ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 445, 1 October 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

[We wish it to be most distinctly understood that we are not responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL. Father Coleman complains further that the books used in the Government schools until lately were insulting to Catholics. In one of these he says '' superstition is given as false religion." Granted. lain sorry for it, and much besides, of which Catholics have had good cause to complain. Peccavi ! But he is surely disingenuous in supposing that Mr. Fidler used the word in so restricted a sense. A false religion cannot, in Father Coleman's opinion, be his own. Those he considers false he doubtless thinks superstitious likewise. He would not surely appropriate a distasteful meaning which does not necessarily apply to his own faith. Mr. Fidler is, I think, too ripe a scholar to anticipate such an objection or use the phrase in other than its broadest sense. The subsequent correspondence, however, takes a wider range,. forced into these broader channels by Father Coleman himself. The State, as such, has nothing 'whatever to do with dogma. Under her protection in all matters civil the vision of the Apocalypse may be realised and " the wolf, and lamb lie down together." Father Coleman altogether evades this view of the question, and yet strange to say, it is the only one worth considering. la the State schools teachers, Catholic and Protestant, are alike eligible, but both are prohibited from so much as referring to such questions. If otherwise qualified, no Protestant will take the trouble to inquire what faith' the teachers of their children profess. A purely secular education merges such distinctions, and the State, with rigorous impartiality, guarantees all this. The " great hardship" of which Father Coleman complains is more imaginary than real. Catholics are taxed for education in common with Protestants ; but to affirm that they are so to pay Protestant salaries is as erroneous as to say that Protestants are taxed to pay Catholic salaries. The contributions of each are to a common fund for joint purposes, and he may just as fairly complain that lie is taxed to pay a Protestant policeman or a Protestant judge, or vice versa. Any reflections upon the faith, or anything calculated to wound the conscience, is, under the new regime, as improbable as it would be illegal. Father Coleman, when he says that poor Catholics pay for my children, is wrong in fact and theory. If Catholics do nou avail themselves of the fc'tate education, and cnarge themselves with the exclusive burthen of educating their own children, the incidence of taxation will fall upon them, I freely admit, with undue severity. I concede all this cordially ; but whose fault L- T '.his ? The State can ouly, at best, approximate to absolute correctness. I will, however, have paid my full share precisely as if Catholics had paid'nothing ; in this case their contributions become surplus revenue. Father Coleman, therefore, as completely ignores the economic laws as he does the laws of progress. Taxation is not an exact science. Arithmetical accuracy is nowhere possible. For, may not such harmless citizens as Father Coleman, Mr. Fidler, and my poor

self complain with equal justice that our contributions are not in precise arithmetical proportion to the policeman .or the judge? Father Coleman is perfectly aware that in Ireland — : a Catholic country—secular education is extensively and . almost exclusively availed of by Catholics and Protestants alike. Why should they be more scrupulous in this free land, where, on every ground, such objections as he urges should have less importance. -That a system so purely secular will stir up the Churches to greater zeal and diligence in the religious education of our youth, is one of the most hopeful signs of the times. Let them see to it, as they must answer to Eeaven. Better far, believe me, to work out than rot out. Let me remind Father Coleman that the columns of a newspaper are not the proper vehicle for polemical discussions ; but if they were, is he not open to the same hypercriticism with which he assails Mr. Fidler ? Why parade the peculiar doctrines of his Church 1 May not narrow Protestants. with equal justice consider themselves- insulted ? Near the commencement of his letter he exhumed an abolished book ; near the end an abolished oath. Why turn resurrectionist and parade past grievances. But for the 60,000 Catholics 340,000 Protestants might with perfect justice .endow a Protestant system of education. Respecting their political rights, we secularise it. Can he point to an instance of such magnanimity in any Catholic country in the world, or in all history 1 Were the numbers reversed would- he venture to assure us of correspondingly fair treatment ? What of JSpain and Portugal now ? Here the State takes care that all the creeds are left free and untrammelled. She has neither friendships nor preferences. Faith she cannot in any form endow ; it is beyond her province, but the spontaneous, voluntary, most free exercise of religion she carefully conserves. Can anything be fairer or more just 1 Finally, Father Coleman need not have referred to Freethinkers so disparagingly. Some of my friends are Freethinkers, who fear God and honour the king as much as Father Coleman himself. Have not Freethinkers a conscience, aye, and in a lively exercise as any of the sects ? I am often compelled to exclaim with the Poet Laureate,

There is more truth in honest doubt Believe me ! than in half the creeds. Free discussion, free speaking, free thinking is liberating mankind. The age of miracles is indeed past, but standing upon the buried liberties of the nations it still cries, "Lazarus come forth!" What! bind men's thoughts. No, Father Coleman. You may bind the grosser part to .the stake or bury it in a dungeon, but thought, never! Like the air and sky with which it has such affinity, it is free! It is the rod cf Modes, which in modern times is smiting the rock. May it soon descend on unhappy Spain and Portugal ! Lit knowledge "run to and fro on the earth," and religion itself will assume still nobler, diviner forms. The horrid spectre superstition must vanish at its approach. It cries havoc to our falsehood and hypocrisy, and lets loose the flooclgatts of knowledge upon our ignorance. Proclaiming from afar the jubilee of the nations, society will emerge, as by enchantment, into a loftier faith and sublimer creed. And as "there is joy in heaven " over each soul born into the kingdom, so too is there joy over each truth born into the world. Truth is the great emancipator, and surely high heaven is pouring her benison upon such bloodless victories. Unlike error and superstition, with their firebrands, She carries in her right hand gentle peace, To silence envious tongues. It is the people, and nob merely the priests and rulers, that must be instructed. It is vain to point to numerous universities, while the people are abandoned to ignorance. Education must begin at the base rather than the apex, and the moral aspect of the world will ere long cease to be that of which Spain and Portugal affords us so terrible an example—a pyramid reversed.—l am, &c. Paterfamilias.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL.*? Sin, —I perceive from what has appeared of the second letter of "Paterfamilias," that it is time to end this correspondence. We are attacked, and when we remonstrate we are told that we are " bigotted," blinded by "prejudice," "illiberal," "intolerant," "inconsistent with reason " in our doctrines, and views upon other affairs. Then it is asked is it not an insult and gross persecution to insinuate that Mr. Fidler is incapacitated from teaching, implying that I said so — whereas I never hinted or said any such thiug— for saying that he is not a fit teacher for Catholic children, I am offering insult. But there is no insult in the following, "If there be one fact more transparent than another in these countries, it is the blighting influence of the Catholic faith ; it hangs upon them like a dismal curse ; hence their debasement, rottenness, and superstition." What need be said of language like the above but to treat it with the contempt it deserves. In the first letter of " Paterfamilias," the superstition is ascribed to the want of edncation, —here we have it charged to the Catholic faith. In the next, if the nameless aggressor should appear again, probably the Pope of Rome will get the credit of it all. Be it so.

_ I put the question about the Universities of Spain and Portugal, because " Paterfamilias " asked, Avas not Mr. Fidler right in ascribing the debasement to want of education; and then "Paterfamilias says, by the question he meant to asseverate, —as he adopted that as the reason, I thought be would be prepared to show- that these countries had no universities, colleges, or schools; and

that thus he wcmld prove a want of education in them. I asked for names numbers, &c. He neither gives names or dates, but gives the number of Universities as 10, and says "they have many students. Now, Sir, instead of 10, there are 17 Universities. These Universities were established when other countries were in a state of barbarism. lam forced to conclude that your correspondent knows nothing of education in those countries. As to the subjects taught, the correspondent fear 3 "that there we would have to part company." Of course we understand he means it is not science or religion that is taught, but "the Catholic Faith, the source of debasement, rottenness, and superstition." "Well, let it be so ;as it pleases his taste, he may continue to think so. I did not attempt to disprove statements that were made against us without giving the slightest prouf. Every man who knows even a little logic, must have learned that when he puts forward any statement against another he must prove that statement. He is not to ask his opponent to prove the opposite. "When a charge is made it must be proved before the defence is demanded. I would be wrong to step forward and do what the rules of reasoning did not require. According to your correspondent, Spain in the 16th century was far in advance of England in commerce, military resources, and wealth. But even then Spain professed the Catholic Faith. In fact, it is the Catholic Faith that fostered the arts and sciences, and established universities, and spread the name of Christ throughout the world. But your correspondent sees only corruption and superstition in her noble deeds. Now, those of the type of "Paterfamilias" are determined to heap upon us all the insult they can vomit forth, and then if we complain, to still still persevere in saying that we are the aggressors, and in repeating every abusive word that can be found in their elegant vocabulary. Let them go on ; the public will see by-and-bye that their motives are neither generous nor humane, but selfish and ignoble. He talks about the histories in the public libraries. Why, in the Oamaru public library there is not one Catholic history, Catholic periodical, or Catholic newspaper ; but instead, the writings of infidels and non-Catholics' ; whenever Catholics or Catholicity are to be dealth with, the mud and filth are applied unsparingly. These, then, are the authorities to which your correspondent would refer me. What fair treatment ! Write everything bad against me, and then call that history and introduce it as evidence to crush me. Strong proof ! The Catholics here know now what kind of education they can receive in the Government schools. I have warned them ; they can read and judge for themselves. My work is done. I shall take no more notice of any further correspondence on this subject. I ask you, Sir, to remember that we Catholics were first attacked, and that in these letters ; I have made no allusion to any subject that was not forced upon me. Ido not know why we

all should not live in harmony, respecting one another as fellow - Colonists, and sharing the benefits which Justice claims for all, without interfering with Conscience and the honest rights of others.— I am, &c. , Wm. Coleman. e THE UNION SHARES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL. Sir.—There aooears to be considerable

dissatisfaction at the way in which the Union shares were allotted. Both the Dunedin dailies are loud in their wail because the moneyed class which applied for thousands did not even get hundreds, while their poorer brethren obtained a considerably larger proportion. It is very hard on those people who hold up their heads so proudly that this should be the case ; but it really appears to me a good sign of the intelligence and honesty of the directors when the possible means of acquiring wealth is thus bestowed on Lazarus, even though it be to the exclusion of Dives. —I am, <tc. Fairplay.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL. Sir, —I applied for, but did not get any Union shares. I know some more who are in the same sad plight; so I don't mind much. lam only a very small beer. But I see by the disappointed ones' lists that commission agents are only partially excluded, and one or two quiet individuals very well treated. In fact, there seems to be a certain amount of illustration of " kissing goes by favour " about the allotment generally. Why is this thus 1 Please explain to A Perplexed Sufferer.