T A B L A IVeekly Newspaper and Review, Vol. 35. No. 1553. L o n d o n , J a n u a r y 15, 1870. P r ic e 3d. S tam p ed 6d. [R eg ister ed for T ransm issio n A broad*

C hronicle of th e W e e k : The

Infallibility— The Secrecy of the Council— Liberty of Discussion— The Auteuil Homicide — The French Ministry and the Council —More Colonial Discontent— Religions in Progress — Hammersmith Training College— Spain, Cuba, and St. _ Domingo—The Church in Austria— The Occupation of CivitaVecchia— The Papal Zouaves—The Governments and the Council—The Chinese Treaty — The Abbe Mullois— &c., &c. ¡Leaders :

Mr. Bright on Land and Educa­

tion ............................................. The Red River . . Freedom through Faith.

65

CONTENTS.

L eaders (continued) :

The “ Pall Mall Gazette” En­

larged ................................................. 71 “ Janus.”— No. V. . . . 72 R eview s :

The Liturgical Year . . . 7 3 V é r o n i q u e ........................................ 74 Guy Vernon ..... 75 S hort N o t ic e s : Daisy’s Compan­

ions— Scraps o f Domestic Controversy— Revue des Questions H is to r iq u e s ........................................ 76 Correspondence :

C orrespondence (continued) :

Pius IX . and the Zouaves The Bishop of Orleans and certain

Grave Inconveniences connected with his recent Letter to the Clergy of his Diocese . The Constitution “ Apostolicæ

Sedis” .................................... L e t t e r from R ome ; The Council

— Funeral of Cardinal Reisach— The Pope—Abjurations— Military — Italy— Roman Gaieties— Latest. Reply o f His Holiness to the Con­

The “ Dublin Review ” . . 7 6 The Case of Pope Honorius . _ . 7 6 Dr. Whately and the National

S y s t e m ........................................ 76

gratulations of the Pontifical Army on S. John’s Day ....

D io cesan N ews

78

80

B r it ish a n d I r ish N ews :

Great Britain . . . . 8 0 I re la n d ............................................. 81 F oreign N ews :

Spain: The Ministerial Crisis—

The New Ministry— Christmas Rejoicings of the Poor . . 82 France : The Tragedy in Paris . 82 M em oranda :

Religious Educational . Literary Statistics. Weather . M iscellaneous

83 84848484 84

C H R O N IC L E O F T H E W E E K .

THE INFAL­

LIBILITY. T kHE Protestant papers appear to be unanimous in expressing the opinion that if the Council should fail to define Papal Infallibility, great prejudice would ensue to the Pontifical authority and to the Council itself. It is evident therefore that, if those who are in favour of abstinence from the definition carry their point, the world will rejoice as though the Church had suffered a defeat. We refer our readers to the testimony of the Times and P a l l M a l l Gazette, which will be found in the Vatican ;

fas est et ab hoste doceri.” “ In order properly to appreciate the question of the dogma of Infallibility,” says the correspondent of the Memorial Diplomatique, a liberal organ, 1‘ it is necessary to look at it from the ecclesiastical point of view, and to understand the true state of things. It is in­ dubitable that the Pope de facto exercises Infallibility when he speaks ex cathedrà. It is only a question of resolving the fact into a principle. According to my information, drawn from a trustworthy source, a formula acceptable to all parties will be found.”

The Spectator observes that “ the Bishops are th e secrecy v e r y g00Cj at keeping secrets. A lay assembly council. the same size could not have had its operations so closely veiled.” Several of the continental journals are quite angry with the Bishops for their reticence. The fact is that the Bishops, and we must include the Theologians and officials of the Council, have all taken an oath ; and they dare not break it, because they fear God. They have also for long years been trained to the absolute secrecy of the Confessional, and therefore the observance of secrecy comes easy to them. They feel too that they owe obedience to the Pope, and that they are engaged on the most solemn subjects. When our Lord instructed his Apostles, He did so sometimes “ in secret ” and “ apart,”— assumpsit duodecim discipulos secreto:" the time was to come when they were to proclaim those truths “ from the house-top.” When the canons and decrees are agreed upon, and “ it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us ” has been said, the deliberations of the Council will be published abroad without reserve. As to secrecy in deliberation being a mere invention of priestcraft and proceeding from a fear of the light, we have only to observe how carefully Cabinet Ministers observe the same secrecy and reserve as to the nature of the measures they intend to propose, and as to the differences which may arise among themselves in their private discussions. The Unità, apropos of the Council, quotes the Tuscan proverbs, “ le chiacchiere non fanno farina,” and “ chi vuol essere discreto, celi il suo secreto.”

The Prance, which was in close relation with l ib erty of {]le ia(-e Ministry, says that “ the greatdisci ssioN. es(. pkerty of discussion is left to the Fathers of the Council, in fact the Bishops speak simply according to

N ew Series, No. 63.

their convictions.” Mgr Strossmayer, who appears to have used excessively strong language, and is said to share the opinions of Mgr Dupanloup, has openly expressed his admiration of the freedom enjoyed by the speakers. the pro and . The number of votes in the Council, accord- con among ing to our latest information, has attained the

THE number of 786. O f these from 100 to 150 fathers. w e re saicl tvv0 weeks ag0 t0 belong to what is improperly called the “ Opposition,” i.e. the Fathers who think the Definition, not untrue, but inopportune. At the Council of Trent minorities of nearly one quarter of the Fathers were on several occasions outvoted, and then gave in their adherence. I f on the present matter 1 in 7 or 8 are against the opportimeness, there are certainly not 1 in 100 against the doctrine. It is stated, we know not how correctly, that the number of the “ Opposition ” has dwindled down to 70. It appears, however, that its members are active and clever. Mgr Strossmayer is their best head and takes a lead ; and the Bishops of Paderborn and Ratisbon are the most able among the Germans on the other side. In the Vatican will be found a full analysis of an extra-Conciliar invitation,which has been issued by some 35 or 40 Bishops, to their brethren, requesting them to join in petitioning the C ommission of Postulata to sanction the introduction to the Council of the question of Papal Infallibility. The word “ infallible ” is not used in the Definition proposed. Many of the Bishops— we have been told, we know not with what accuracy, nearly 400— have already signed i t ; some decline to sign it, as a document which is extra-Conciliar, and not as objecting to the doctrine. Others, of the “ Opposition,” have prepared another document, for which they are seeking to obtain signatures.

The tragedyinwhichthename of Prince Pierre auteui 1 Napoleon Bonaparte is implicated isonlyanother homicide, illustration of the outrageous lawlessness which has invaded a certain portion of French society. The first error committed by the Prince was his demanding personal satisfaction from M. Rochefort. As regards the subsequent facts it is impossible as yet to express an opinion. The account in the Constitutionnel, which may be regarded as the Prince’s story, and that in the M arseillaise, M. Rochefort’s organ, are in flat contradiction with each other. The former account states that on the Prince asking whether they were the journalists sent by M. Rochefort, M. Victor Noir struck the Prince in the face, and M. Fonvielle produced a revolver, upon which the Prince seized a pistol from the wall and fired. The M a r seillaise asserts that it was the Prince who struck M. Noir and fired at him without provocation, and that it was only then that M. Fonvielle took out his revolver to defend himself from attack ; and further, that the Prince again fired at M. Fonvielle as he left the room and sent a ball through his coat. I f the first story is true the Prince will probably be held excused for losing his head under so violent and n < & e l