Imperial Jingoism to force its laws upon Australia.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 40, 3 October 1901, Page 4

Imperial Jingoism to force its laws upon Australia.

They knew beet what the Australians wanted, and they in Australia would not allow themselves to be trampled upon by those at home who knew so little of Australian life. Regarding the proposed change in the Coronation Oath, the Catholics of Australia had sent a strong memorial, for the despatch of whioh document they were greatly indebted to Mr. Barton and the members of the Commonwealth Government, because these gentlemen adopted in the fullest way and in the promptest manner that manifesto sent Home to the Home Government by the great body of Roman Catholics in Australia. However, they now saw Mr. Chamberlain, as representing the Home Government, had dealt with the question. He (Mr. Chamberlain) evidently did not recognise the protest Bent by the Catholics of the Commonwealth of Australia, but he had stated that he saw something in the newspapers in which reference was made to the action of the Australian Catholics. Mr. Chamberlain seemed to be very ignorant about the action of the Catholics being endorsed by the Commonwealth, but he (the Cardinal) would tell Mr. Chamberlain that Australians had too much sense to be gulled and deceived by such effrontery as that. The people of the Commonwealth knew their rights, and were determined to fight for them. One of those rights was that when that oath insulted a body of Caoholios comprising more than a fourth of the population it should be removed. When a Sovereign came and offered insult to a fourth of the citizens, and the Government were asked to remove the insult but refused to take any action, then they in Australia

would tell the representative of that Government that they knew their rights, that they were an independent people, and would startle the Home Government some day sooner than suoh Govern* ment expeoted. It was the Home Government that was toeing suoh action on. He (the Cardinal) knew of no more liberal-minded man than King Edward VII. There was not one man who more abhorred the present form of the oath than did our Bovereifn the King. Enlightened as he was and gnided by the enlightenment of his illustrious mother, Queen Victoria, who preceded him on the throne for so many years, he knew and felt that it was wrong. Bnt he was forced by law to make a profession of that whioh he did not believe himself, and by bo doing to insult his people — a people that he would rather honor and respect. All that Australians required was that the Home Government would not impose such an unpleasant duty on the Sovereign. He (the Cardinal) was oonfldent that the good sense of the Empire would endorse the manifesto of the people of Australia.'