THE COMING STRUGGLE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 92, 30 January 1875, Page 5

THE COMING STRUGGLE.

The cloud which has been gathering in the political horizon of Europe seems to increase as time rolls on, and it requires no gift of prescience to foretel that the day is not-far distant when the impending crisis may be looked for. Mail after mail which arrives serves to bear out this impression. The two despots who have- trampled right and justice beneath | tluir feet, and outraged every feeling, huinau and divine

have nearly reached the length of their tethers. In Italy, the usurper, it appears, not satisfied with having sacrilegiously despoiled the Illustrious Head of the Church, of the patrimony of St. Peter, and laying violent hands on chi;rchesand colleges — the property of tho faithful throughout the world — is desirous of wresting from his venerable prisoner every vestijro of royalty, and ha 3 issued a circular, demanding of the European Powers, the withdrawal of their diplomatic agents at the Papal Court. In that unhappy land, tho venerable and rightful ruler is a prisoner within, the walls of the Vatican, while, as in Germany, the work of spoliation and persecution goes on, and the members of religious house?, who had given up the world and its allurements to serve God and minister to suffering humanity, are ruthlessly driven from their dwellings, and exposed to the cold charity of the world. That suGh atrocities are permitted without a protest from the European Powers is a standing reproach to the boasted civilization of the nineteenth century, but to its lasting shame be it said, England, the boasted champion of justice and liberty throughout the world, not only looks on unmoved, but by the voices of her leading statesmen, glories in the outrages and indignities perpetrated. To such men as Earl Russell and Mr. Disraeli, there could be no injustice in the imprisonment of the aged «'md venerable Princo3 of the Church, but when the German Chancellor varied the programme, and in the person of Count Arxim touched the sacred rights of the aristocracy, his despotism was viewed with pious horror. In the Count's case, the alleged offence was no slight one, and yet the deprivation of his liberty was such a high-handed proceeding, as to slicit the public condemnation of the English Premier. Tis true the German Ambassador had not been specially named, but the allusion was sufficiently palpable to cause Sir. Disraeli, on the suggestion of the German Chancellor -to qualify the expressions used. It is a humiliating spectacle to see the leader of a great nation such as Great Britain has always claimed to be, forced to eat his own words, and drag the nation through the mire, at the frown of a despot who, a quarter of a century since, ■would place his forehead iv the dust at her command. Slowly, but surely, the proud pre-eminence which England has hitherto assumed amongst European nations is being lost to her, and that power aud weight which the voice of the nation carried with it, are waning away. The placidity with which the records of Bismarck's outrages upon an unoffending class were received, forms a marked ontrast to the storm raised by the seizure of Count Arnim, and the persecution of the German newspapers. Those who, but a short time before, lauded the energy of the Miuister in his struggle with the Church, gravely shook their heads aud prognosticated the fate of Wolsey. Arniji has been no friend to the persecuted Catholics, as the Holy Father himself could readily testify, but he is a bold, ambitious man, and as a rival is one whom the Chancellor may have great cause to fear. In the infamous persecution of a portion of the Empire by Prince Bismarck. he sees the highroad to power on the downfall of his rival, and as formerly they were fast friends, they love each other as only bold, unscrupulous iren can. The domineering attitude assumed by Germany toward France, may be borne with for a time, but the longer the chain is worn the greater will be the struggle when the time does arrive. The memory of Sedan and Met.-:, and the insulting swagger of the Prussians on the Boulevards, has sunk too deep into the hearts of Frenchmen to bp easily forgotten, and in that terrible day of reckoning Germany way find out, when too late, the number of faithful hearts and strong arms she has lost by her present crusade against right and justice. The London correspondent of the 'IS'ew York Times,' in writing .on the state of Europe, assumes that France aud Germany are bound to fight some clay, and a<lds that from the lowering appearance of the sky on the Continent, it is impossible not to feel that a storm is brewing. He says :: — '• There can be no doubt that Germany is just now in rather an explosive condition. The people are groaning bitterly under the strain to which they have been subjected, and which h;is still to be continued in order to maintain the enormous armament which is deemed necessary as a check upon by France. It must be remembered that it is not merely France by itself that the Germans have to reckon with in the future, but also the Papacy and Czar — two very formidable opponents."

The oldest white native of the Colony of New South Wales died. a lew weeks ago. His ago was 75. His name was Wm, Cook, and was .• BDn of soldier belonging to a regiment stationed in Sydney in the Terr tU'ly days of the Colony.