THE POPE STOPS A PAPER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 19, 4 September 1885, Page 13

THE POPE STOPS A PAPER.

(Special Correspondence of the Pilot.)

Borne, July 1. The letter of Leo XIII. to the Archbishop of Paris on the conduct which the Catholic prees should hold in respect to the P»pacy, has been productive of a series of unexpected results. To-night, the Journal de Home ceases its publication. It was conducted by Henri des Houx, and distinguished itself for its fierce denunciations of the Italian Government aiid its equally fierce support, if I may call it bo, of the Papacy. It was in its columns that the project of a great league for the destruction of Italy and the deliverance of the Pope by force of arms, was urged with excessive warmth. The Pop* desired for particular reasons that the Journal de Rome should immediately cease its publication. Hence the director withdrew and he was followed by all the writers to this journal.

The Journal de Rome fell foul of the Italian Government ob several occasions, and, naturally, this Government suppressed it from time to time and prosecuted its responsible agent and its director. It was seized for the first time July 28, 1883 ; January 23, 1884, Henii des Houx, its director, was condemned to a month's imprisonment and to 500 francs fine ; the same punishment was inflicted on the agent of the journal ; February 15, 1884, it was seized a second time ; March 9, the director went to prison, and was released April 9 ; January 8, 1885, the journal was seized a third time ; a fourth time January 10 ; a fifth on February 5 ; a sixth five days after ; a seventh April 1 ; an eighth May 8 ; June 2 it was cited for its publication of the process relating to proceeding se.zures, and now, at its cessation, there are three suits pending against it in the Assize Courts of Rome.

It declared that " all these persecutions have been brought about by the constant revindication made by the Journal de Rome of the rights of the Holy See." Now, the Pontiff sees the necessity of suppressing it entirely. Other journals that defend the Holy See have remained free from harm by the Italian Government ; tbe Journal de Rome was always more or less explicitly calling for tbe downfall of the Government, in wild tsrms, which brought it within th« limit* of the law.

ConiemDorary with this there appears a letter in the c>lamns nt the Paris Matin, said to have beea communicated by an Italian Cardinal to a French Cardinal, ia which it is asserted that the P«p» is completely turning away from the policy puriued by him ana by Pius IX towards the Italian Government, an 1 becoming lbs task friend of that Government. Iv proof of the temp*r aad disposition of the Pope to Italy this letter says that Cardinal Pecci, Bishop of Perugid, now Leo XLII., received at bis table the generals of the Piedmontese Army which had invaded the States of the Church ; that his attitude for seven years aftar has exaltation as Pope, though less violent than that of Pius IX , was go less energetic against the Italian Government and disconcerted that Government ; that for the last six months a revolution is in process of accomplishment ia the Vatican, and that Leo XIII. kas totally changed the direction of his Pontificate. This letter says that the Pope, having become convinced of the failure of his diplomacy on all sides, could not count upon any external support for tha restoration of his temporal sovereignty ; in France, the worship fund will, he is couvinced, be suppressed, and what wag given in Peter's I ence will be newly appl.ed. The bitterness against the Pope shown by the document is surpassed by that exhibited against what is called the " faction of Perugia," that is the prelates whom the Pontiff had known in Perugia, and who were brought to Home by him. Again, it is said that three of the new Cardinals — Schiaf&no Battaghni and Capecelatro — this last was preceptor and confessor to Queen Margaret — are strongly in favour of union with Italy. Such is the tone of this startling letter. The writer of it is not known ; but here some of the best, informed Prelates of the Homau Court are inclined to attribute its appe irance to M. des Hoax. There is this evening an authoritative contradiction of its statements with regard to the Pontiff's approach to the Italian Government in the Pope's officious organ, the Osservatore Romano, "No supposition is more false and unfounded ihan thn," says the Osservatort. '" It is sufficient to consider " the long series of Pontifical Acts, ia which the rights, even temporal, of the Holy See, and the determination (colunta) of the Holy Father to maintain them always intact, are asserted in the mo-t explicit and formal manner." tteterence is hkewibe made to the discourse dehveied to the Cardinals by the Holy Faihtrin March last, iv which he repeated "that the actual condition of the Pontiff is not compatible with the liberty and dignity of the supreme Apostolic power, aud that the Roman Pontiff, if he should suffer it. cannot ever accept it." The spirit shown by those who assumed to be the champions of the Papacy, and the ends for which they have been workmg have been exposed, aud they will no longer avail with tbe Pope.

P. L. OONSBLLA*