Current Topies AT HOME AND ABROAD.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 40, 29 January 1886, Page 1

Current Topics AT HOME AND ABROAD.

A study of the various phases of mind induced by tbe Irish question is of considerable interest. We have them of every kind possible, from tbe good old time-honoured determination to keep Ireland down, to the resolution of the extreme nationalist, that nothing but a complete separation and total independence will ever suffice. One of the most curious mental states on tbe subject, however, with which we have met, is that revealed in an article on the matter which we have come across in a recent number of Blackwood's Magazine and wherein the writer, driven to bay as it were, makes a bold acknowledgment of all the ills inflicted on the country and yet, proposes a* a measure of amendment a step that would almost surpass anything that has as yet been done— or that would at least equal it — but of that more anon. The writer begins, as we said, by acknowledging the wrongs inflicted on the country— and if he takes a poetic license in certain of the details mentioned by him we need hardJy wonder much at that.—" The conquest of Ireland, 1 ' he says, " was not a royal enterprise, begun and carried to a successful issue. It was the intermittent work of a succession of adventurers, who, finding the island inhabited by a variety of barbarous tribes, struck now at one, now at another, without any higher object in view than to dispossess the chiefs of their lands, and reduce the people to bondage. This was quite as much after as before the King of England asserted the rights of Sovereignty which the Pope had conferred upon him. His representatives made no attempt whatever to consolidate their conquests by establishing a reign of law, even in the fragments of the country which they subdued, but acted like the adventurers who preceded them- deposed the chiefs of the clane. seized their property, and forced the wretched clansmen to seek safety *or life in the bogs an<l mountains. We have not a word to say in defence of the process by which the conquest of Ireland was carried on. The conquered people were not recompensed for tbe loss of independence by the spread of civilisation among them. On the contrary, a few of the earlier settlers adopted the manners and customs of the Irish, and became both a thorn in the side of the English Government, and in their dealings with their neigbours as treacherous and cruel as the most cruel and treacherous of the chiefs whom they had expelled."— Our writer, perhaps, has forgotten that Ireland previous to the Anglo-Norman invasion had been a centre of culture, learning, and civilisation, and although the Daaish wars had done much to disturb and impair her civilisation, her tribes at the time of the invasion could hardly have beeu called barbarous. That a people whose treachery and falsehood were'proverbial throughout Europe and in whose history some of the most horrible instances of cruelty on record occur, hal anything to learn as to such practices from the Irish must seem doubtful in the extreme. But an English writer who deals with liish affairs has a natural right to the poetic license. The writer goes on to speak of the plans adopted by the invaders on their adoption of the Heformation, recalling by way of preface that happy thought of a comparatively recent origin as to the introduction of the Papal rule into the country, and which he might easily learn to be certainly a myth. " There is a legend/* he says, " which tells that, among other outrages committed by tbe early conquerers on the conquered tbe setting up of the Pope's authority over the primitive Church ia to be numbered. The legend may be or may not be a myth ; but of this there can be no doubt, that wheD, in process of time, resistance to English conquests had been overcome. England did her best to force upon Ireland a religion which Ireland obstinately refused to accept. When Henry VUL quarrelled with the Pope, and became himself head of the Church in England, it was thought necessary to extend the blessing of the Reformation, to Ireland. There were none among the Irish indigenous bishops and clergy on whom the examples of Seeker and his brethren produced an effect ; and they were in consequence set aside and their places taken by more complaisant ecclesiastics. Curiously enough no care was taken to fill up sees aid benefices as they became vacant with gentlemen prepared to devote all their energies to tbe c nlightenment of a superstitious people. The new bishops, the new rectors, on the contrary couM neither speak nor understand the language of the

ANOTHER TIEW OF IRISH AFFAIRS.

country, and were therefore m little capable as they were diipoied to take any trouble with their benighted flocks, hence these clung to their deposed pastors; and in out-bouses or in open air (chapels humble enough came later) gathered together to hear Mass, while the sole occupants of the church were the rector and bis family." The most polite gentlemen in the world, nevertheless, would hardly hare had more success among the 14 benighted flocks " than had these parsons, whom Dean Swift, for example, compared to highwaymen, and blandishments would hare had no more effect in destroying the faith of the Irish people than had brutality. This, at least, is the lesson that many unsuccessful attempts to corrupt that faith Lave taught us. Our writer, again acknowledges the true nature of the Cramwellian discipline so much approved of in many quarters. We come now to the period of the great civil war," be says, " with the Cromwellian invasion and all ita consequences. It is a reminiscence on which no trne-hearted Irishman, whatever his political opinions may be, can look back except with indignation. The Irish were not rebels, yet they suffered the extreme punishment of rebellion— in fields laid waste, towns taken by storm, and entire garrisons put to the sword." " Nor are we better placed," he continues. "so to speak, beside William of Orange, for once in his life a victor on the banks of tbe Boyne. With his reign began that era of persecution which rendered the Catholic incapable of serving tbe Crown in any capacity, military or civil— which disqualified him for sitting in Parliament, or so much as voting for a Member to represent him, and enabled the son of a Catholic, by the easy process of professing the Protestant belief, to rob his father of his property. And all this while Ireland had her own Parliament, of which Mr. Boxton, speaking as the advocate of Home Rule, says : ' that, though returned by a corrupt and limited electorate, it did a vast amount of useful work.' " But when Ireland has her Parliament again it will be differently returned, and sufficient for the needs of the country. Our writer also acknowledges the destruction wrought on Irish industries. "There was a time," he says, " prior to the Union, when Ireland gave some promise of becoming more than a purely agricultural country. Industries of various kinds took root and threatened to flourish, whereupon the manufacturers of Lancashire and Yorkshire complained to the English Government of the injury done thereby to their trade ; and by an Act of the Imperial Parliament the Irish industries were suppressed."— Of the preparation made for the Union, our writer hardly gives a fair account. "But why go on with a list of grievances," he asks, " which we have not hesitated to paint in their darkest colours, without pausing to tell bow often, and with what ferocity, attempts were made to exact revenge? Enough is done when we state that the climax of evil was reached, when first the American war, and then the war of the French Revolution, caused the spirit of rebellion, which had long been seething, to boil over, and satisfied the Minister of the day that nothing short of the absorption of the Irish into tbe British Parliament could put an end to a state of things which had become intolerable.' —He says nothing of how the Minister and his myrmidons thought it advisable to bring the spirit of rebellion into practice by the infernal course of outrage and cruelties they inflicted upon the people.— But a Union bo promoted s at least of doubtful origion and its effects might rationally be expected to prove pernicious.— -Our writer has a good deal more to say concerning the mismanagement of the country — and like for instance the illustrious Brrington he would gladly enlist the service! of the Church in repressing the national aspirations. —He thinks, indeed as perhaps Rrrington also at one time thought, that there would be no especial difficulty about this.— He makes little of the ultraProtestants of the North, of whom nevertheless a good deal is made when it serves the purposes of those who speak of them,— but as to his belief concerning the Catholic clergy, it deserves to be recorded. — " Our honest belief is," he sayc, " that even now a majority of the Catholic bishops and priests of Ireland would oppose tbe national movement if they dared."— There is, indeed, nothing more astonishing than the honest beliefs that people can entertain when it so pleases them.— We have, however, still to come to the great remedial measures proposed by this ingenuous and candid writer, — and the chief one among them, as we said, wsuld equal in its effects almost anything that our writer has condemned. He tells us here, that by every one except the Parnellite faction, it it agreed that Ireland shall no

■

become an independent nation. — " Now there is but one mode of rendering this agreement effective " he continues, " and that is by pasting aa Act which shall mike the attempt to bring about a disruption in the United Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland an act of treason, or treason-felony "—Here therefore is the opportunity of passing upon the Irish Members— except those despicable ultriProteatanta of the North.— the traditional, most desirable and most humane sentance that they be "hanged, drawn, and quartered.— Need we pursue our writer's recommendations any further — or have we not done enough to show how curiously this man's mind also has been affeoted by the Irish question and how, while driven to confess the enormity of the whole course of the English proceedings in Ireland — and pretending to condemn them, be makes himself the advocate of their continuance or renewal ? Let us hope the AngloSaxon repentance generally, now so loudly expressed in many quarters may not prove of a similar quality.

THAT ▲OREEABLB SENTENCE.

or perhaps, even of Irish electors returning can-, didates pledged to advocate the repeal of the Union, we find that Mr. John Boyle O'Reilly was attacked by a certain patriotic AngloSaxon gentleman because of his assertion that such a sentence had been passed on John Edward Kelly, whose monument was recently unveiled at Mount Hope—and where Mr. O'Beilly delivered the very eloquent speech already reported by us. This Anglo-Saxon who remained anonymous, declared that tne sentence in question had been done away with from time immemorial and that the speaker bad grossly erred in saying that it had been passed on Kelly. Mr. O'Beilly, hdwever, bad not talked at random, and was able to support hit statement by cases in which the sentence had not only been passed but executed iv all its minute details. Three Scottish rebels, for example, were so dealt with, as reported by the Dublin Conrant an official paper in 1746. "Yesterday, between Jl and 12 o'clock, the three rebels, Donald McDonald, James Nicholson and Walter Ogilvie were drawn in one sledge from the new jail in Southwark to Kenning! ton Common. Alexander McGromber, who was to have suffered with them, received, the night before, a reprieve for 21 days. When they came to the gallows they behaved with decency and composure of mind. Before they were tied up, they prayed nearly an hour without any clergymen attending them ; and when the halters, which were red and white, were put on them and fixed to the gallows, they prayed a few minutes bef oi c they were turned off. Walter Ogilvie delivered a paper to the officers of the guards, though none of them spoke to the populace, but refened to the accounts by them delivered. After hanging 14 minute.*, Donald McDonald was cut down, and beiDg disembowelled, bia eutruila wtre flun<? iato the fire, and the others were served in a like manner, after which their beads and bodies were put into shells, and carried back to the new jail." The Rev. Nicholas Sheehy, parish priest of Newcastle, Tipperary, as we are further told, underwent the same sentence m March 1766, and in 98 the number of Irishmen so butchered was considerable. Mr. O'Reilly divides those executed according to their religious beliefs, and we may Bee that patriotism in Ireland has by no means been confined to the Catholic population. The Protestant victims in fact, were more numerous in proportion to the numbers of their denominations, — The men put to this shameful death were the following : —Established Church : Henry Shearer, John Sheares, B. B. Harvey, Bartholomew Tone, Matthew Keough; Piebbyterians: William Orr, Henry Mouroe, James Dickey, Henry J, M'Oracken. Henry Byerd.Rav. Mr. Warwick, Rev. William Porter, Uev. Mr. Stevelly ; Catholics : William M. Byroe, J. Esmond, M.D , Walter Devereux, Felx Rourke, Col. O'Doude, John Clinch, Rev. Moses Kcarns, Key. Mr. Redmond, Rev. Mr. Pendergast, Johu M'Cann, William Byrne. Ejmond Kyan, 8. Barrett, John Kelly, Harvey Hay, Bey. John Murphy, Rev. P. Roche, Rev. J. Quigly. Mually in 1803 Robert Emmet was barbarously murdered — Mr. John Fisher describing the brutal event as follows :— I saw Robert Emmet executed. . The execution took place at the corner of the lane at St. Catherine's Church, in Thomas Btreet, iiad he died without a struggle. He wa 8 immediately beheaded upon • table lying on a temporary t»eaffold Tbe table was then brought down to market house, opposite Juhu Street, and left there against the wall, exposed to public v.ew for about two days. It was a deal table like a common kitchen table.'' «• A 6hort time after the execution, within an hour or so," adds Mr. O'Beilly," " Mrs. Cready daughter of Mr. James Moore, a well known Dublin citizen, in pissing ihrough that part of Thomas Street, observed near the sc .ffold, where the blood of Robert t-uimet had fallen on the pavement fiom between tbe planks of the platform, some dogs collected lapping up the blood. She called the attention of the soldiers who were left to guard the scaffold to this appalling •igbt. The soldiers, who belonged to a Scottish highland regiment, manifested ttieir horror at it ; the dogi were chased away. • More than one spectator,' says Dr. Maddeu, repeating the words of eye*

witne 8 a, ' approached the scaffold when the back of the sentinel was tamed to it, clipped his handkerchief in the blood, and throat it iato his bosom.' " The words of the official report published in the Freeman 't Journal, September 22, 1803, leave no doubt that all the details were carried out. They are these : " After hanging until dead the remaining part of the lam mat executed vpon him' " If the question of these atrocities be of one humanity, and not o' mere technical knowledge," continues Mr. O'Reilly' " I may here quote the words on another, but kindred subject of an eminent Protestant historan of Ireland, Robert R. Madden, F.R.C.B. of England, M.R.I.A* etc., who is still giving, describing the tortures inflicted on Anne Devlin, the faithful servant of Robert Emmet, to make her betray the patriot leader. Dr. Madden sayß : ' Anne Devlin, the servant of Robert Emmet, was half banged from the back band of a car, the shafts being elevated for the purpose of making a temporary gallows— a common contrivance of terrorists of those times. The account of her sufferings 1 had from her own lips, on the spot where those atrocities were perpetrated. When she was taken down, her shoulders and the npper parts of her arms were pricked with bayonets, the cicatrised marks of which I have seen and felt.' " Finally the writer repeats the assertion, for which he was attacked : — Bdward Kelly, Gen. T. FBourke, and other Irishmen ia 1867 were tried for high treason, and received exactly the same legal sentence as that passed on William Orr, the brothers Sheares. Thomas Russell and Robert Emmet in 1798 and 1803—' to be hanged, drawn, and quartered."— We see then what the treatment is which certain Anglo-Saxons, although sincerely repentant for the past, and candidly acknowledging its evil deeds — would inflict upon those detei mined to obliterate that past in the only possible manner. — Whether the sentence if passed would be fully carried out may, perhaps, seem doubtful to us, but what might not in the end be considered the deserts of obstinate patriots ? — and it is certain that Irishmen would never cease to demand their rights, and never desist from agitation until th >y obtained them. — A striking example and warning mi^bt be found ntcessary.

One of the alvautages which the progress Of enlightenment and civilisation has brought with it

ROME MOKK FEUITS OF PROGRESS.

to Italy, has been the destruction at Rome of many valuable and beautiful monuments of the past.

Churches and convents have been swept away without a moment's scruple and the sympathy bestowed upon those who suffered from the loss has been very trifling. There was, indeed, a disposition shown ia many quarters to condone the outrage offered to the genius of art, and the.obliteralion of historical records of great and f.tr iking interest, because of the blow that was struck at the rights of that religion which is the object of so much bliad fury, and the deeds in thi9 respect of the Vandalic band weie comparatively lightly regarded. The destroyer, howe ver, who began his work of devastation, on the monuments of religion was'not actuated by a mere blind hatred of the Cuurcu . There was method also in his madness> as the saying is, and he saw the material advantages that might be derived from carrying his uadert iking on to extended limits. The aesthetic world, in consequence, bids fair to reap a bountiful reward from that admiration and applause with which they pursued the work of Italy's regeneration by beholding the Rome of the olden timei with all its ancient interest and unique beauty destroyed piecemeal before their eyes. We take the following details of what has been going on for some time, and what still continues, from the writer of " Roman .Notes " in some recent numbers of the Athenceum. '• The old town, with its indescribable charm and its almost overwhelming mass of historical and traditional recollections, is fast vanishing from our sight ; and a new capital, built on the Leghorn type, with tquan blocks of six storied houses, kiosks, and cast-iron fountains, is springing up from the ruins of the eld one. I shall mention only one chapter of these annals of destruction ; the loss of that exquisite crown of villas and gardens which surrounded the town and made it almost unique of its kind ia the world. The disappearance of those groves of secular trees must be considered not only as a Joss in itself, but also iv relation to the salubrity and the genial aspect cf the town. Our aucieut temples, arches, and aqueducts, our medieval churches and cloisters standing formerly in dreamy solitudes of shady avenues embodied in a mass of verdure, are now surrounded by enormous houses of the worst kind of modern arcitecture, with dazzling white fronts, xreen shutters, and false ornamentation. The building mania has invade 1 the most remote and secluded spots, both inside and outside the walls, and although the population of the capital scaicely reaches 325,000, eager speculators are making the accommodation sufficient for more than half a million. . . . The present year has seen altogether more destruction than the preceding quarter of a century." "To give additional evidence to the exactness of my statements," be says again, " I may simply add that since the letter was wiitten the following monuments havo been condemned to disappear, and the sentence is being executed with great s, eed. The palace of Sixtus, V., near S. Maria Maggiore» designed by Domenico Fontana and painted by Cesare Nebbia, together with what is left of thu Montalto Gardens. The palace ii

With regard to the sentence of being hanged, drawn, and quartered, which our writer in Blackwood's Magazine would have introduced for the especial benefit of Irish Members of Parliament

especially interesting from its historical associations. This ft,??^ b £- been "° ld *° * bQUdi0 * com^ n y bT lta lMt °™'er. 2 The Villa Sciarra on the Jauiculum, the late residence of the Grand north*™ rgi 7 < "X!" X ! P * Ul ° f EUMia - ThU beauti/al P r °o ert r ««Plad the northernmost portion of the gardens of <W. and is crossed from one end to the other by the walls of Aureliao, which ought to command respect at least for their connection with the defeuca of Rome by Garibaldi in 1849. 3. The gardens laid out by Monsignor aZri? . . . together with the magnificent nymphcsum designed and painted m chiaroscuro by Polidoro da Caravaggio The nymphoeum has been destroyed to make room for a six-storied' house The frescos, well-known from the engravings by Volpato, have been removed to the capitoJ. 4. The historical house designed, rebuilt, and inhabited by Pietro Barrettini da Cbrtosa. . . 6 The lovely Pon te Rotto.or Ponte di Santa Maria,so well-known as one of thejewels of the Tiberme scenery. The bridge is to be knocked down because they say it prevents the waters of the river from running towards the sea! It will be superseded by a cast-iron structure of the purest American type." The usurpation, therefore, of the Holy Father's dominions, and the confiscation of the religions estates and property have not been a wholly unmixed good even to the secular world . A vulgarised, denuded, Rome in the hands of speculators is among the sights that have been the result— But it is by no means the worst of them.

BFNSIBLE AT LAST.

We were very glad, indeed, to find that whatever might be the attitude of the Presbyterian Synod towards mental science, and all that at least locally relates to it, there still were subjects on which they proved themselves perfectly sane, and even sensible. Clothed they always were, of course, but it is a good deal to find them returning in their right mind to the subject of religious teaching in the schools The following report, taken from the Otago Daily Times, requires no comment on our part :-" Dr. Copland, convener of this Committee (Bible-m-schools), explained that, owing to the want of a quorum for a Committee meeting, no printed report could be presented. In a lengthy speech he regretted the apathy which was being shown in this most important matter. Eight years had passed away since Bible-reading in schools had been done away with, and what had been the result 1 Doubtless many children had not heard anything about the Bible, though in the case of some schools a number had received instruction from ministers and others, who had, with praia*. worthy zeal, endeavoured to supply the lack of the secular system • but a very large proportion of the children during the period named passed through our public schools without receiving any instruction whatever in the word of God. Many of them received no instruction at home, and did not attend Sunday-scbools, and entered into the business of life without having any authoritative or systematic knowledge of the law of morality or the right of religion to direct them in this life or to prepare them for another. If this system continued for a few years longer, it was easy to see that very- serious results would be brought about, affecting the religion and morality of the country. He touched upon the keen interest shown in the question by Roman Catholics. The head of their Church in this province took every opportunity of making his sentiments on the subject ring in the ears of the public. If similar zeal, consistency, and determination were manifested by all the other religious denomil nations in the country, then the Legislature would be compelled to give heed to this general demand for Bible-reading in schools.— The Rev. Mr. Spence said he felt that even the Sabbath -schools were Dot reaching the rising generation, and if things were permitted to go on as they had been going for the last eight years, he would ask what had they the right t c expect would be the result. He would move— ' That having heard the verbal report of Dr. Copland (the conveuer of the Committee) re the Bible-in- schools, the Synod desire toreco d its thanks to him and the Committee for their untiring zeal in thi 8 matter, and regret that so little has been done ; further, resolve to petition Parliament, and recommend that petitions be sent from the several congregations praying for the introduction of Bible-reading in the public schools ; instruct a petition to be prepared, and authorise the Moderator and clergy to sign the same in the name of the Synod. I—Mr.1 — Mr. A. C. Begg seconded the adoption of the motion, remarking that the Protestant denominations were a majority in this Colony and there was no reason why they should not have what they desired— the reading of the Bible in the public schools. If the Presbyterians in Otago would vote only in favour of those who would support the demand for Bible-reading they would get the Act altered next year. It would, he thought, be better if the Presbyterians would go in for supporting the demands of the Roman Catholics in order to get the difficulty of their opposition removed, and then there would be a large majority in favour of Bible-reading in schools. He hoped the members of the Synod would go on agitating this question, for if the ministers set the example he was convinced that the people would soon follow them. The Rev. Dr. Stuart had listened with pleasure to Dr. Copland's address, though he thought that to a great extent it was in the minor key. One outcome of the Committee had been a large

meeting held in old Knox Church, at which three or four members of Parliament were present and delivered admirable speeches. Then one of the most spirited debates in Parliament last session was on the Bible-in-scho Is question. He had read the report of the debate with much pleasure, and would remark that if any of the members of Synod had not read it there was a great treat in store for them in " Hansard." Our Premier had spoken ably indeed on this subject bnt, as he (Dr. Stuart) thought, desperately unwisely ; but he was' replied to with force and vigour, and though the rote went against Bible-reading in schoals, the argument was in its favour. He had no objection to the Catholics receiving a capitation grant for their schools, as was done in Great Britain, and thought there would U no reason to be alarmed at the existence of a few denominational schools. For bis part he would be glad to see the opposition of the Catholics so removed. It was of no use to try to coerce their con. sciences, for the Catholics would not give up the religbn in their schools, and it was of no use thinking otherwise. He knew Catholics who were extremely poor, who yet provided a shilling a week per head for the education of their children in the Christian Brothers' School, and he for one had no objection to them receiving fair play in this matter. If that were done, they could then have more courage, and hope that Parliament would give what it ought to give and they ought never to be content nntil the Holy Scriptures were read in their schools under a conscience clause.— Mr. D. Wright also spoke warmJy in favour of Bible-reading in the public schools ; and the deliverence moved by the Rev. Mr. Spence was adopted unanimously."

THE COMING OFTHB CARDINAL.

The approaching visit of His Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney to New Zealand, is looked forward to by all the Catholics of the Colony with intense interest. It is not only be* cause his Eminence comes for the purpose of performing two very important functions— the dedication of St. Joseph's Cathedral, at Dunedin, and the opening of St. Patrick's College at Wellington— that his arrival is looked forward to aa an event of an exceptional kind. True, these functions in themselves are of no light significance. The erection of a cathedral is always a matter deserving of grave consideration and among all Catholic peoples forms an object of much anxiety, of many prayers, and of unfeigned thankfulness when it has been accomplished. It was the first thing that engaged the attention of the faithful French, Spanish, and Portuguese settlers in the days of their colonial enterprises, ani the resources of their various communities were taxed to effect it in a becoming manner. These communities, however, were united in their religious belief, and the resources at their command were abundant for the purposes required. They in no respect answered to the Catholic communities scattered among the British colonies, which form but a minority of th • population, and are, in proportion, for the most part more scantily possessel of this world's goods than the majority among whom they livc\ Tae effort, therefore, required of them is greater, and tbe test thus obtained of their faith is very conclusive. The cathedral whose nave and aisles h«ve now been erected by the people of the diocese of Dunedin is one of which, everything considered, it is impossible to speak too highly. The architecture ia of exceeding beauty, reflecting the greatest p )ssibh credit on the architect, and the manner in which tbe work ha* been done, so far as it has been carried out, is all that could be desired. The church is one that might stand and obtain admiration in any capital city in the world, and the people by whom it has been erected may congratulate themselves on the results of the sacrifices they have made for its erection. Indeed when we consider how btre and destitute, so far as all the requisites for Catholic worship were concerned, this portion of New Zealand was but a few shore years ago, and when we now look abroad and see how much has beeu accomplished, wo may well hail this crowning work— the completion of tbe first part of the cathedral, and a sufficient portion to supply all the needs of the congregation for several years to come, as not only a joyful but also as a wonderful event. The festival of its opening may well be a gala day for the Diocese, and there is not a true Catholic in any part of the Colony who will not rejoice at it, and sympathise heartily with those who are chiefly concerned in it. It is a test of sterling faith, of vital religion, and of Catholic growth. The formal opening of St. Patrick's College, Wellington, is alsj an eveut of much promise and a source of hope ani rejoicing. What is more important than the sound education, in its true sense, of the young ?— and here we have every preparation made for that. No Catholic diocese can be looked upon as fully complete until provision has been mads there for secondary as well as for primary education, and a better provision than that to be found in the College alluded to, it would be impossible to .discover. Were the sjle interest of the Cardinal's visit, then, to centre in these two events, it would still be high, and his arrival among us might justly be considered as forming an epoch in our Catholic history. Cardinal Moran, however, comes among us likewise as a representative of Christ's Vicar upon earth, and clad with an authority that visibly reminds us of the heav«nly kingdom. He

comes to all as a prince, the representative of the oldest monarchy in the world, and to whose venerable state and exalted condition the greatest intellects of the age, even among Protestants and nonCatholics, have done homage— whose monarch has even now, despoiled as be is of his dominions, been acknowledged by the greatest Protestant potentate of the age, the great German Emperor himself, as his equal, and the judge, to whose royal word, without bending an inch from his lofty place, he might submit questions of the first importance for his empire. They only who irrationally despi-e the powers that are ordained of God, and incline to anarchy and disorder, can refuse to yield his Eminence due honour. In bis character of a Prince of the Holy Roman Church he ranks high among princes and nobles everywhere. But apart from all this his Eminence possesses qualities that confer upon him a personal distinction of a remarkable kind. He is a notable scholar, a historian and archajologwt of mark, and a specialist in more than one branch of science. At an unusually early age he was a professor in a Boman college aod known to all the learned men of that city of study and learning, even then, as a student of great attainments. From many points of view, therefore, his visit to our colony is an important event and a high honour. Nothing that we can do in manifesting our respect and gratitude will be excessive, and nothing should be left uidone by the Catholics of the whole Colony to take part in the demonstrations of welcome that are made. We expec*. to see them pouring in from every side, from mines, and farms, and country towns, and if some little inconvenience be suffered here and there the sense of a duty gracefully performed will more than atone for it. They are called upon to show respect to the Pope in Mr Cardinal and representative, and they will not hold back from doing so.

The latest, and perhaps, the most extraordinary, charge that has been brought against the Jesuits is

A REASONLES REASON.

that they are too much in harmony with the spirit of the age. la not the spirit of the age, or that at least of its culture and progress, one of universal brotherhood, of cosmopolitanism and " fatherlandlessness " (?) and of this we are told it is that Prince Bismarck accuses the Jesuits. —The occasion of the accusation was certain questions put by Herr Reicheniperger in the Reichstag to the Chancellor touching the intentions of the Government with respect to Catholic missions generally, and particul y with regard to those of the Jesuit Fathers. Two members of the order, it seems, had come to Berlin some time before in order to beg permission to establish missions in the Cameroons, and to open a house in Germany for the training of missionaries, but they had been unable to obtain a hearing, and it was in consequence of this that Herr Beichensperger questioned Prince Bismark. The Chancellor's reply was that there was no intention on the part of the German Govern meat to interefere with; Catholic missions in the dependencies of the empire, but that, as the Jesuits and their affiliated Orders were excluded from Germany by law, their presence could not be suffered in her foreign possessions. And especially the delegates sent to Berlin were objectionable since the one was an Alsatian and the other a native of Baden, both, nevertheless, Frenchmen to all intents and purposes, "and it was precisely these renegades that always proved the most rabid element among the French apostles of revenge. "—" It was this spirit of cosmopolitanism." says the Berlin correspondent of the T%me» from whom we take our information, " this • Fatherlandlessneas ' which the Jesuits, more than any other Order, Bought to infuse into the minds of youth, that made the Chancellor resolved to combat its aims. The Imperial Government could not grant the petition of Messrs. Weik, Stoffel, and Company, as Jesuits, and still less as French agents, for to do that would only be playing into the hands of the party of revenge in France. Between the Government of the Empire and that of the Republic there happily existed, and had existed Bince the great war, very good and amiable relations ; but every French party was still animated by an implacable spirit of revengefulness, and Germany nad always to take account of these chords of popular feeling in the mass of the French people itself."— But if the Bpirit of the Jesuits be one of " Fatherlandlessness " it would be interesting to learn how they could consistently ener into the struggle of revenge, or how it could matter to them as to whether France or Germany, or any other country, held the superior place.— The accusation is| evidently a* confused and contradictory as most of those that have been brought against the Society, but hardly more so. This is a subject upon which the most grave and wise men possible enjoy the privilege of making fools of themselves with impunity.— Meantime we understand with satisfaction that the report which for some time had prevailed, to the effect that Germany was resolved to exclude all Catholic missionaries from the countries annexed by her, was false— and even if it be the condition that the converted niggers are all to become very excellent German*, bo long as they are converted, that cannot make very much difference, —There is nothing to prevent a German Christian, although his face may be black, from being a very good one— and although the exclusion of such devoted and successful missionaries as the Jesuits is

much to be deplored— still no doubt other men may be found to take their place.— What has a special concern for Australasian colonists in this matter, i« the determination implied by Prince Bismarck that the inhabitants of all German dependencies are to take a positive part in the war with Prance to which he evidently looks forward, and this may have a very close significance for us here, if the annexations so long threatened or feared among the islands actnally take place.