"4. Those who associate their names to the sect of Masons, or Carbonari, or to any other sects of this kind, who openly or clandestinely conspire against the Church and its legitimate power.

"5. Those who order the violation of the immunity of an ecclesiastical asylum, or who, with audacious rashness, accomplish it.

"6. Those who violate the cloister of the Religious, of whatever kind, condition, or sex they may be, or enter their monasteries without lawful permission; as those, too, who introduce or admit them; also the Religious' who leave them, except in those cases and after those forms prescribed by S. Pius V. in the Constitution Decori. . . .

"8. Those guilty of real simony, in any benefice whatever, and their accomplices..

"10. Those guilty of simony to enter on religion.

"11. All those who, making a trade of indulgences or other spiritual graces, are subjected to the censure of excommunication by the Constitution of S. Pius V., Quam plenum, 2nd Jan., 1554.

"12. Those who collect alms for masses at a higher price, and derive profit from them by celebrating masses or distributing alms at a lower sum.

"14. The Religious' who presume to administer to clerics, and to the laity, except in case of necessity, the sacrament of extreme unction, or of the eucharist as viaticum, without the permission of the Curé.

"15. Those who without lawful permission extract relics from the sacred cemeteries, or from the catacombs of the city of Rome and its territory, and those who aid and abet them...

"We declare that they are subject to excommunications latæ sententiæ reserved to bishops and ordinaries :

"1. Clerics in sacris or regulars of either sex, who after taking the vow of chastity have the presumption to contract marriage, as those, too, who have the presumption to contract marriage with the said persons.

2. Those who procure abortions effectu sequuto.

"3. Those who knowingly use false apostolic letters, or co-operate in the crime.

We declare that they are subject to excommunications latæ sententiæ not reserved :

"1. Those who order or compel the giving of ecclesiastical burial to notorious heretics or to persons excommunicated or interdicted by

name.

"2. Those who offend or intimidate the inquisitors, denouncers, witnesses, and other ministers of the Holy Office; those who carry off or burn the writings of the same sacred tribunal, or give to any one of the aforesaid persons aid, counsel, or favour.

"3. Those who alienate, or have the presumption to receive ecclesiastical property without the Apostolic pleasure..

"1. They incur the special interdict reserved to the Roman Pontiff-that is to say, universities, colleges, chapters of whatever name,

who appeal from the orders and commands of the Pontiff for the time being to a future Universal Council.

"2. Those who knowingly celebrate or cause to be celebrated Divine offices in places interdicted by the Ordinary, or by the judge delegated, or of right; or who admit persons excommunicated by name to Divine offices, to the ecclesiastical sacraments, or to ecclesiastical burial, incur, ipso jure, that interdict from entering a church until at the pleasure of him whose sentence they have violated they have satisfied him sufficiently. In fine, we will and declare that all other individuals who have been decreed suspended or interdicted by the Holy Council of Trent shall be subjected to suspension or interdict. We will and declare that all censures shall remain firm and of force, whether of excommunication, suspension, or interdict, which, besides those enumerated above, have been inflicted by our Constitutions, by those of our predecessors, or by the sacred Canons, and which have been up to the present time in vigour, whether for the election of the Roman Pontiff or for the internal government of every order or regular institution, as also for every college, congregation, society, and pious place, of any name or kind whatever.

NORTH GERMANY AND PRUSSIA.

22

The North German Parliament was opened by the King of Prussia on the 4th of March. In his speech from the throne his Majesty said he rejoiced that the prospect of the maintenance of peace had not, since their last assembling, proved fallacious. His Majesty mentioned the improvements which would be effected by the Bills already passed, and those which were still under discussion. A Bill relative to the electoral law, framed in accordance with Article 20 of the Constitution of the North German Confederation, would be laid before Parliament, to secure a uniform system of electoral procedure throughout the entire Confederation, and also to secure the legal status of the Federal officials. The Budget of 1870 showed that an increase of the revenue was necessary. In the postal arrangements between the Confederation and foreign States progress had been made, and postal conventions with the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, and the Danubian Principalities will be laid before the Parliament. The organization of the Federal Consular system is approaching completion. A Consular convention with Italy is about to regulate the respective powers of the Consuls of both nations, in order to insure uniformity in the conduct of the Consular administration and the diplomatic representation abroad of North Germany. The necessary expenditure for this purpose will be brought forward in the Budget of 1870. The first duty of the diplomatic agents abroad will be to secure the maintenance of peace between all nations who, like ourselves, know how to value its benefits. The fulfilment of this duty will be facilitated by the friendly terms at present existing between the North German

Confederation and all foreign Powers, and which were proved afresh by the peaceful solution of the difficulty which but lately threatened to disturb peace in the East. The negotiations and the result of the Paris Conference have proved the sincere endeavour of the European Powers to regard the blessings of peace as a valuable and common benefit, to be guarded by all as common property. Having seen the success of this course of action, a nation which has proved that it possesses both the will and the power to respect the independence of foreign States and to defend its own, is justified in trusting in the continuance of peace, to disturb which neither foreign Governments have the intention nor the enemies of order the power.

The session closed on the 22nd of June, and the Royal speech then congratulated the Parliament on the completion of the first German war, both as a memorial of German activity and sagacity. It declared that the unanimous co-operation of the Federal Governments with the national representatives in the common labouring for Germany's welfare would, with God's help, strengthen, as heretofore, the general confidence with which Germany, in fortifying herself at home, reckoned upon the preservation of peace abroad.

A new session of the Prussian Chambers was opened by the King on the 6th of October, when he delivered the following speech "Illustrious and Honoured Gentlemen of both Houses of the Diet, -In the coming session you will be called upon to take part in important labours for the well-being of the Monarchy and for the development of legislation. Notwithstanding the confidence in the maintenance of peace, as well as the generally propitious result of the harvest, affords a well-founded prospect for the restoration of the former legitimate increase of the revenues, the financial position of the State has not materially improved at present. You will observe from the complete statement of the Budget for the year 1868 which will be laid before you, that, in consequence of unavoidable circumstances, on the one hand, the revenue has not reached its estimated amount, and, on the other hand, the expenditure has exceeded the estimates, and that the latter could not completely be covered by the funds in hand. In the face of these results and of the position of this year's State Budget, the endeavour of my Government has been directed to decrease the burdens of Prussia, incurred in consequence of her Federal obligations, by an increase of the special revenues of the North German Confederation. This endeavour has not been followed by the desired success. It has, therefore, been impossible in the estimates for next year, which will shortly be laid before you, to balance the revenue and expenditure, although the latter have been restricted as far as possible, without affecting important interests of the country. My Government is, therefore, necessitated to resort to additional taxation in order completely to cover the required expenditure. The restoration and preservation of order in financial affairs is absolutely necessary for the successful development of all the State institutions, and this cannot be delayed.

The sacrifices demanded must not be eluded; the longer they are postponed, the more oppressive they will be for the country. Convinced that you share these views, I rely confidently upon your not refusing your assent to the propositions of my Government. A Bill will be laid before you to alter the legal mode of procedure in the assessment of the classified income-tax, in order to secure a more satisfactory working of the existing law. A Bill for the establishment of a new administration of the provincial districts throughout the six eastern provinces will largely affect the entire administration of the country. This new law does not merely alter the regulations which hitherto have existed, and which have frequently been pointed out as requiring improvement-a want acknowledged also by the Government. Together with the modification of the present district assemblies, the Government proposes to establish assemblies for the communal administration of provincial districts, which will not only serve to imbue the inhabitants with greater interest in the affairs of their districts, but these assemblies will also be required to take upon themselves a part of such general business of the country as has hitherto been in the hands of the State. As soon as in those districts of the eastern provinces which are the centres of their communal administration the idea of selfgovernment shall have been realized efficiently, then the extension of the same principle to the rest of the kingdom and its still further development in an ascending scale will follow as a natural consequence. In conformity with the wishes expressed during previous debates, my Government will lay before you the draught of a complete law upon the system of education, and one which shall embrace every grade of instruction. The important deliberations which commenced last session upon the reform of the laws on landed property and the rights accruing therefrom will be resumed. My Government is engaged continually in extending the system of public roads and railways in the interest of the general traffic, and in accordance with the means at its disposal. The Government regrets, however, that it has been compelled to make retrenchments in this branch of the public service in consequence of the insufficiency of the revenue. The Government is also devoting unceasing attention to the development of agriculture. With this object the concentration of small plots of land in those parts of the country where this measure has only recently been introduced or facilitated by law is making visible progress. The unremitting endeavours of my Government for the maintenance and consolidation of peace, for guarding our relations with foreign Powers, from being disturbed in any way, have, by God's help, been crowned with success. I confidently trust that also in future the foreign policy, which will be directed by me in the same spirit, will be followed by the same good result-viz. the establishment of peaceful and friendly relations with all foreign Governments, the development of traffic, and the maintenance of the authority and independence of Germany. Gentlemen, I had lately the gratification of receiving in several

provinces of my Monarchy manifestations of loyalty and confidence which gave me much pleasure. In that spirit which dictated those manifestations I recognize a fresh security for the steady and hopeful prosperity of the Fatherland, and it will be my unceasing endeavour to further the same in all directions to the best of my abilities. Success greatly depends upon your cordial co-operation with my Government, and I rejoice to be able to express my confident hope that also during this session this co-operation for the welfare of the country will not be found wanting."

In reply to a deputation from the Brandenburg Synod at the beginning of December, the King said, "I am much obliged to you for your kind and cordial wishes, and shall be happy to see you finish your work in peace. It is very necessary, indeed, that something should be done to quiet the excitement lately prevailing in matters ecclesiastical. The enemies of the Church are numerous in these days. In this I am not alluding to the Roman Catholics, but to those who have ceased to believe. What is to become of us if we have no faith in the Saviour, the Son of God? If He is not the Son of God, His commands, as coming from a man only, must be subject to criticism. What is to become of us in such a case? I can only repeat that I wish to see you finish in peace the work in which you are engaged.'

TURKEY AND EGYPT.

Not long ago the Viceroy of Egypt paid a visit to Europe, and was received at the different Courts with something of the respect and state usually reserved for crowned heads. This gave offence to the Sultan and Turkish Government, for in reality the Viceroy is only a satrap of the Ottoman Porte, enjoying the peculiar title of Khedive, which, whatever may be its precise import in Turkey, does not invest its possessor with a royal character. The Sultan was also offended at the invitations issued by the Viceroy to foreign monarchs to be present at the forthcoming opening of the Suez Canal, which his Majesty thought was an infringement on his imperial prerogative. He was also alarmed at other tokens of independence on the part of the Egyptian Viceroy, and in consequence a letter was addressed by the Turkish Minister to the Viceroy, which contained a statement of the grievances alleged against him, and which he answered in a long despatch. As this fully recapitulates all the causes of complaint, and embodies the Viceroy's defence, we give it in extenso.

"Highness, I have had the honour of receiving the letter which, by order of his Imperial Majesty, your Highness has been good enough to address to me, and in which you demand explanations upon the interpretations given to my last journey in Europe, and upon the reports circulated on that occasion. I hasten, therefore, to make known the true facts relating to these questions.

T