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Show FRANCE AND THE VATICAN LIGHT THROWN ON RECENT RELIGIOUS RE-LIGIOUS MOVES IN PARIS. Present Dissensions Will Soon Blow Over The Rslations of the Wal-deck-Rousseau Cabinet With Pope Leo XIII. Are Friendly. (New York Sun, Jan. 15.) Rome, Dec. 14. The relations between be-tween France and the Holy See hud latterly taken on a dramatic character. charac-ter. The Dreyfus affair and the awakening awak-ening cf anti-clerical passions alarmed the friends anti de'.ighted the rivals ot France. It was not merely a contest between th? Vatican and the Quai d'Orsay, a courteous contest by tne way, as the French government neyr failed to show moderation toward tne Pope; it was, besides and particularly, the bringing out of the acute, tnougn s&ent and hidden, conflict between tne enemies cf the Papal policy and the adversaries of the Triple Alliance, aia-ed aia-ed by the old parties of reaction, it may be imagined with what eagerness these rivals endeavored to make capital out" of the anti-clerical attacks in France. The Chancellors' office, jealous of the French protectorate and the position still held at Rome by the Quai d'Orsay, had passed the word to their partisans at Rome to exaggerate incidents so as to make the irreligious Dreyfueism seem an ecclesiastical Sedan both for the French nation and for the. general policy of the Papacy. If the French spring snapped, the whole mechanism of the new Pontiflcial policy would be thrown out of gear. To attack the line that France was taking would be at the same time a serious blow to democratic demo-cratic institutions. That is why Leo XIII, and the devoted de-voted men who are putting into practice prac-tice his great designs, trembled at the signs that presaged a atorm against the religious forces and positions in France. Not that the Holy See feared a real "Kulturkampf." for it was not ignorant of the disfavor that has covered cov-ered all ideas of fighting, in consequence conse-quence of the repeated acts of the Pope favoring the external policy of France; but the war cries, the blunders made, the alarm given by abortive proposed laws, the force employed against La Croix, threatened to create at Rome and throughout the world as well, an atmosphere refractory to the general ideas of the present pontificate. Leo XIII has felt personally the unpleasant un-pleasant recoil of this state of things on the whole body of his policy. So he has increased the number of his coun-cii'.s, coun-cii'.s, he has uttered cries of alarm. At one time he thought of promulgating an encyclical, in which he should recapitulate re-capitulate the benefits which he has steadily showered upon France, and, in a pathetic conclusion, should protest against any anti-clerical measures. With the true spirit of abnegation and a deep understanding of the French keyboard, he decided to give up thi3 rather solemn method of expressing his feelings, justly fearing that such action ac-tion might have serious consequences. Moreover, the inteiligent apprehension of the Nuncio, his sure and accurate fingering, his unwearied and universal activity, had after the first few days, deadened the impact of the assault. Itself It-self uneasy, the French government acted the part both of lightning and lightning conductor. The Pope's vigilance, vigi-lance, however, was not relaxed for a moment. In his talk with authorized persons, whether French or of other nations, na-tions, he repeated in a thousand forms the following declaration: "I am the head of the Catholic world. My priest's conscience dees not allow me to look on in silence when measures are being be-ing taken against the interest of the Church. It is my duty to speak. I know that my protests may bring on above all things: God will provide." I have reason to believe that these warnings, dropped in the right places, have not failed to produce some impression. im-pression. It is the Pope. I am told, who wa.s the j real victor in the parliamentary fight I of Nov. 2", when at the Palais Bourbon Bour-bon speeches and votes demonstrated the happy results of the Papal policy and of the intangibility of the embassy at the Vatican. In the same way the vote of the French Chamber of Deputies Depu-ties on M. PJibot'a motion to send the school bill to the grand committee on education was regarded by those behind the scenes as the elegant burial of the government bill; and even more as an unequivocal sign of the gradual exhaustion ex-haustion cf anti-clericalism. The Vatican attaches great importance import-ance to these facts; they mean, in fact, ' not merely peace in France; they mean the seal of success stamped on Uhe Papal policy, the guarantee for the future, fu-ture, without counlting the effect they will have on all the Roman questions. M. DeleasBe has received thanks and congratulat'lonis which may console him, perhaps, for the attacks of the pre 'he. In the presence of this self-confident firmness the French ministry felt thai it must content itself with the measures' meas-ures' of force used against La Croix. I I "The republic was saved." Could they not consider that the programme had been carried out? M. Leygues does not cling beyond reason to this bill. Then floes the cabinet really exist since Nov. 19, and do not dissensions within it forbotie its dissolution? When the high court has? completed its task, shall we still find the isia.me ministers on the benches of the chamber? M. Waldeck-Rousseau Waldeck-Rousseau is tdo shrewd and too independent inde-pendent to play the part of a Ranc or a Crispi. On Holy Thursday he happened hap-pened to be in Rome and paid a vLaiit to Cardinal Rampoll-a. to whom, of hia own accord end with decision, he made a declaration cf peace and of a mod-orate mod-orate spirit. He and M. Delcasse have kept up an excellent' understanding with Mgr. Lorenzelli; they have had samples of the accuracy of the Nun-cio'ts Nun-cio'ts genei'al information. They have known and understood that the security secur-ity of foreign politics is linked to the j peace and to friendly relations with the i Holy See. Now under all circumstances i the law of connection and united interests inter-ests that rules political affairs must ex-, ex-, erciise sooner or later its despotic power pow-er over men. In this sruccession of incidents there is a great and fruitful lesson. It is proof tha;t the policy of the Holy Father, Fath-er, in accord with the harmonious totality to-tality of Roman ideas, has been stamped in the die of great works; It bears the ismpiesj of politioal prophecy, of the sence of opportunity and of healing virtue. Therefore, the recent episodes, though they have disturbed men's minds, and though in other directions di-rections they have done France irreparable irre-parable harm, have furnished a demonstration dem-onstration whose value and importance are Inestimable. Without the Pope, without hia intervention a.nd his faith in the destiny of the Gallic, land, new ruins would be heaped upon heir 311 .ar.i'1 would sadden the friends of France at Rome and in the Orient. Thus his inflexible perseverance, his robust and superior optimism, his confidence in the ideas and the future of the French nation, na-tion, have borne fruit. - At the Veitican credit is given to' the tact and dexterity shown by Mgn Lorenzelli Lo-renzelli in the storm. "It is a radiant dawn for a nunciature," said a prelate; and in receiving a French person of importance. Leo XIII praised highly the qualities of the Nuncio, adding: "Go and see him; you must work with him." The naime of Abbe Lemire is repeated wiith like fervor. His generous activity, activ-ity, his wit arti his ?iratey are praised here with a warmth which the deputy from Hazebrouek deserves fully." He, too, is strong because he, too. is Mgen-tle Mgen-tle and obstinate." . INNOMINATO. |