PEKING AND THE VATICAN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2398, 13 September 1886, Page 2

PEKING AND THE VATICAN.

, The announcement rocontly made by telegraph from Peking, that the Roman Catholic Cathedral whichat present afcaudß within the imperial precincts is to be removed to a site at a distauco from tho palace, is tho first result of tho diplomatic understanding ivliick has at leugth been arrived at between Peking and the Vatican. The arrangoment by which all Roman Catholic missionaries, of whatever nationality, were taught to regard the French Minister at Peking as their diplomatic representative, has long been recognised as unsatisfactory both by the Chinese Government and tho missionaries themselves. A desire aroso for tho presence ot a Papal legato afcr'eking, who, while protecting the true intetests of the missionaries, sliould dissever thorn from political Associations, Iu other words the Pope desires to see a practical return to the old ordor of thiugs, when Corvino mid his successors represented the Vatican at Peking in the thirteenth aud following centuries; Thoso were halcyon days for the missionaries and their converts. The culture and learning of the fathers secured to them a large measure of the favor and patronage of the Court, and oven at the worst of times they suffered only such persecution as has fallen at different periods on the followers of Budda and Uou-tsro. But the conclusion of foreign treaties changod all this. The introduction of political relation raised the priests from the position of dependants on the imperial will to that of subjects of Powers on an equality with Ohiua. Tho change begat suspicion on the part of the Chinese, and a yot creator unwillingness to submit teindignatio3 on tho part of the missionaries, In theso circumstances it was impossible to leave the priests scattered about the interior of the country unprotected; and France, as the eldest sou of tho Church, was iuvited to assume the role of the Defender of the Faith,' And while the protection of tho priests laid a heavy burden on the French Minister at Peking, it materially lessened F reuch influeuce in China. A Minister who is constantly making complaints which ho can hardly justify Boon meets with with a cold reception when he urges claims that are sound, The shifty nature of the foreign policy of Frauce has further increased the difficulties of her representative at Pekiug; while' the Franco-Chinese war has weakened her position as a military power iu the East. The moment was well chosen, therefore, for the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Vatican aud Poking But however burdensome the protection of the missiouarios may have been to the French, they could not but regard the withdrawal of tlie main body of their clients as an additional humiliation. Every diplomatic effort wa3 therefore made to prevent the proposed change, but happily French influence was not powerful enough, either at Ilome or Peltimv, for tho purpose.-Ohristchurch Press.