ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 



RUSSIA. 



727 



re only one, that error cannot claim the same 

 right as truth, nor vice the same right as virtue. 

 It expresses its full concurrence with these 

 views, and maintains that dogmatically the 

 Pope must be intolerant. It then continues : 

 " The question at issue is the eternal question 

 to know to what extent the civil law must con- 

 form to the religious law, to what extent the 

 precepts of the catechism must be sanctioned 

 by the codes. Rigorous theologians, like the 

 Jesuits of Paraguay, have pretended that it 

 was allowed and useful to compel the citizens 

 by penal laws to observe the catechism/' Those 

 who thus thought and acted went too far, in the 

 opinion of " La Pair.'' and it therefore thinks 

 that, " logically and from a religious point of 

 view, the Catholic legislator is no more bound 

 to repress by law the abuses of the liberty of 

 the pen against God than the abuses of the 

 liberty of speech against God." Other Cath- 

 olic papers of Belgium insist that at the time 

 of the adoption of the Belgian constitution, 

 Belgium was not truly a ' Catholic " country, 

 but that an anti-Catholic liberalism was so 

 strong that concessions had to be made to it. 



The liberal papers of Belgium reply that, all 

 the arguments used by the Catholic organs 

 class the liberal institutions with things not 

 desirable in themselves, and would endanger 

 their continuance in countries where the Gov- 

 ernment and a large majority of the people 

 would view them in the light of the Papal 

 circular. They, therefore, ask the question, 

 What would the Catholic party of Belgium do 

 if they knew that they represented an over- 

 whelming majority of the voters ? There seems 

 to be with regard to this point, a slight differ- 

 ence of opinion among the Catholic party of 

 Belgium. Only a few openly indicate that they 

 would, if they had the power, conform to the 

 teaching and the example of Rome. The u Bien 

 Public " of Ghent compares the constitution of 

 Belgium with that of Rome, and does not con- 

 ceal its preference for the latter. Other papers 

 equally admit that if the Pope should demand 

 any definite action on their part, though not 

 consistent with the constitution of Belgium, 

 it would be their duty to obey the head of the 

 Church. 



Catholic congresses were again held in 1864, 

 us in the preceding year, in Belgium, Germany, 

 and Switzerland. That 0f Belgium again at- 

 tracted the greatest attention. It met, as in 

 1863, in Malines, on Monday, August 29th, 

 when about 4,000 persons were present, in- 

 cluding the notabilities of the Belgian Catholic 

 party, with distinguished persons from various 

 countries in Europe. The proceedings com- 

 menced by a speech from the Archbishop of 

 Malines, after which the bureau was formed, 

 Baron de Gerlach being appointed president, 

 as on the former occasion. The president then 

 delivered a long address on the subject of the 

 general situation of Catholicism in Europe, and 

 particularly in Belgium; and the first day's 

 sitting was brought to a conclusion by a vote 



of devotedness to the Pope, which was imme- 

 diately forwarded to Cardinal Antonelli to bo 

 presented to his holiness. Among the subjects 

 discussed by the Congress were: religious 

 works ; charitable works ; Christian instruction 

 and education ; literature and fine arts from a 

 Christian point of view ; -religious music ; re- 

 ligious liberty; publications and associations. 

 Count Montalembert, who, in 1863, made at 

 the Catholic congress the celebrated address on 

 religious toleration, was not present. " His har- 

 angue," an English Catholic paper says, " gavo 

 serious offence at Rome ; and though the illus- 

 trious Bishop of Orleans spent several months 

 in the Eternal City last winter, during which 

 his great influence there was not spared in order 

 to remove the unfavorable impression against 

 his friend, I believe I may say that the effort 

 was not altogether successful." This year the 

 most impressive speech was made by Bishop 

 Dupanloup of Orleans, who stated that the 

 chief reason why he came to Belgium was his 

 wish to comfort his brethren for the defeat 

 they had received at the late election. (See BEL- 

 GIUM.) It was the general opinion of the Cath- 

 olic papers of Europe, that the Congress of 1864 

 could stand no comparison with that of 1863. 



RUSSIA, an empire in Eastern Europe and 

 Northern Asia. Emperor : Alexander II., born 

 April 17 (new style, April 29), 1818, the eldest 

 son of Emperor Nicholas I., succeeded to the 

 throne at the death of his father, Feb. 18, 

 (March 2), 1855. Heir apparent to the throne is 

 Grand-duke Nicholas, born Sept. 8 (Sept. 20), 

 1843. The Government of Russia is an absolute 

 hereditary monarchy. According to a decree 

 of the Emperor Paul, of the year 1797, the law 

 of succession to the throne is to be that of regu- 

 lar descent, by the right of primogeniture, with 

 preference of male over female heirs. Every 

 sovereign of Russia, his wife and children, must 

 belong to the orthodox Greek Church. The 

 administration of the empire is intrusted to 

 four great boards or councils, possessing sepa- 

 rate functions, but centring in the private cabi- 

 net of the Emperor. These boards are: I. The 

 Council of Empire, established by Alexander 

 I., in 1810, and numbering, in 1863, sixty-three 

 members, exclusive of the ministers who have 

 a seat ex-officio. It is subdivided into five de- 

 partments of Legislation, of Military Affairs, of 

 Civil Administration, of Finance and Political 

 Economy, and of the Administration of the 

 kingdom of Poland. II. The Directing Senate, 

 established in 1711. This is the high Court of 

 Justice for the Empire ; controlling all the infe- 

 rior tribunals. It is divided into eight commit- 

 tees or sections, of which five sit at Petersburg 

 and three at Moscow. III. The Holy Synod, com- 

 posed of the principal dignitaries of the Church. 

 IV. The Council of Ministers. It is divided into 

 twelve departments : 1. Imperial House ; 2. 

 Foreign Afl'airs ; 3."\Var; 4. Xavy ; 5. Interior; 

 6. Public Instruction ; 7. Finance ; 8. Justice ; 

 9. Imperial Domains; 10. Public "Works; 11. 

 Post-Office; 12. General Control 



