud submitted at the same time copies of letters in Italian written by native Australians who were brought to Europe when eleven years of age. This subject is one of not a little interest, aud it has created some discussion in the society,