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New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 332, 29 August 1879, Page 13

The New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1879. VICTORIAN REVENGE.

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3E Melbourne Age, the organ of what is facetiously called the Liberal party of Victoria, suggests the dismissal of all Catholic teachers in Government schools at once, And what is the reason assigned by this leading organ of the Liberal party for advising such a proceeding? The reason is, because the Catholics of Victoria dare to ask for justice, and declare they will at the next elections oppose all candidates who refuse to pledge themselves to support measures of justice to Catholics on the subject ot education. There can be no doubt that this suggestion of the Age has been in turn suggested by its employers, — the Berry Ministry. It would appear, then, that there is to be another " Black "Wednesday," and that innocent Catholic men and women, who belong to no party, are to be deprived of their means ot livelihood because they happen to profess the Catholic religion. This is a piece of tyranny and inhumanity perfectly in keeping with Liberalism all the world over. In Italy Liberalism plundered ecclesiatics and religious of their private property. In Germany Liberalism banished ecclesiastics and religious and confiscated their property, public and private, closed Catholic schools, simply because they were Catholic schools ; and deprived parishes of their pastors, forbidding the people, under severe pains and penalties not only to raise voluntary contributions for church purposes, but even to hear Masß or have their children baptised. And bo on throughout the world. Here, too, in New Zealand, we find Liberalism manifesting the same spirit of plunder, intolerance and tyranny. Only a few days ago, at a meeting of the Liberal Association of Dunedin, the warlike painter of Princes etreet, amidst th« applause of the assembled members, declared that he would not swallow denominationalism except at the point of the bayonet. This gentleman, and his fellow Liberals of this city declare they are, it seems, prepared to fight to the death to compel Catholics to pay taxes for the support of an antiOatholic and godless pystein of education, for a lystem which

although supported by money wrung from Catholics, insists on teaching their children, " That Leo X. had tent monks to sell indulgences ; " that " indulgences were invented by Urban 11. in the days of the Crusades ; " that, "the monks generally led dissolute lives and that many of the monasteries were dens of iniquity.

These are only a few specimens of the appalling and infamous lies taught at the expense of Catholics, and to Catholic children wherever it can be done, in the Government schools of this colony. And because Catholics protest against this crying iniquity and godlessness in education, the Liberal party cries out, " We insist on continuing this system and this teaching even though we should be compelled to maintain it at the point of the bayonet." The cry of the Liberal party, then, in New Zealand, is, — Your money and your faith, or your life. We are justified in coming to this conclusion from the fact that not one voice either in Dunedin or elsewhere throughout New Zealand has been raised in reprobation of the sanguinary yearnings of the bellicose painter. For many reasons we are glad that a policy of revenge, similar to that threatened in Victoria is impossible in New Zealand, And its impossibility arises from the absence of material on which to exercise it. There are no Catholic teachers in our public schools. The Liberal party, indeed all parties here, take care that Catholics shall not be appointed as teachers, or if occasionally a Catholic not known to be such happens to be appointed, no sooner does his religion become known than he is dismissed, or in some way or other compelled to resign. Hut we are not sorry it is so. Government schools are not fit places for Catholics, either as pupils or teachers ; and in reference to Victoria our only regret is, there are so many victims for Liberal revenge

It is very gratifying to find that this threat of Liberal revenge in Victoria has not terrified Catholics into submission to Liberal tyranny and plunder. At the last election held there the Catholic vote succeeded in turning out the Liberal Government candidate. This shows the threat has been as the idle wind. And there can be no doubt that at the next general election this inhuman threat of the Age will have no other effect on Catholics than to strengthen them in the resolution to vote against all opponents of justice to their schools, no matter who may be their antagonists.

It has been an old trick of secularists on the eve of elections to raise a No-Popery howl. And the present occasion is no exception to the general rule. The Evening Star is conspicuous as having been the first newspaper to be guilty of this infamy at the present time. Last Saturday evening, it told the public that there was an understanding between the Catholics and Sir G. Grey ; and that the Catholic block vote had been secured for the Grey candidates, appealing to the Tablet as an authority for this statement ; and then, relying on its own fabrication, called upon all non-Catholic voters to unite against candidates supposed to be in favour with Catholics. Our readers know that the contrary statement has been made by us again and again. Our policy has never been concealed. We belong to no party, have no understanding with any party, will support men of all parties provided they pledge themselves to do justice to Catholics. And in cases where all candidates are enemies will either abstain from voting at all, or will vote for the least obnoxious of these enemies. These principles of action the Tablet has stated again and again, and yet the Evening Star deliberately misrepresents us, endeavouring to raise a No-Popery cry in the interests of Biblical and godless candidates.