NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ATELEGRAM from Rome announces that the Pope is about to bestow a cardinal's hat on Dr. MacCabe, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, in recognition of the efforts he has made to uphold the principles of his Church, in reference to order and the fulfilment of contract. Formerly, such an announce- ment would have had a great effect in Ireland, and it may still influence the priesthood, but for the moment, as a recent French traveller has pointed out, Ireland has ceased to be Catholic. The priesthood are powerless upon all agrarian questions, and are liable, if they defend the Eighth Commandment too stoutly, to be boycotted, like their neighbours. They were always in difficulty upon this question, but now they have lost all 'power, and we have this unprecedented state of affairs in Ireland. The priest- hood are, as a corporation, on the side of the Government and the Decalogue, but are so powerless that they not only cannot control their flocks, but cannot keep their own younger members from supporting those flocks. The result is the one so con- stantly desired by English bigots. The people and the priest- hood are separated, and we hope the Record appreciates and approves the consequences. Perhaps it will admit that, bad as an Irish Catholic may be, an Irish Secularist with Socialism for creed, a League manifesto for Missal, and boycotting for excommunication, is, as a subject, a good deal worse.
