THE POPE IN IRELAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 352, 15 March 1856, Page 4

THE POPE IN IRELAND.

(From the Spectator.) The measure taken by the Human Government for a 4t reformation" of the clergy in Ireland cannot be appreciated if it be regarded as an isolated act ; and although we have jh> right to discredit, the report conveyed by th? Paris correspondent of the Times, unquestionably the writer of the letter is under mistake in regard to s<n\u; facts. When he says that (he Irish Catholics have been distinguished for their zeal, he is correct; but the manner of his allusion implies Linn the hi.sh Catholics have been successful in '• America and wherever the English language is spoken," which is contrary to the fact. It is true dial, under (he enormous emigration of the last few years, the gross number of Roman Catholics in America" has increased sufficiently 10 occasion some jealous1.1 in the Republic ; but their total number hiis never borne any proportion to the amount of immigration; and while the number oi' persons of Irish blood increases in the Republic, the statistics of tlie sect remain nearly stationary. Nor can it ne said that, win.in the last few years, the Romanists have gained ground in Jveland. We imagine that in "conversation the successes o! either side have been comparatively few. So much boast is made of Aciull by Protestants, there is so much rejoicing over a Prmesiam who relapses, that the leal vie.ores must be few and eoiMparalirdv uu l.iipo.iuiit. It i? not, therefore, as a reward for the success of Romanist either in *m»ric-» or me United Kingdom that the recent measure is adopted. Nur cm we regard it properly as a castration. It is qu.ie true ihat the Llnnan Catholic prints uave M>u,enmes occasioned scandal, as ti.e letter saj N by tbe part they hare taken in political agna.ious. But no prelates took a inure acuve part than Arcbhislmp Cullen and Arc-,i.,i51,.,,, H»lei:. the period pWflinjr Archbisliop O'tiiieii s promotion to the Dublin diocese • nor ,h.mui we i.c incorrect in savin- that thoseprelates _« ho sought most to domineer, and lo witM.U'y ii.emser.es with ; , p ;irtv j l: , pi| ,. ir i v ir»flaenti.u bemuse turl.uiem, obtaiu«Mi ti,V l.u-es; snare of favour from Rome. Or, the "jli-r i-.i«a tho.e prelates, like ArchbisUoi. Wl/ o ex.rcsed a conquerable >..»u-..|:..- wi.Ji t, ;e of Ireland, were c.minlyjjot apj.reciateil by the H,,lv See' because u,ry were supposed to l. c cool iv theii' ««'a=,...i u.,-J,,, ff <IlU | Wl ,, illff Ul C(im w.u. i ri-y.-sunits. Ueeently Ard.hishon Culien :iS,"" i:: 1!!Cli u» '"flwei.ee much more beneficial l» iiic ii'.n.su, Oiiiirdi, by aoa.Klonin.r his con . nexionwHhthetu.hui^t^nvaMdmi.i^ti,,. n^ureu^i d.v U ,u Il.iy See <I<JZ 11 -„, i»ie,,d«d «il!,er as ro W! ,wl,,r t .lm S li se . in „t iMf p 0,,05, l:„ c ,,, k „„ imer/ol . eilt ,. () , Uu. 1...;, nn^-h.KMI i, ( „o i lit ,, 1)V [ lm)Uhn ,, IUI ,'" «.».der Archbishop Cull-n is n _ ,nn .M,,sj CSi e ? l by otn.r facts, and has \ tl \ m lii •«' ,i i U'" ">" >l lllfcu''».V«»»i'irv where U. »...e.u....,,| , las been losing B r ollll( fb Vft n. c c; ;".';- lu.y*^ >«s through cm...,,.,.:,,,, «.i|, p,,litie,,i factions. We havr.ccnuy^nthc clcrgj bail. i» JPiedn.uut and

iii Spain absolutely defied by the temporal authority, which set aside their conventual property, appropriated ihe church properly an'l placed the church in (subjection u> the ' c j v ji powers. These inea.snres were dictated to $„..: partly by the uioiiied exigencies o( [| le S la[ ? but both in Spain uud jTialv they were reailv' rendered necessary by the close connexion which the Church thought proper to establish with tiie Absolutist parties in both those countries, those parties being hostile to the Giifm." meni tie hicto. Both in .Spain and Piedmont therefore, the Churcli had made the mistake of placing itself in opposition, it was somewhat' the same in the alTiir of the ArolibisJiop [,( Cologne; it has been precisely the same in Ireland. It was a lalse calculation, ,-,„«■ ,],„ Chti'ch has lost ground i,, all t i, ost , Cuillllri by compelling the anihoiims to i, c ko,, j ls cWgy nii»t)n»-si mauvais aujr.ts. Accident has contributed 111 some decree to separate the p O si tion of the cieijry in France from that o f t),e j.oiiticnl parties that have in tun. had i.. )S .sc«*ioii ot power, and the priests have been vcrv successful in the propagation of ihi-ir (aiih by the book-circulation of licensed pedlars, and by ih e usu.tl puihs uhidi ihe Rouiai. cun kn.'.w m> wenhuiviohnpmvo. The ahered position of tue Church ,n the Sar.iiMiuu Sines lu.s certainly been a lesson to Rome as well as to the Constj". lul.onalists of NonUn-u Italy. It 1,. 1S , iiuirht the «.lv,s t .r« of the Hon.iff, that, <Vei| w ,,; re there is v • relijfums conuovcr>y „,,»„ doctrinal q:u-sM..ns, the .State may practically place UseH • n a course that m;,y be culled'-.he .»i»di-al • adoption ol Protestaiitism. For all practical puvp-'srs, limepeinJiMuly of doctrines, Sardinia na. 1-^j.nt! a kingdom in which the P,,pe is not ui(»llil>!e nor l,j s property nor hi s auihoriiy superior to the civil power. It i s State Lutiierains..) without individual Lu.heranis.n In Ireland, the , rue process of Protestantism has been jum the .same. \\-'hiie Acfiill has had a bep ( .! V success, ihft moderate Roman Caih,,. l.ys .have lent their influence to assist national educatiuo; they persist {„ zeiu\w X their children i" the Q.u^ns Ooile-es; they -have., piven the influence oi tn«ir more inteili-ent and better clavses, liieir property, and their' exertion, to the 6taie 1,1 preference to the Pope If j n several countries the P.,p,,cy has been losing Us slre»«; tl , h y the iniMaken endeavour to extend it in recru!lin«r its force with Absolutist or Ueinocn.no faciions, i tw pi^ei u measure onjr.nates no dou:,i,in u,e hope of ret.ievinliml nuMake by proceed,,,- in ,he opposite d-reeuon. In Ireland, t J ie Church determines to separate nself f r ,,i,, direct p,,)i«jcal agitation and to c.ueentr.ne its army up<.n its own proper eceieMastieal lerntorv, streiij.ibentii£r itself by drawn^initsforcK It may thus in Ireland occupy the {.t0,,,,,! that it occupies in France eii.]oyin rf a im-udiy »uri indr,,ei.dent alliance w.ilj me p»« eiS i.h..t be. The measure is i|«d cated !>y appn-hensi,,,, for tie s ability of Uielapwcv; v iu-iicte.-, the pr;.ci:..•.■•! progress of what we nave caied State Luilnranism.