PAPAL STATES. 



The publication in the newspapers of a circular from 

 Koine, to the effect that the Holy Father had consented 

 to accept the services of a battalion of one thousand 

 men, to be raised in the United States, on condition 

 that the said men shall be carefully chosen, and be 

 equipped and supported for three years by the Catho- 

 lics of these States, seems to call for some official notice 

 from the prelates to whom the circular is exclusively 

 addressed, tod to whose discretion, as guardians of 

 the interests _of the church in this country, the sub- 

 ject is committed. For this reason and for the pur- 

 pose, at the same time, of satisfying inquiries which 

 have reached us from various quarters, we deem it 

 proper thus publicly to define our position with ref- 

 erence to a matter of so much importance ; and in so 

 doing we have the best reasons for knowing that we 

 do but speak not alone our own sentiments, out those 



It is needless for us to say how sincerely we desire 

 to uphold and protect, as far as in us lies, the tem- 

 poral independence of the Holy Father, being per- 

 suaded how essential it is to the free and unfettered 

 exercise of his spiritual supremacy in the govern- 

 ment of the universal church. Yet the proposal to 

 raise and equip an American battalion did not origi- 

 nate with us. As far as we can learn, it has emanated 

 from, and been persistently urged on the military 

 authorities at Rome by, some party or parties who have 

 assumed to represent us, not only without our sanc- 

 tion or authority, but even without our knowledge ; 

 and what renders this the more remarkable, is the 

 fact, that the gentleman who has succeeded in secur- 

 ing for himself, in advance, the appointment of 

 lieutenant-colonel, to have command of the proposed 

 battalion, is one who, we feel bound to say, does not 

 enjoy, and is not entitled to enjoy, our confidence ; 

 especially in a position of so high a responsibility 

 and trust. If he has found encouragement and sup- 



E)rt from one or two Journals, edited by Catholic 

 ymen, which have given place to his ill-advised 

 correspondence, this does not strengthen his claims ; 

 inasmuch as the journals in question are not to be 

 recognized as reliable exponents of Catholic views 

 or sentiments, still less as discreet or commendable 

 advocates of the Catholic cause. Besides, the pro- 

 ject, as proposed, with the conditions which are an- 

 nexed to it, cannot, in our judgment, be successfully 

 carried out : and any attempt to do so would, we 

 apprehendj instead of serving the cause of our ven- 

 erable and beloved Holy Father, prove detrimental 

 to it. 



It is not necessary to enter into further details ; it 

 will be enough to add, that we still have reason to 

 know that pecuniary aid is more needed at this mo- 

 ment than military aid, and will be more acceptable 

 from us. We shall continue, therefore, as hitherto, 

 to urge our generous and faithful Catholic children 

 to contribute abundantly, according to their means, 

 for the support of our common Father, who will em- 

 ploy their offerings in such manner as may to him 

 seem best ; not doubting that, by our so doing, we 

 shall meet his warm approval, and merit his apostolic 

 benediction. 



Given at Mount St. Mary's College, Emmetsburg, 

 June 24, 1868. 



M. J. SPALDING-, Archbishop of Baltimore. 

 J. B. PUKCELL, Archbishop of Cincinnati. 

 JOHN MoCLOSKEY, Archbishop of N. Y. 

 PETER RICHARD KENRICK, Archbishop 

 of St. Louis, per Archbishop of New York. 



N. B. The Archbishop of St. Louis, not having 

 been able to attend the meeting, empowered the 

 Archbishop of New York, in writing, to sign this 

 document for him, having been fully apprised of 

 what would be its contents. 



In consequence of this attitude of the Cath- 

 olic bishops of the United States with regard 

 to the proposal of General Lewis, the Papal 

 minister of war forwarded a letter, dated July 

 VOL. vin. 39 A 



PARAGUAY. 



609 



25th, to General Lewis, communicating the 

 positive instructions of the Pope to abandon 

 recruiting in the United States for the pro- 

 jected volunteer battalion for the Papal ser- 

 vice. The letter expresses the thanks of his 

 Holiness for the General's zealous activity in 

 the matter. 



The political history of the Papal States 

 during the year 1868 was of no great impor- 

 tance. Brigandage continued to be trouble- 

 some, especially in the provinces of Frosinone 

 and Yelletri. 



On November 23d, the execution of two 

 prisoners, named Monti and Tognetti, took 

 place in Rome, for assisting in blowing up 

 some barracks at Rome, in the autumn of 1867. 

 The execution produced very great excitement 

 throughout Italy, and resolutions, severely con- 

 demning the conduct of the Papal Govern- 

 ment, were passed by the Italian Parliament 

 (see ITALY). Two other prisoners were con- 

 demned to death. One of them, Ajani, was 

 a woollen manufacturer in Rome, in 1867, and 

 it was believed by the Papal Government that 

 a large quantity of arms was concealed on 

 his premises. They accordingly sent a strong 

 force of soldiers and police to the place. Ajani 

 and his workmen resisted, and a violent 

 struggle took place. Sixteen of the workmen 

 were killed, and several others were wounded. 

 Some of the soldiers were also wounded, and 

 one was killed. 



PARAGUAY, a republic in South Amer- 

 ica. President, General Francisco Solano Lo- 

 pez, born in 1827; assumed the presidency on 

 September 10, 1862. Area of Paraguay proper 

 (situated between the Rivers Parana and Para- 

 guay), 73,000 English square miles ; but, in- 

 cluding part of the Grand Chaco, a disputed 

 territory on the right bank of the Paraguay, 

 between Bolivia, Paraguay, and the Argentine 

 Republic, and a small tract of land between 

 the Parana and Uruguay, to which Paraguay 

 lays claim, the territory would exceed 200,000 

 square miles. The population, in 1867, 

 amounted to 1,337,431. The only religion 

 sustained is the Roman Catholic. There is 

 one bishop at Asuncion. The standing army, 

 in time of peace, is 15,000 men ; the reserve, 

 46,000 men. According to recent documents, 

 President Lopez had, in 1867, an army of 60,- 

 000 under arms : 40,000 in the South, to resist 

 the main army of the allies, 10,000 reserve at 

 Asuncion, and 10,000 in the Brazilian province 

 of Matto-Grosso, which was conquered by the 

 Paraguayans in 1865. But, at the beginning 

 of 1868, the army had been considerably re- 

 duced. 



At the close of the year 1867, the war of 

 Paraguay with Brazil, the Argentine Republic, 

 and Uruguay, continued without showing any 

 prospect of a speedy termination. A new ef- 

 fort to mediate a peace had heen made in 

 September, 1867, by Mr. Gould, British Secre- 

 tary of Legation at Buenos Ayres, who drew 

 up and sent to Mr. Caminos, first secretary of 



