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ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 



nothing you can undertake and accomplish by your 

 wisdom, authority and exertion, as far as compatible 

 with the nature of the holy ministry, to conciliate the 

 minds of the combatants, pacify, reconcile, and bring 

 back the desired tranquillity and peace, by all those 

 means that are most conducive to the best interests of 

 the people. 



Take every pains, besides, to cause the people and 

 their chief rulers seriously to reflect on the grievous 

 evils with which they are afflicted, and which are the 

 result of civil war, the direst, most destructive and 

 dismal of all the evils that could befall a people or 

 cation. 



Neither omit to admonish and exhort the people and 

 their supreme rulers, even in our name, that, with 

 conciliated minds, they would embrace peace, and 

 love each other with uninterrupted charity. For we 

 are confident that they would comply with our pater- 

 nal admonitions and hearken to our words the more 

 willingly, as of themselves thev plainly and clearly un- 

 derstand that we are influenced by no political reasons, 

 no earthly considerations, but impelled solely by pa- 

 ternal charity, to exhort them to tranquillity and peace. 

 And study with your surpassing \yisdom, to persuade 

 all that true prosperity, even in this life, is sought for 

 in vain out ot the true religion of Christ and its salutary 

 doctrines. 



We have no hesitation, venerable brother, but that, 

 calling to your aid the services and assistance even of 

 your associate bishops, you would abundantly satisfy 

 these our wishes, and by your wise and prudent efforts 

 bring a matter of such moment to a happy termination. 



We wish you, moreover, to be informed that we 

 write in a similar manner this very day to our vener- 

 able brother John Mary, archbishop of New Orleans, 

 that, counselling and confenring with you, he would 

 direct all bis thoughts and care most earnestly to ac- 

 complish the same object. 



May God, rich in mercy, grant that these our most 

 ardent desires be accomplished, and as soon as possible 

 our heart may exult in the Lord over peace restored to 

 that people. 



In fine, it is most pleasing to us to avail ourselves 

 of this opportunity to again testify the special esteem 

 in which we hold you. Of which, also, receive a most 

 assured pledge, the apostolic benediction, which, com- 

 ing from the inmost recesses of our heart, we most 

 lovingly bestow on you, venerable brother, and the 

 flock committed to your charge. 



Dated Rome, at St. Peter's, Oct. 18th, 1862, in the 

 17th year of our Pontificate. POPE PIUS IX. 



In consequence of these letters the following 

 correspondence took place between Mr. Jeffer- 

 son Davis and Pope Pius IX. : 



EICUMOND, September 23d, 1863. 

 Very Venerable Sovereign Pontiff : The letters which 

 you nave written to the clergy of New Orleans and 

 New York have been communicated to me, and I have 

 read with emotion the deep grief therein expressed for 

 the ruin and devastation caused by the war which is 

 now being waged by the United States against the 

 States and people which have selected me as their 

 President, and your orders to your clergy to exhort 

 the people to peace and charity. I am deeply sensible 

 of the Christian charity which has impelled you to this 

 reiterated appeal to the clergy. It is for this reason 

 that I feel it my duty to express personally, and in the 

 name of the Confederate States, our gratitude for such 

 sentiments of Christian good-feeling and love, and to as- 

 sure your Holiness that the people, threatened even on 

 their own hearths with the most cruel oppression and 

 terrible carnage, is desirous now, as it has always 

 been, to see the end of this impious war ; that we have 

 ever addressed prayers to heaven for that issue which 

 your Holiness now desires ; that we desire none of our 

 enemy's possessions, but that we fight merely to resist 

 the devastation of our country, and the shedding of our 

 best blood, and to force them to let us live in peace un- 

 der the protection of our own institutions, and under 



our laws, which not only insure to everyone the enjoy- 

 ment of his temporal rights, but also the free exercise 

 of his religion. I pray your Holiness to accept on the 



art of myself and the people of the Confederate 

 tates, our sincere thanks for your efforts in favor of 

 peace. May the Lord preserve the days of your Holi- 

 ness, and keep you under his divineprotection. 



JEFFERSON DAVIS. 



Illustrious and Honorable President : We have just 

 received, with all suitable welcome, the persons 

 sent by you to place in our hands your letter, dated 

 23d of September last. Not slight was the pleasure 

 we experienced when we learned, from these persons 

 and the letter, with what feelings of joy and gratitude 

 you were animated, illustrious and honorable Presi- 

 dent, as soon as you were informed of our letters to our 

 venerable brothers, John Archbishop of New York and 

 John Archbishop of New Orleans, dated the 18th of 

 October of last year, and in which we have, with all our 

 strength, excited and exhorted these venerable broth- 

 ers that in their episcopal piety and solicitude they 

 should endeavor, with the most ardent zeal, and in our 

 name, to bring about the end of the fatal civil war 

 which has broken out in those countries, in order that 

 the American people may obtain peace and concord, 

 and dwell charitably together. It is particularly agree- 

 able to us to see that you, illustrious and honorable 

 President, and your people, are animated with the 

 same desires of peace and tranquillity which we have 

 in our letters inculcated upon our venerable brothers. 

 May it please God at the same time to make the other 

 peoples of America and their rulers, reflecting seriously 

 how terrible is civil war, and what calamities it en- 

 genders, listen to the inspirations of a calmer spirit, 

 and adopt resolutely the part of peace. As for us, we 

 shall not cease to offer up the most fervent prayers to 

 God Almighty that He may pour out upon all the peo- 

 ples of America the spirit of peace and charity, and 

 that He will stop the great evils which afflict them. 

 We, at the same time, oeseech the God of mercy and 

 pity to shed abroad upon you the light of His grace, 

 and attach you to us by a perfect friendship. 



Given at Kome, at St. Peter's, the 3d day of Decem- 

 ber, 1863, of our Pontificate 18. PIUS IX. 



One of the most important events in the his- 

 tory of the Roman Catholic Church hi Eu- 

 rope during the year 1863 was the meeting of 

 the .Roman Catholic Congress at Malines, Bel- 

 gium. In Germany and Switzerland the Ro- 

 man Catholics have had, since 1848, annual 

 conventions of priests and laymen, to consult 

 on important interests of the church. Belgium, 

 in 1863, followed their example, and held its 

 first "Catholic Congress." This Belgian as- 

 sembly awakened a more universal interest 

 than the Congress of Germany and Switzer- 

 land, as it was understood that it would vir- 

 tually be a Congress of both Belgium and 

 France, in the latter of which countries such 

 meetings will not be allowed by the Govern- 

 ment to take place, and that it wo.uld be, more- 

 over, largely attended from nearly every coun- 

 try in Europe. The expectation that many 

 celebrated priests and laymen from other coun- 

 tries would be present was realized, for Eng- 

 land sent Cardinal Wiseman, and France Mon- 

 talembert, De Broglie, and Cochin. Cardinal 

 Wiseman made an eloquent speech on the re- 

 ligious and civil position of the Roman Catho- 

 lics of England ; but the great event in the his- 

 tory of the Congress was the speech of Count 

 Montalembert on " Freedom of Worship." The 

 orator spoke in the most eloquent terms against 



