ITALY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 258, 12 April 1878, Page 5

ITALY.

The Tablet's Roman correspondence. January 27, gives some interesting items : — ' j " On the 19th January the new King took the oath to observe the Constitution before the senators and deputies assembled in the Parliament House in Montecitorio. On the same occasion the senators and deputies swore allegiance to the King. The Queen, the young Prince of Naples, and all the Royal visitors and envoys, were present in the diplomatic box, or gallery, where scats were arranged for the ladies. The Archduke Renier, the Prince Imperial of Germany, the heir to the Portuguese throne, and the Queen of Portugal were all close to Queen Margheiita. The young Portuguese Prince, a pretty boy of fourteen years, was much admired. But the Prince Imperial of Germany, with his broad shoulders, was the prominent figure, and had the post of honour near the two Queens. The new King made a speech , which was much applauded, but whioh did not contain a single word in reference to God and the Church, nor did it ask, directly or indirectly, the blessing of heaven. Perhaps Humbert 1., who separates himself by the numeral I from his anccster Humbert 111., the Blessed, was conscious that any appeal to Divine Providence would be out of place in the declarations of a monarch who succeeds to the usurped patrimoti3 r of the Church. King Humbert, rightly Jor wrongly, is believed to be |less religious than his father. Signor Mancini, the present Minister of Grace and Justice, was once his teacher in international and criminal jurisprudence, and from Signor Mancini it is not likely that much reverence for the Catholic religion could be learned by the young Prince. So far us can be inferred from recent events, King Humbert will rely on the army and oa the German alliance to support his throuc against all Republican attacks. 'To k&p -Germany on his side he must obey the behests of Prince Bis- , nrarck, and he must adopt a policy of antagonism towards the Holy *JSee'*moie pronounced and severe than that adopted by his father. In this anti-Catholic policy Signor Mancini will be his willing guide. In various cities of Italy the revolutionists have taken the opportunity of the King's death to insult the Bishops and clergy who do not at once comply with the demands of political partisans. For instance, two members pf the municipality of Piacenza waited on the Bishop of that city, and asked the use of the Cathedral for a funeral service for the late King. The Bishop replied that he could not himself pontificate, but would grant the use of the cathedral provided the laws of the Church were observed. He suggested the use of the Church of S. Francesco in Piazza, as more central and "better adapted for the occasion thon the Cathedral. He desired them to report his remarks to the municipal council, and to return the next day to arrange everything. The members of the municipality, however, misrepresented the words of the Bishop as an absolute refusal of the Cathedral, and inserted a statement to that effect in a local journal. The consequence was a riotous assemblage of roughs, who mobbed the Bishop, broke into his residence, ami filled the town with tumult. The military had to be called out to quell the disorder. At Viterbo, Bologna, Venice, and other places, the clergy have been insulted and attacked by the mobs of revolutionists. At Parma the Bishop was assailed, the citizens were compelled to close their shops as a sign of mourning and a tricolour flag was hoisted over the episcopal residence.