THE CARDINAL AND THE CONVENTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 11, 5 February 1897, Page 16

THE CARDINAL AND THE CONVENTION.

lI J TS a S° a ca bk message from Sydney i/lfWs& informed us that his Eminence Cardinal Mohan J(jwX)V' had announced his willingness to offer himself as a candidate for the great Federal Conven<yygg!p tion which is to be called together in March next. His Eminence, of course, has no inten•^aJTfc tion of stumping the country like a Parliamenv*^ tary candidate, nor will there be any committees, of Catholics or of non-Catholics, to go about canvassing for him. His Eminence will simply allow his name to be forwarded as a candidate, and if elected, he will not deem it in any way incompatible with his ecclesiastical position to serve his country in the further capacity of statesman and legislator. This announcement of the Cardinal's willingness to so far enter public life has fanned into flame all the slumbering fires of anti-Catholic bigotry and intolerance. Numerous anonymous letters, grossly abusing and insulting the Cardinal and Catholics generally, have appeared in the papers, while letters sent over genuine signatures, defending the civil and religious rights of Catholics, have been, most unjustifiably suppressed. A number of clergymen, representing various sects, have vehemently protested against " any leader in religious thought being allowed to push himself into what is purely a political movement," and the Sijdiwi/ Morniiu/ Herald has published a lengthy editorial very strongly condemning the Cardinars attitude in the matter. The reasons advanced in support of all this denunciation are so utterly feeble and inconsequent that it is a wonder the objectors are not ashamed of them, and the mere mention, of them is sufficient to show conclusively that the real root of the opposition is religious jealousy and bigotry pure and simple. The reason given by the leading daily of Sydney is •' the danger that the Cardinal's candidature may stir up tumult and raise up ecclesiastical questions which the people of New South Wales have considered to be already settled," and " because it may bring new life to our denominational controversies." Even the ultra-con-

servative Herald can only faintly suggest that these things " may " come about, and no one who was not hopelessly biased or painfully wanting in intelligence could seriously believe that there was any real likelihood of such a result. Why should there be ? If the Convention were to be held for the purpose of dealing with the question of State aid to denominational schools, or the endowment of religious bodies, there might be some sort of sense in the objection, though even then very little could be said for its liberality. But the Convention is to be called together for the single purpose of drafting a Federal Constitution, and sectarian ?uestions cannot possibly arise in carrying out such a work, f the objection means anything at all it means that a man of great natural abilities and the most scholarly attainments is to be debarred from taking part in the councils of his country for the one sole reason that he is a representative of the Catholic Church. If that is what the Herald means it is a curious commentary on the glorious liberty of free Australia. The principal objection to the Cardinal's election put forward by the non-Catholic clergymen is that " If one section of the Church is represented then others should be too." Well, it is perfectly open to the " other sections of the Church" to be represented if they can only succeed in returning a representative. But that is really where the rub comes in. These protesting clergymen are painfully aware that in point of qualifications not one among them could come anywhere near the commanding ability of the Cardinal, and they know full well that even the best known man whose name they could suggest would not have the ghost of a chance of being returned. That is the real secret of their opposition and of their virtuous indignation that a leader in religious thought should presume to think of taking an active part in the sphere of politics. As a matter of fact the question of religion should have nothing whatever to do with anybody's candidature for a seat in the Convention. The supreme test should be : Has the candidate a thorough grasp of the questions to be discussed and can he be implicitly trusted by the people he seeks to represent. Tried by such a test Cardinal Moran has a very special claim to be returned. He has always shown an intense interest in the cause of Federation, and his address at the recent informal Bathurst Conference was generally admitted to be by far the most weighty contribution to the deliberations of the meeting. His Eminence has earned a more than colonial reputation also as a profound scholar, a learned historian and an able administrator. These are the real grounds on which his claim to support is based, and if he is elected at all he will be elected not as a cardinal of the Church but as a gifted, patriotic and enlightened statesman. AYe are glad to think that his Eminence is considered to have an excellent chance of being returned. Nominations arc to be made on February 12, and the elections will take place in the first week of March. Honour done to so eminent a Prince of the Church will confer a reflected honour on the Church generally and Catholics throughout the colonies will await the result of the election with all possible interest.