RECORD OF GERMAN PERSECUTIONS, &c.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 68, 15 August 1874, Page 10

RECORD OF GERMAN PERSECUTIONS, &c.

The " Abnim Atfajb. (' Catholic Standard.') The " Arnim" affair hns not failed to arouse attention in all the papers. At they have begun to throw light on Prussian policy with regard to the Council, it may not be uninteresting to throw light upon the further policy of Prussia towards Borne, and on the part which fell to Count Arnira. "We give, therefore, an extract from the Vienna correspondent of tho ' Kolnischo Zeitung ' : — 14 It is universally known, that after 1866, and yet more before, and during the last war, the idea wns carefully spread that the powerful influence of the Berlin Cabinet would be employed in favor of Catholicity. They felt at Berlin that nothing would more surely win the South German Catholics to the Prussian side than the prospect of Prussian support of the Pope. But this feeling would have to bo kept up by facts, or something that looked likp a fact. At Berlin ie was determined to cultivate the friendship of Italy, to make sure of it for Ihe future. But how to do this without awaking the suspicion of the other side? Simply by causing the diplomats of Rome and Florence to speak a different language. Count Arnim was charged to awure the Holy Father of the profound esteem of the Berlin Government, and, without binding promises, to give him to understand that the sympathies of Berlin were on his side. This appearance of •ympathy was carried on beyond the time ot the occupation of Rome, to that the Catholic world looked on the raising of the Prussian King to the Empire of Qermnny as something whereon to build their hopes. Count Arnim played his part with great skill and success, and it shows very little gratitude to let him fall now, for such very obvious reasons. On the 19th of August of the year of the war, ViscontiVenosta declared resolutely, ' Prussia in no way opposes the plans of Italy.' On the 3rd of September the Prussian Minister, Count Bras•ier de St. Simon, went to Visconti-Venosta, and represented to him that it was for the interest of Germany that Italy should be powerful and consolidated. Tho Berlin Cabinet would feel the liveliest satisfaction in the happy solution of the Ifoman question in a sense favorable to Italy, nnd the Florentine Government would do well not to lose its opportunity. When Vitconti-Venosta observed that the other Cabinets must be consulted before a determination could be made, Brassier de St. Simon replied, that they had the consent of Prussia, a gain not to be despised ; that the consent of Prussia, when once the thing was underetood, would not be wanting ; Austria would offer just aa little opposition to the proposed step ; about Spain they need not trouble themselves ; there remained only France who would for many years be too weak to meddle in foreign affairs. "Four days before the astack on Rome, Ton Arnim went to General Cadorno, and offered him. his personal interposition and assistance. Uerr Von Arnim, the diplomatic representative of Prussia •with the Holy See, hastened to the Quirinal after the occupation of Rome, to offer homage to Prince Humbert. In the Corso, ;the Prus«ian Minister was the only one seen at the side of Prince Humbert, witnessing the public demonstration against the sovereign to whom he was accredited, and taking part in it by throwing bouquets. All this shows plainly enough that (he Prussian Government was in earnest with its friendship, only as regarded Italy, and that it never thought of supporting the Holy Father again3t the Piedmontese. Yet the Berlin Government had played its cards so well, that the German Catholics, or at least a portion of them, were deceived as to its intentions. The Southern Germans reconciled themselves, in regard to the JKoman question, to the thoughts of a German Emperor of the Protestant persuasion. The Catholic, or, as it is called, tho Ultramontane press, suddenly ceased fire. It seemed as though, in obedience to a higherjword of command, it had changed its tactics, and we ourselves have seen official documents which showed that the Court of Borne, although far from intending to throw itself blindly into the arms of Piussia, appeared, nevertheless, unsertain for a moment what to do or to leave undone." Chubcii Bill This perfidy towards the Catholic Church is now illustrated by the new Bill in the Prussian Landtag, in supplement to the May Laws, for the administration of vacant Catholic Bishoprics. The Bill has been sent into Committee on the first reading, and now the Committee lias finished its work. On the 4th of this month the Bill came on for second reading, and passed on the 6th with hardly any alteration. The gross injustice of the whole plan culminates in Clause 5, according to which, " All Church officials, who at the direction of any Bishop°, unrecognised by the State, or deposed by the State ; or at the direction of any person acting for such Bishop, in opposition to the law, shall carry out any Ecclesiastical functions, will be fined one hundred thalers, or undergo a years' imprisonment. And it in the fulfilment of such a commission, they shall perform any episcopal duties, they will be impiisoned from six months to two years." According to th's clause the wh jle body of priests must soon either go to prison or be driven out of tne country. It supposes also the deposition of Bishops by the Prussian " Tribunal for JtCceiesiastical Affairs." All priests, then, who continue to obey their Bishops, are to go to prison, and the faithful are to bo left without pastor3j as soon as this new law shall be oanied out. The previsions of the previous clauses, for filling vacant Seei?, read like a mockery of the Cathedral chapters, who arc called ou to create a schism by the election of a new State Bishop. All of them, even such as were considered most favorable to Government, have repudiated tUe idea of such ;i thing. But for this refusal on their parts the State lias provided a remedy. Atter ten days' delay the Church property is to be seized, and udiuinistered by the iScate j which will likewise take the administration of all the Church property of the Diocese, including the parishes, vicariatts, chaplaincies, and Church foundations, and all property dedicated to Ecclesiastical purposes. This is one way in which the State means to profit by the obstinacy of Cutholic Bishops and priests ; but it has another way also. It has kovae apostate priests in store, and hopes that the number may yet increase, although the prospect do-3 not seem very hopeful. JSfow, these apostates are to have rich benefices ; and so it is decreed that in

case a vacant parish remain unfilled, the right of filling it passes to the congregation. It will be sufficient if ten men of the congregation, who are of age, and who are of sufficient dignity, demand from the Landrath that the parish Bhould be filled. Whoever of these ten men is chosen by a majority becomes parish priest. It will evidently be easy to find ten mon who have quarrelled with the Church. Prussia will plainly not rest until the Church is entirely anpihilated. How far this strife is to go on before God puts a check upon it, the futnre must know.

This Bill has, of course, been strongly opposed by the Centre Fraction ; but they are powerless before a tyrannical majority. Beichen9perger, Windthorst, Dr. Lieber, and Von Mallinckrodt, pointed out repeatedly how objectionable those clauses were. With regard to the clause on the seizure of Church property, Windthorst remarked :— " Since this bill has come forward, a good deal of my time has been occupied with the question- Can one possibly bequeath one's property to any pious purposes without its falling into the hands of Ihia Moloch State and its commissaries ? Those who lived before us thought of no precautions. It is a flagrant breach of trust to give their bequests into strange hands, to yield up at discretion to a secular commissioner things that are most delicate and sacred I see here the first step towards a confiscation of Church property, or the first step towards putting it into the hands of those who are no longer Catholics."