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By it, experience of tlie |wst fore wa run tlir fiitiirc hihtory partakes of tlu- imtine ot prophtcy ' ' S. Aim:., Citif of' ''iitl, lili win. i-linp. \1. MONTRKAI Canada CHARLES K. St. I.AURKM i89(> / \ illliV9K*^<^ i ^ y* ,i LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY IN TIIK LKWIT OK MY Charles F*. St. Laumknt. History reveals the action of (iod upon society By It, experience of the past forewarns the future history partakes of the nature of prophecy. " S. AlJf)., CUynf(.'t,d, lib. xviii, chap. XI. MONTREAL Canada CHARLES F. St. LAURENT I 1896 rer- INTRODUCTION. Without the powerful search-light of Revelation, science cannot fathom the mysteries that encompass creation I Apart from the Bible, human reason is powerless to grasp the first conception of chaos. Reason can only throw an uncertain light, and on many points, it is plunged in the deejjest obscurity. Of what avail is the intellect to fathom the primitive operation of the supreme mind ; the formation of man after the image of tJod ; the reality of Providence gover- ning the world ; the certainty of a future state, where punishment and rewardjs judiciously meted out; the fall of our first parents ; the knowledge of the deluge ; the longevity of patriarchal life ; the moral struggles and antagonisms and inconsistencies of human nature ; the identity of idea, scattered among the races and religious beliefs of mankind ; these vai'ious conceptions are positive evidences of la supernatural power that enlightened the world. It is impossible to trace up the origin of mankind, as well as the complexity of the foregoing event", without having recourse to the Sacred Books. The infinite designs of the Almighty cannot be i)enetrat€ul, with the acute discernment of philosophic investigations ; hence the reason why God made known to man his secrets by mira- culous and confirmatory signs. Reason, unaided by Reve- lation, would have been like a ship sailing in the thickest of the night, exposed to be dashed against the rocks, underlying the deep and wander from the path cf safety into fathomless depths, before it has been able to descry the clearlight of truth. The works of philosophers, though not deficient in genius, are pregnant with errors). What .?J^tl I s INTRODUCTION. could we say of uncultivated minds? What might have been the mental aberrations of the pleba had not the Creator unbosomed Himself to man ? So a Supreme and Prior cause operated ; creation t^prang out of chaos; laws governing nature were enacted ; man received light to understand the present, and hope for the future of the human soul. He was made to feel the stigma of death, judgment and eternity. At the dawn of creation, man was the recii)ient of divine favors, most of which are recorded in the Bible. Therefore to know the designs of Uncreated Wisdom, anent man, society, language and nationality, we must consult the book of Revelation. In this pamphlet, we shall endeavor to establish the divine origin of man's most sacred prerogatives, language and nationality, etc. By historical researches, we shall point out the watchful diligence of Providence, controlling events, preserving, through centuries, man's most precious heritage — language, naiionality and pntriotiam. God has implanted in the human heart, an ineradi- cable love for racial distinctions. Any attemp to extirpate these innate sentiments, deserves condemnation. God will not allow human ambition, nor national pride to override His will and set at rest His infinite designs. Transgres- sors must inevitably atone for their deed.-. " Acting wicked- ly against the laws of God doth not passunpunished.^^ (IIMach. /K— 17). Charles F. St. Laurent. Cotk-de8-Neige8, Near Montreal, Can., Oct. 15th, 1896. ^ LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY IN THE MOIIT OF REVELATION AND HISTORY. CHAPTER Ist. The orig^in of Language and Nationality. I^a navion cniiatliciinc ' iiiBervo une veri- ttiMu importiincu, vt un p.iiHsiviit I'Hprit national, uppuyi- Hur dts princiiicH rdi- gioiix et nioraux (|ui furont mi grandeur, si elle sail lour i ester Hdi'le. " ( L. liioiix df Xcui'ilh. Ncnif dm ifUfHti^iix hiMlorii/iii'M (Avril-lSOtt). Creation is an emanation of the Uncreated Power. From all eternity, this complex world had a resting place in the mind of God. " By Him all things were made, and without Him was made nothing that was made^ (John, 1-3.) There is nothing which He has not created, nothing which He does not conserve, nothing which does or can take place without His concurrence. " Nothing, says St. Augus- tine, occtirtf by chance. God overrules all.''^ (S. Aug.) The evolutions of the world; the rise, growth and fall of empires ; the progress of art and science ; the marvel- lous development of industry; the per.-ecutions of the Church of God, are coeval with the Creating Power. From a potential state, these human evolutions have assumed concrete form. One and all art, recorded in history, pur- m 1^1 4 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. suant to the designs of Almighty God. These designs are and will always be an unfathomable secret. We learn from history, this ever living mouthpiece of generations and ages, that man is a pliant tool in the execution of God's secrets. In the history of Christ's birth we have a striking proof of God's Providence, Man is made a blind agent in the hands of his maker. Augustus, to satisfy his ambition and pride, orders the census of his empire to be taken up, thereby enables the Virgin Mary to accomplish the pro- phecies, bearing on the birth of the Saviour. " And thou Bethleem Ephrata out of thee shall he come forth unto vie that is to be the ruler in Israel ; and his going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity.'" (Mich. v,-2.) The pro- phets announced that Bethleem in Judea would be the cradle of the Messiah. Mary and Joseph comply with the edict. Poor human nature, thou art a vile and blind instru- ment in the hands of thy Creator! Mary, Joseph and Cesar Augustus carry out the secret designs of God Providence presides over the destiny of individuals and nations ; imparts to each laws, conducing to the attain- ment of the end for which they were created. The [ihy- sical world is governed, pursuant to fixed laws, and man is habitually the recipient of heavenly favors. The most convincing proof of divine love for man, is found at the cradle of humanity. Life, intellect, will and language are vouchers of Divine liberality. Language, though last, in the order of time, holds the most promi- nent place in man. Language is an essential character revealed by God, and is the insuperable barrier that sepa- rates man from the rest of the animal kingdom. " La parole, sublime et divin phenom^ne, Mysthre oit- dans un son s'incame Vame humaine.^^ (De Lamartine ) This fundamental question has given rise to heated, violent, passionate discussions among philologists and scientists, but, in our days, the most eminent ethnogra- 1 \ LANQl-AGE AND NATIONALITY. 6 phers proclaim the divine or jin of speech. The disclosure of the origin of human speech, is contained in the book of Genesis: " Whatsoever Adam called any living creature, the same is its name." (Genesis, II — 19.) And again : " And the earth v)as of one tongue, and of the same speech y (Gen. XI — 1.) It cannot be doubted that the divine gift of lan- guage rests upon scriptural affirmation. This brochure, intended to circulate exclusively, in a catholic medium, is not supposed to satisfy the ravenous mind of skeptics. We take it for granted, that no reader will question the authenticity of the Sacred Books. The original onem'ss of human language is a fact mentioned in the Mosaic history and corroborated by subsequent circumstances and later philological discoveries. This truth is emphasized in the history of Divine wrath, at the building of the Tower of Babel. It was one of the most stu})endous of all calamities which have befallen mankind. The immediate result of this chastisement caused humanity to scatter broad cast over the face of the world. Another striking historical incident, attesting that God oftentimes executes His de- signs, thn.ugh the blind agency of man. This supernatural seizure, which immediately destroyed the common lan- guage, and permanently dislocated the articulation of the people, by confusing its normal action and dispersing its unity, was produced, like the sudden volcannic distur- bance of a river bed, resulting in a separation and scatter- ing of one mighty stream into new and innumerable chan- nels. ^'TJiese are the children of Sem according to their kindreds and tongues, and countries in their nations. These are the families of Noah, according to their people and nations. By these were the nations divided on the earth after the flood.^^ (Gen. x— 31-32.) It is important to observe the combination of circums- tances, arising from remote and independent causes, widely separated by time and place, but all converging upon the same point, thus establishing a mathematical result, excluding the possibility of chance or fabrication. We mean the first words spoken by Adam, when he named i: I 6 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. the creatures of the new world ; the confounding of the one form of universal 8p<'ech at Babel ; and the descent of the tongues of fire upon the Apostles, on Pentecost Sunday: they were all miraculous manifestations, showing to un- biased reason, the divine origin of each incident On Pentecost Sunday, the devoted Apostles of Christianity surrounded by hostile spies, emissaries of the authorities, instructed to watch, prepared to suspect, and therefore most unlikely to be deceived by any imposition, waited in silent expectancy of some divine manifestation, and in terror of the unfriendly people, standing by, '"and sud- denly there came a sound from heaven as of a, rushing mighty wind I " there appeared tongues of fire and then the Apostles began to speak in divers tongues. From that time, the Apostles preached the gospel to all nations, pursuant to the Divine injunction. '''Going therefore, teach ye all nations... teaching them to ohserve all things whatsoever I have comman- ded you...''^ (math. XXVIII — 19-20.) Again : — Go ye into the whole world., and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is bn,ptized, shall be saved ; but he that helie- veth not shall be condemned.''^ (mar. xvi — 15 et 16.) Within hearing distance there were peoples from all parts, speak- ing divers languages, nevertheless they perfectly under- stood the Apostles. Had it not been the will of God, the gift of languages would not have been conferred upon the Apostles, in so miraculous a manner. Every one present gaw and understood the manifestation of the Divine will, and parted, homeward, convinced of the divinity of the Church and of its mission to save souls by preaching the gospel in their own respective languages. Three remarka- ble events stamp the life of mankind with the seal of God's power. We mean the gift of speech at the dawn of creation ; the confusion of language at Babel ; and the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles. A perfect and instan- taneous command of language, universal knowledge, is certainly an effect that transcends the power of man. Where is to be found a hostile mind, or a skeptic to disprove what 2.000 years of controversy, could not dis- LANGTIAGE AND NATIONALITY. M turb ? The doctrine of the divine origin of speech, was attacked and furiously assailed, but, like a good ship, it has wenthered the storm. Surely no catholic layman, and far less a minister oi" God's altar, will ever dare to question the divine origin of language— one at the dawn of creation; confused at Babel ; confirmed on Pentecost Sunday ! Who will dare, after these three stupendous miracles, to abolish languages, on a plea of social advancement, or of modern requirements? Could the Lord manifest His will in a more convincing manner ? Who will dare to contravene tliC designs of the Eternal, to satisfy his greed and ambi- tion ? The acts and miracles of God are true exponents of His will ! If languages be not a divine gift, how can incredulous ethnologists account for the growths and mutations of hu- man speech, that have been operating since the confusion of tongues, also for similar phenomena still in process of active development, throughout the most remote parts of the world ? How can any one account for this spontaneous manifestation of freshness and abundance, if it be not the work of God ? Who will dare to attribute these awe-inspir- ing effects, to human intervention ? A boundless system of articulated sounds cannot be the result of human ingenuity, especially in the case of numberless tribes of savage, cut off from civilization, ignorant of the art of speech, still com- municating, inter se, with abundant crops of dialects, .spontaneous and natural as the tangled growths which Cover tropical forest. How can we explain the unceasing etlorts of the Popes to disseminate the scriptures, entire and incorrupt in the vernacular of every country and people ? The language used by some of the Popes, on this subject, has been so direct and emphatic, that none but those outside the pale of reason would assert that langua- ges are not of divine origin. Pope Pius VI, convinced of the divine origin of language and Revelation, expressed his desire to have the Bible translated in the vernacular of every country. He knew well that souls are saved only by hearing the word of God. ^^ Faith cometh by hearing^ I i 'V \' w 1-, 8 LAMUUAGU AND NATIUNAUTY. w This hearing cannot be had, unless the ministers of God speak the language of the taught. How different some American bishops are I They discard the will of Popes to satisfy their national susceptibilities!... When Archbisihop Martini, of Florence, translated the Scriptures in Italian, the Pope addressed him a letter in which he congratulates him for publishing the Sacred Wrivings, ^Hn the language of your country, suitable to every one's capacity.^' (apkil 1st 1778.) Pope Gregory XIII, (A. D. 1572), inaletier addreesed to the king of Spain, is equally emphatic. The Church has multi,>lied the Bible so, that it is now translated in all languages. This solicitude of the Church bears "priwia/rtafi" evidence of the divine origin of language. The Church does not change. Her solicitude, for the salvation of souls, is subject to no fluc- tuation ; therefore the implied policy of the Church in this century, is to save souls, by preaching the gospel in the vernacular of the country and people. The unity of the original speech, having been dissolved, in that terrible instant of Divine wratch, which convulsed the one form of language and drove apart the human family to wander over the face of the earth ; the unique faculty of speech has ever since been bekten like the billows from shore to shore, changing and surging in eternal disquiet. During storms, we read of shipwrecks, etc., but languages, upheld by the mighty strong arm of Providence, have weathered the storm, Language tends naturally, like created things, to decay. In the process of deterioration, it producer in numerable dialects. The materials of language are imperishable ; the growth and decline spontaneous, and cannot be de.:;troyed by violence, or prohibition j the accents will, for ever, linger in the blood of unborn generations. This is food for reflection: assimilators will please take notice The foregoing arguments, based on Scriptural authority, prove conclusively that language is of divine origin and consequently irrelevant of human power. By reason of the confusion of language at Babel, languages have been mul- LANOUAQK AND NATfONAUTY. 9 tiplied, pursuant to the secret designs of God, and no power here bolow has any jurisdiction over that multipli- city of languages. American })relates are requested to bear in mind this Scriptuml truth. History attests, that man has no power over languages. Modern Greeks are sparing no efforts to revive the language of Plato and the rheto- rical vigor and beauty of the age of Pericles, but as well might they attempt to revive the chisel of Pliidias ! Ger- many is jealously striving to exclude French from hor powerful vocabulary, but Germans have learned that it is easier to exclude visitors ! A passport may suffice to stop a person, but it cannot repulse a phrase, far less abolish a language. France scrupulously guards her frontier against tongue invasion, nevertheless, German and English expressions have crept in her vocabulary. Were weto unfold the secrets of history, many evidences could be adduced to prove that man has absolutely no jurisdiction over the various forms of language. What could we say of P^astern Europe ; of the Servians, Bulgarians, Roumanians??? History is a power that crushes to the ground the pride and ambition of liuman nature. Men may endeavor to stifle the voice of history, but history is a power. The life uf language is of divine origin, consequently the growth must be free and the death natural. No foreign agency can exert a detrimental influence over it. The work of God is not to be made the plaything of human fancy, nor of race })rejudices. The most ferocious con- querors have experienced impediments in all attempts to stamp out the language of a people or to eradicate all traces of national character and grandeur, but they invariably failed in their fiendish work, unless the process of natural decay, or some other contributory causes helped the arm of destruction. God has taught man to speak as the father teaches his son the first rudiments of language. Willi this commu- nicated language, man was immediately installed governor and king of creation. He was sent as auibassador of heaven to fulfil a very important mission, which em- -ii !■ m Pi: !ii 10 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. bodies his original distinctionf. Reason teaches that God created man for gociety and society cannot exist without that most essential link of language. This is the teaching of Pope Leo XIII (1885). History furnishes positive evidences that the three pri- mitive races of Sem, Cham and Japhet, have divided the human race, in three distinct branches from which sprang an infinity of offshoots, each bearing energy and character. In pre-historic times, we find that pre-destined races emerged triumphant from the gigantic .-truggles for supre- macy. From the flux and reflu.x of living tides, races preserved their unalterable character, as well as their in- delible physical traits. Human combinations have had no voice, nor dominion over these racial cataclysms. This division and preservation of nices, from times immemorial, is of natural order, i. e. it is the work of God. Race and nationality are of historic order. Their aboriginal forma- tion is the result of succession of facts, in which the finger of God is perceptible. The indelible character of a race or nationality is oftentimes attributable to human phases, imperceptible to the eye, also to an infinity of causes over which man has no control. So if this national character be imparted to man, without human co-operative agency, it obviously follows that these national prerogatives — language, etc., etc., etc., have their origin in God. Races and nationalities have no necessary, essential differences. The distinguishing features of the former are physical while those of the latter are moral and political. The idea of nationality im|)lies a national character, which is the embodiment of special ideas, customs, manners, peculiarities, aptitudes, tastes and susceptibilities. The nationality of a people must have organic factors, joined together by the precious bond of language, religion and patriotism. No nationality can maintain its individuality apart from these distinguishing traits ; no nation can pre- serve its stability without the support of these organic factors. Hence the originality of the moral life of each LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 11 nation. " Les rtationalitea sont de droit divin " (Deloche, ■page 31.) The oripinalitj' of the moral life of each nation, is not the result of physical causes, such as wars, climate, course of streams, mountain- ranges, hut the immediate result of the character, with which nations have been invested. God has created no two things absolutely alike. The particular essence, that distinguishes nationalities, assumes concrete form, in the life of nations, in tlio shape of analogous apti- tudes, identical interests, unity of thought on great many vital points. This concurring action, of physical charac- teristics, has a tendency to eliminate from their ranks, in- dividuals who lack these national features. Hence the clannish spirit of the variotis races, distributed the world- over. Hence the reason, why American bishops ought to respect the susceptibilities of every national character. The national character, having a divine origin, must be preser- ved, fostered and encouraged. Is it so regarded by Irish Americans ? Would that it were ; peace and haimony would prevail; religion would triumph The most powerful factor, in the indigenous formation of any race, is hmgucgs and religion, says Mr Bliintschli -. Of all the contributory forces, bearing on the formation of nationalities, language is the most influential, because of its divine origin, also because it links together the prerogatives of race, from which springs unity of action. There is in each nation a general spirit that harbors its own power. This general spirit is without the grasping hand of skilful assimilators; it is stubborn to foreign influence. Ruling Powers ought to protect the national ch.aracter against the usurping force of foreigners and fusionists. A house, divided against itself, cannot stand ; so disturb the national prerogatives of a nation, the empire totters and finally falls. This is the teaching of history Extend a protecting hand to national aspirations, peace and tranquillity will ensue; progress will manifest itself in every walk of life ; the highest civilization will be attained. This national senti- ment gives no sign of vitality, while the nation enjoys, ,1:1 i i wm \^ LANGnAOK ANP NATFONALITY, i! untmrnmelled, its prerogatives, but in the threatening hour of danger, it awakens to a sense of its dignity and responsibility. Force is concentrated; united action follows, and its power is felt. For the ))roper intelligence of this complex problem, it is eminent'y proper to be conversant with the discoveries of the most profound philosophers. De Bonald, speaking on this subject, says: — ^* Ce sen- timent profnnd (meaning the national character) end')rmi dans la jouinsance uniforme et tranquille d^une long^te pros- pcrite, sse reveille anx jours d\i, malheur^ ct, si la terreur en comprime momenta nement lea eff'ets, it se reidie siir lui-mcnie, et, cache aufond du cveur, il y vit de souvenirs, de regrets et d^csp^rances et n^en acqitiert que plus d'energie, semblahle h ccs ressorts dont on decuple la force en les resstrrant. Veritable tresor qu'un gouvernement sage doit accroitre avec persherancc, menager aoec habilete, employer avec mcsure ; principe de celte force de reaction qui peut retablir une nation des crises des plus desesperees. Le caractere national est plus ou moins fortement prononce selon qu^une nation est plus ou moins s^par'e des autres par une langue ou des moiurs particidihes- qu'elle est reunie plus longtemps sous un mane culte, une mrme dynastic, dans les m&mes llmitcsy (De Bonald.) It is impossible to suppose ; it is even repugnant to reason to suppose that the existence of nationalities depends upon human coinbinations, because nature had no voice in the formation of nations. Consequently no earthly power, be it Civil or Ecclesiastical, should hamper races in the legitimate enjoyment of their national prero- gatives. Disorders must inevitably follow all attempts of encroachment. Should there be, in any skeptical mind, doubts, regarding the divine origin of language and natio- nality, we would advise him to ponder over the emphatic testimony of St. Augustine: — " Le langage, confere h Vhomme, est un don celeste, cr^k sans fui et hors de lui^ (S. Aug.) Every race bears the seal of God's majesty and no power below has aright to interfere with any race, without incurring the Divine wrath. Such interference would be a positive violation of the natural m\ LANOITAOE AND KATTONAUTY. 13 law. Scripture tells na that God created inan; divided the earth among his depcendants; tliercfore nations cannot be the result of blind hazard, nor an effect independent of the primary moving cause, towards which all effects must be traced up. This primary creating cause is God, to whom we are indebted for langungo and nationalities. Tn the universal plan of creation, each nation is assigned a mis- sion congenial to its character. Creation is symmetrical, so races, being component parts of that composite whole, must be in harmony Avith creation itself. Creation is an emanation of Divine Wisdom, so also are the component parts, together with their essential prerogatives. Nations ought not to be regarded as blind agglomerations of men, separated from each other by mountain chains, rivers, boundary lines, or differences of race and language. They have a soul, dogmas, an altar, a vocation, a divine mission. History is concurrent. Like the Jews of Babylon, they must be faithful to their calling, other wise they will incur the wrath of God. Modern history reveals the fact that despotic govern- ments invariably begin their tyrannical work of assimila- tion by religious persecutions. They sap-dry the fountain head of faith, by aboliphing language. When these two national ingredients, these vital factors, are destroyed, death is at hand. The language of the oppressor is im- posed, and the oppresi^ed live to mourn over the loss of ancestral inheritance. Despair and despondency overtake them and schisms are recorded in the history of the Church of God. Persecutions to be successful must have the strong arm of the law to annihilate national prerogatives. Should civil power relax its grasp, national aspirations, held in abeyance in the bosom of the family or at the foot of the altar of sacrifice, will brave tyranny up to the day set apart for general distribution of justice. Nations place their hope in God! They entrust themselves in the hands of Divine Mercy, which assist the counsels of the powerful and permits iniquities, but, never permits iniquities to triumph indefinitely. This principle moved Doellinger to exclaim : J:!" m 14 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. !!l!i *' L^ oppression d^une nationalite est un crime contre un ordre etabli de Dieu, crime qui re^oit tot ou tard son chdtiment.^^ (DoELLiNGER.) It is well forasaiinilators to meditate upon these words of Doellinger, before the day of retributive justice If nations, in spite of persecutions, pre;?erve their lan- guage and religion, says Villemain to the Polands, in the darkest hour of their history, they shall never die. " QuHln gardent lew- langue et letir foi et qu'ils prient, et leur nationalite nc pe/ira /und in the history of the Roman Empire the admirable results of a laissez-faire policy. Toleration and equity proved to be the most powerful and efliciont ingredients of social advancement. In the beginning, Roman law treated the elementary rights of man, in a national sense, or rather a^ civic principles and privileges ; and this nar- row interpretation broadened out into a universal system LANGUAGJC AND MATIuXALlTY, 4ft of equal rights for all. None but Roman citizens could enjoy the privileges of citizenship. This barbarous ground- work of civic privileges, full of g.illing iniquities, became a complete system of natural equily. Rome brought all nations to recognize but one law, which was the result of good sense i\\\i\ not imposed by victorious natiorii'. Rome was not oi ly a mighty conqueror, but a skilful assimila- tor of races. By comparing Rome with the other chief lights of civilization, we may discover wherein lies the secret of her power of agglomeration. Athens was not ac- ceptable to her tributaries. They revolted and her empire passed like a dream. Antioch, the Queen of the East, harbored in her bosom all races. Greek and oriental civi- lization were united in a healthy sisterhood. Antioch with all her wealth and glory could produce nothing bene- ficial for the human race. Alexandria prospered and re- joiced in her prosperity, for one thousand years, and, finally, fell under the Arab destroyer. What did she do for humanity? She left no heritage to the human race Rome excelled Athen.a, Antioch and Alexandria. She won her fame by imparting her own rights and privileges to the conquered. Her breadth of view ; her policy of toleration ; her magnanimous behavior towards all na- tions dwelling within her frontiers, contain the secret of her power. Rome, like a good mother, opened her arms to all nations. She discarded might for right and extend- ed her assimilative force over Gaul and Western Euro[)e. By a policy of toleration and equity she moulded, civilized and Romanized hundreds of races into the majesty of imperial unity. That Queen mother of thousands of cities, bred, nurture!, milked, supplied equal-rights, out of her breast, to all nations living within her confines. At Irst they became full-fledged Roman citizens. Had they, as in days gone by, 1o relinquish their national cha- racter? They preservedintact their prerogatives, says Champigny. Rome left them in the i)erfect enjoyment of their religion, language and national peculiaritie.s, only requiring of each nationality to take up arms, in case of 1'^ ill ■ |ti|i !iilll.l il !»''? 20 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. war, to protect the majesty of the Empire. Conquerors and conquered became warm friends because a laissez-faire policy was adopted ; a policy of toleration ; a policy of equal-rights was applied, and hence complete assimila- tion was the result. Hundreds of races were proud to be placed on an equal footing with Roman citizens For two hundred years, the policy of Augustus prevailed, pros- perity and interna] peace were the results. Then followed a period of two hundred years of decline. It cost eighty years to blend together races into peaceful homogeneity, but the destructive force of oppression urdermined, within very few years, the very foundation of the Empire. A policy of oppression wiU reduce to naught, within few years, what a laissez-faire policy required years to build up. Nature is stubborn to oppression, whether in the civil or ecclesiastical domain. Why did Rome adopt a tactic of toleration? because her history made it clear as light, that she could never blend together, into a grand hom> geneous whole, the various nations dwelling within her borders. She tried oppression and failed. Rome adopted a laissez-faire policy and was successful in her blending process. This is the idea we had in our mind when we wrote ^''Germ. and Amc*'. corn-pared.'''' We alluded to both rel!2:iou8 and civil liberty, as being the most efficient incentive of assimilation. The policy of toleration was applied to all indiscriminately. In the case of Alsace-Lorraine, we do not question the right of Prussia to impose her language etc., we simply look at the results achieved under a yjolicy of oppression and Prussian blood. Rome was successful, under a /ai8^ez-/atre policy; Prussia failed utterly, under her policy of oppression : which is the better ? The greatest living historian, James Bryce teaches that a laissez-faire policy is the only one available to assimilate nationalities. "No quarrels of race or religion disturbed that calm, for all national distinctions were becoming merged in the idea of a common Empire. The gradual extension of Roman citizenshifi, through the *' colonise,''^ the working of the equalized and equaliziny Roman law, the LANGUAGK AND NATIONALITY. 21 even pressure of the government on all sitbjects, the move- ment of poj)ulation caused hy commerce, were steadily assimilating the various peoples. Emperors, who were for the most part natives of the provinces, cared little to cherish Italy or conciliate Rome : it was their policy to keep open, for every subject, a career by who^e freedom they had themselves risen to greatness, and to recruit the senate from the most illustrious families in the cities of CJaul, Spain and Asia. The edict by which ('aracalla ex- tended, to all nations, the rights of Roman citizenship, though prompted by no motives o{ kindness, proved intlie end a boon. Annihilating legal distinctions, it completed the work which trade, literature could not accomplish." That the policy of toleration was the most beneficent in ancient Rome we have but to consult Edward Gibbon'.s '■'■The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. '''They enjoyed the religion of their ancestors, whilst in civil honors and advan- tages, they ivere excdted, by just degrees, to an equality with their conquerors. And thus toleration produced not only mutual indulgence, bid even religious concord.^'' (Vol. I, p. 73 et 74.) Again by the policy of toleration, admirable results were attained: — " Their partial distinctions ivere obliterated, and they insensibly coalesced into one great nation, imited by lan- guage, manners, and civil institutions, and equal to the weight of a pmverful empire. The republic gloried in her generous policy, and was frequently rewarded by the merit and services of her adopted sons^ (Page 878.) It is well to observe that no coercive measures were applied to compel foreigners to speak the language of their adopted country. The various races were pern\itted to foster, unmolested, their racial characteristics ; in a word they were subject to no restraint ; a very liberal policy was adopted and consequently foreigners readily learned and spoke the language of their adopted country. Were French-C'anadians of the New- England States sul)jc('t to a similar policy of toleration and equal-rights, assimilation could be brought about. They would learn the language of their adopted country, speak it, and become American citizens, in the strict sense II ) I I ■ 1 '< t ! ,.r^' 22 I-ANfUIAGF, AND NATIONAI-ITY. of the term. Rt. Rev. Birfhops, abetted by their clergy, repudiate the lessons of history and philosophy of nations, to satisfy their ambition. National prejudices are so strong, that all other considerations are discarded. Op- pressive measures are habitually widening the gap that separate the two nationalities, even in religious matters. If this policy of narrowmindedness does not give way to a liberal policy of justice and equal rights, gloomy days are in store for the Church, at a nigh future.... If any doubt still lingers in the mind of any man, regarding the effi- ciency of the laissez-faire policy, we adv'se him to peruse the tenth lecture of Guizot's. History of Civilization in Eti- rope, page 263. T. \V. Allies, '^Formation of Christendom^^ teaches the same doctrine. PI« holds that the Romans successfully grinded together the various elements by a laissezfaire policy. We claim, therefore, that we are entitled to the inference drawn in our first brochure, as well as to the application of the principle involved This long digression brought to a close, we revert to our subject. Nations, like individuals, have their own peculiar instincts and prerogatives, which they have in- herited from their Creator. This point has been demon- strated in the foregoing chapter. Psychologists are unani- mous on this subject. Conquests, legislative enactments, brute forcd may coalesce and bring to submission indivi- duals and nations; these forces may suffice to stifle, appa- rently, the voice of national prerogatives, but, like a cork under pressure in water, these racial sentiments will spring up to action as soon as force is removed. Arbitrary power and force cannot obliterate the work of Providence, that gave nationalities inherent {)eculiaiities, characteris- tic features. No earthly jiower can remodel nature: as it emanated from the hands of God, so shall it remain. An- nihilation is not success : on the contrary it is a most de- jilorable failure. Nations, by their very make uj), are in- compatible to a complete surrender of their national cha- racteristics. History is concurrent. The process of fusion is LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 28 fairly successful, under a policy of toleration ; races are blended together ; they live in peace until their distinctive prerogatives are touched to the quick, then follows a crisis. There is in every race, in case of oppression, a solidarity of feeling, which of itself, can produce gigantic wars, and overthrow governments. Rome succeeded in Romanizing hundreds of races, by a policy of toleration, but they all preserved their national character. Racial differences remained prominent ; nevertheless, the many members were equally solicitous for the prosperity of central power. This external unity of feelings and sentiments is the out- growth of an entirely internal one, without which no go. vernment, law, or order can be maintained. The ICmpire to gain control and to bring to a peaceful submission the hundreds of races, had to sanction the various forms of worship. " Each ncdionalily enjoyed the plenitude of liberty, worshipped their gods, pursuant to their racial customs and in their respective languages. They had priests of their mtionality, and by them, were educated in the language of their ancestors. (.S. Aug., Tert. Apol. 24.) Had they been molested, they would have opposed Roman aggrandizement. They contributed to the splendor of the Empire, without curtailing their national prerogatives. This is the immediate result of historical researches. The laws of nature are a living, perpetual proof that God demaniis beauty and variety, — rmity in multiplicity and multipUcity in unity. In each kingdom of nature we find a common character or parent stock with an endless variety. The orchard, the wild-woods, plantations, flowers, all have their fibrous feet fixed in the earth, from which vegetative life is drawn, yet out of that parental nutri- ment, what an infinitude of proj)erties and appearances are derived ! Creation is the prototype of mankind. What is true in physiology is equally true in ethnography. A healthy assimilation is desirable, but an irrational, passionate effort to produce uniformity, to satisfy greedy motives, is condom nable. It cannot stand the test of scientific inves- " I ¥ ! 24 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. m tigation. What is most desirable is sympathy and not uniformity. This latter quality can never be acquired without self sacrifice and self denials. A healthy fusion never produces the loss of individuality, with its train of accessories, and this loss must be carefully avoided : all threatening agencies must be scrupulously eliminated. Man ought never to run in opposition to God's designs. Even, in the case, when the various element-" are apt to assimilation, then the process is slow and gradual. The ruling power, supervising the act of fusion, must carefully avoid all undue influence. Friction is dangerous ! All attempts to hasten the work of amalgamation, have always proven abortive. Nature is indeed very stubborn to opfiression ! The Roman Empire, for years, was at war with nations! After the conquest, the peaceful hand of Augustus applied, to all nations indiscriminately, the policy of toleration and equal-rights. This process of laissez faire pacified the irritated and the conquered ; brought the na- tions to the proper intelligence and realization of their social condition nnd convinced them that they were true Roman citizens. They lived in peace and enjoyed, to their heart's content, their racial peculiarities. To hasten trans- formation is to retard the progress of the undertaking and perhaps to destroy all chances of success. This we infer from the very laws of nature. The most delicate garden rose will grow and flourish upon a wild rose stock ; and the wild rose will, perhaps^ grow and flourish upon the stock of a delicate garden rose ; but in these and all similar cases, the scion will never do more than receive nutriment, support and strenght from the parent stock, and will never become identical with its nature. Again roses of various kinds will grow together upon a wild thorn stock ; but never any flower except roses. No pears will grow upon an apple- tree stock ; no apple upon a pear-tree stock. An occasional exception, if it appeared, would only be a garden monster. It is so throughout the vegetable and animal w LANOUAGE AND NATIONALITY 25 kingdom. Grafts, made contrary to natural laws, wither and die ; or if too strong, they destroy the parent stock. So it is with nations It is a healthy assimilation and not an irrational effort to discover and produce sameness, an exchange of ideas and good feelings and not mere echoes and reproductions, arbitrary and hereditary opi- nions and customs. Even the healthy fusion of different nations, is seldom the loss of identity to each, nor should it be sought The highest perfection in man, as in music, must be found in various harmonies, and not in unison ! An un- changeable or unvaried conditivnof a n.ation reproducing the past, and admitting no new element from other nations, is certain to lead to deterioration, which, if con- tinued through centuries, ends in a general imbecility of mind and body. This is peculiarly exemplified in the Chinese. The ingress of the Tartars would have been of the highest benefit, could their influence have been well received and some degree of fusion of the two races, been the result. But the inequality of the Chinese was too po sitive, the difference of mental and physical character too great to admit of assimilation. The consequences have been that the Chinese have remained what they have al- ways been and yet more incapable of energy, and a Tartar dynasty with its Tartar armies, has long ruled over them, leaving no prospect of any change in the people and their institutions. But where the elements of two or more people coming together, are not too unequal and the character of the national institutions, under which they assemble, is favorable, assimilation and the law of fusion, even in this case, can only be accomplished by slow and gradual process. The original elements of the Roman people, as shown by Niebuhr, were derived from different races, the patrician ca«te and the great Roman common- alty re-acted upon each other during the whole course of their history. The fusion of the two, says Dr Verity, ** being completed only by the establishment of plebeian consulship, and of intermarriage between the castes, the connubium of the Canuleian Law." ^.'1 1 i iir 26 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. r 'II ! .1 Ml A healthy fusion is most desirable, " various fishes make a good chowder." " History attests that the various races, into which it has pleased God to divide mankind, can- not be indiscriminately conglomerated without entailing upon the entire body chronic resolutions, with their attendant evils." Dit Verity. Would to God that our over-zealous Americanizers would remember this lesson of history. French Canadians would be spared from hu- miliation and religion could continue to flourish, but no, race prejudices are so deeply rooted, that the greed of indi- viduals is satisfied to the detriment of religion. Poor human nature, how miserable and wretched thou art ! Nature is selfish God created nations with differential prerogatives, and these national characteristics are the grand work of future greatness. The ties that bind us with the past ought to be cherished as a precious legacy. " Do you wish, says Balmes, to preserve the great and august monuments of our ancestors'' piety and lave of national character, only as a severe and eloquent reproach^ (Balmes.) We, French-Canadians, are proud of our history ! We cherish our ancestors' greatness and never shall we consent to lose our national character. Strong with the philosophy of history we shall pursue our career, independently of our racial enemies. The beauty of a mosaic depends on the variety of colors and pieces, so in the grand iviosaic of the creation, the French-Canadians will contribute their national colors I •! jl LANdllAOE AM) NATIONAMTY. 27 CHAPTER III. Nationality and the warning facts of History. ; h it'! k " Si parva maynia comjtoverc licel.^'' We have laid down in the foregoing chapter the princi- ple upon which depends the most eflioient i)rooeps of assi- milation. This I'rinciple was applied to amalgamate the many races embodied in the Roman Emigre. That principle is the policy of toleration. The laissez-faire policy was productive of most salutary results, whereas the policy of oppression, as in the case of Alsace-Lorraine, has proven abortive. To strenghten our jiosition, regarding the accuracy of the above reasoning, it is eminently proper to have recourse to history. History repeats itself and deceives not... The voice of history reproduces the past and therefore ought to be, to impartial and unbiased minds, an infallible guide, in dealing with future problems. " History partakes of the nature of pro- phecy." (S. Aug.). How great and fatal were the errors of Nai)oleon ! How signal and un variable were his failures ! He forced French institutions upon Italy— excellent in themselves in so many respects, and undeniably equal to or superior to anything, the Italians, as a nation, have been striving ever since that time to obtain, while in place of narrow minded and capricious ei.actments, he substituted steady enlightened laws and equal administration. But the institutions and laws were French and not Italian, and the national spirit of Italy seized the first opportunity of casting them aside. History repeats itself ! What hope can passionate fusionir^ts entertain, of final success, in their oppressive policy of A mericanizing French Canadijins? It was mucli the same with regard to Switzerland. II la; 28 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. However good the institutions and laws enforced on the cantons by Napoleon, tliey were not Swiss, but French, and they had been forced upon them. What do our over- l)atriotic Americanizers think of the above two historical testimonie.a ? Our Right Reverend Bishops may cherish the idea that it would be easier to administer parishes, if the English language alone was spoken in the church. That idealism is undoubtedly true, nevertheless we must reckon with history. In the above historical incidents we learn that Napoleon failed in his undertaking because he adopted an oppressive policy, so will Bishops fail, if they persist in the application of iniquitous measures to make French-Canadians Americans. Nature is reluctant and stubborn to oppres.sion I National apostasy is a crime of which, may God spare us, we shall never be guilty. We have seen, endured days of persecution, but we came out of the struggle with victory perched on our banner. They may persecute us, because of our national character, but they will only succeed in driving some few thousands away from the church. We shall remain true to our forefathers, and Bishops ought to treat us as kindly and charitably as the Irish have been and are now treated in Canada by French-Canadian Bishops... " Multuvi in parvo ". It was not very different with the Rhine pro- vinces. Twenty years of power, and the constant resi- dence of the French soldiers, merchants, artists, actors, visitors, induced a considerable amenity; the exchange of courtesies and the cultivation of mutual interest. The Rhinish provinces came to like the French individually and socially, and the French language had spread through all classes. Still, all this was very much on the surface ; the elements of assimilation were wanting, or wanted more time ; and on the first political convulsion, the Prussians threw aside all foreign influence, that affected their nationality. National prerogatives and aspirations were shocked at the sight of French im|)osition, and failure to assimilate was the result. In some sections of the United States, some French-Canadians, since the civil LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 29 war, have tbreiiken their language, fell away from the Church. This superficial expression of national apostas^y, is full of deception ! We read that on the national feast of Sl-Jcan-Baiitiste, oi' in general conventions, such as were held in Rutland, Nashua, and Chicago, these drifting creatures rekindled, in their hearts, the fire of patriotism. They took part in the proceedings of the Convention, delivered sentimental speeches and gave, to the world, a convincing tesiimony that their love of national prero- gatives was not (lead, hut sleeping. At the first favorahle opportunity they displayed their love of ancestral inhe- ritance and national vigor. They were not Americans but French -Canadians speaking the language of their adopted country. Their heart and soul is for Canada. Were they thoroughly assimilated ? Sureley not ; they reverted to the fold, happy to revive the memory and souvenirs of by gone days. Like the Jews of old who, with air distraught, sal down by Babylon's wailing waters to hang their harps upon the willow boughs, and weeping cried : " How can ■we sing our songs in a strange landf'' (Ps. 136,4.) When these Canadians were induced to forsake their national prerogatives, they remembered the history of their ancestors and replied in the sense of Jewish captives. We shall never forsake our country, our history and our national character ! Peruse the reports of the various conventions, general and state, for confirmatory eviden- ces .... In St. Domingo the attempt wrought the worst results ; a constant resistance, covert and open, and bloodshed and tyranny were all that came of it, until the power of France was abolished; and all her unsuitable enactments, even where superior to those which had previously existed, were scattered to the winds by the equally infuriate white, black and mulatto population. The national elements were repugnant, and the inferior felt as much outraged by the violent attempts at subver- sion and elevation as though the vilest depredations had been put upon it. And, in one sense, they really were r- r ao I.ANOIAOK AND NATIONAI-ITV I Kill I I-:; i I degrudiug, bceuuHo intended iirbitrurily to supersede the aduiimble institutions of ft noble spirit of the native race, Tou.asaint liouverture, whose treatniont and fate is pro- bal)ly the darkest spot on the character of Napoleon. Another historical fact brightening our hopes for the future ; strenghtening u' in the present struggle. We belong to a race of warriors! Our forefathers fought for liberty, religious and civil, for nearly 150 year-". French- Canadians are accustomed to wars and persecutions ; so our courage is high-strung. Nor was there any real progress made by the nationality of the French in Spain. Internally disordered and miee- rably n)isruled as Spain had so long been, a most beau- tiful country, which required a good and powerful master, and where the possession cf enlightened institutions and fixed laws, ably administered might have been expected to induce the greatest tendency to assimilution ; and where also the elements of the two nations were suffi- ciently equal to have rendered a fusion of the two races very possible to occur, in due process of years ; so far from the Spanish nation showing any desire to avail itself of the superiority of internal governments set over it by France, tlie people rose in guerilla warfare ; they called in the assis^tance of England, and it may truly be said that this movement, in Spain, was the latent cause of the final overthrow of Napoleon. What a striking instance of (iod's opposition to a complete assimilation at the cost of national character ! Man proposes but God disposes. Napoleon had resolved to subjugate nations, impose French laws, asj-imilate all nations, Imt God quieted his ambition and humiliated him in his prido. The elements, in Spain, were ripe for amalgamation. A policy of toleration was applied and in spite of all, Spain shook off the French yoke, simply because the national prerogatives of the Spanish people are opposed to national apostasy. — Spaniards are proud of their national character— France failed to assimilate the Spaniards. If a laissez-faire policy has proven abortive how can u policy of oppressioi}, I-AN(;rAhops have scrupulous respects for our national prerogatives, a religious revolution may disturb the peace of the Church in these United States. ^^ Abysms abyssum invocat.'^ (Ps. 41.) Of the treatment of Poland by Russia ver)' little need be said. The Emperor may have his massacre of Polish noblemen, and ladies to he flogged, and distribute the population ; send captives in chains and barefooted to work in the mines of Siberia ; and cause the name of Poland to be erased from the maps ; there is a living soul amidst all these things, a national physiology ordained by Providence, which no earthly j)Ower or even despotism can touch. Poland is not yet dead, and never until death occurs, can it become Russia. Another instance of coercive measures to crown one's purpose ! What is true of Poland is equally true of French Canadians. Rt. Rev. Bishops may abuse us ; refuse us priests of our nationality ; refuse to have French taught i)i the parochial schools, etc., etc., all that is only superficial. The national character of the French Canadians is of divine origin, and no tyran- nical policy can make of us Irish Americans. Our destiny is in the hands of God "i??, manus tuas, Domine'^ (Ps. XXX. 6.) Something of a less exterminating nature has been attempted by Austria with regard to Italy. Dis-united as LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 35 the Italians were, so that the state? collectively can hardly be called a substantive nation, there was nevertheless a ptrong spirit of nationality in the States individually; so strong yearning and unconquerable, thatitwas impossible to believe that the Austrians should long continue to hold possession of populations, with whom they can never approach to the remotest assimi'"tion. Nature hos p'aced a gulf between the two nations. The institutions and laws which Vienna forced upon the Lombardo Venitians and other provinces, never workeci in any way except under the pres-ure of immediate force, and at every interval, when this force i;> withdrawn or could be hurled aside, the national spirit mounted into the air. In vain, there- fore, have been all the long continued oppressions ; in vain the victories iind vaunts of the old general Radetf-ki. The two nations were born asunder; they are not united by heaven ; nor is all the })ower of man able to join them, ever, though all the infernal deities of war be called to aid. More substantial food for reflection, which we gracefully submit to the Bishops of the New England States French Canadians and Irish Americans were born asunder and no earthly power can assimilate them. This is a lesson that ought to deter over zealous fusionists. Partial assi- milation might be brought about by a Inissez-faire policy, but so long as we are treated with contempt; treated unmeroifully, unjustly, so long shall our people allow the national spirit to mount into the air. Again history is em- phatic The IJohemians are a nobler race of people than the Au?trl?n3 and naturally averse to assimilate with them, fur less endure their yoke. It will be recollected that the Bohemians were very early strugglers for civil and reli- gious liberty. Next to VVicliflFe in England, we must place John Huss of Bohemia as one of the most worthy specimen of bravery and manhood. It is true he is an heresiarch : his doctrine was condemned by the council of Constance, nevertheless in the eyes of civil society, lie was a hero, and history is proud to relate his achievements. The ill r i. 'I -'tH m m ^mm 36 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. national spirit of a country that gives birth to such men, can form no elementary alliance with Anstrians. That there is something more in the people at large of the latter country, than their old des|>otic system of government has hitherto afforded any fair means for development by individual energies, seems probable, if we may judge by evonts. The national spirit of Bohemians is far superior to that of the Austrian?, The difference renders the assimilation all the more difficult. The same, to a considerable degree, may be paid of the Hungarians. They are a different and superior rav of people and wish to form no part nor alliance witi ian bayonets, far les.- to be subject to the old iaciu ' an advanced philosojjhy of govern- ment which those banded instruments represent. Again history shows the sad results of oppression to suppress national prerogatives and bring about assimilation. Surely these facts of history ought to convince our Rt Rev. Bishops that they will fail in their work of Americanizing the French-Canadians. For years, we have suffered under British pressure and despotism of the worst kind : what does history say of England's success ? We withstood together, with our dear brothers of Acadia, the mad ons- laught of John Bull. At all times we faced oppression and fought for our rights and remained essentially French. How can Rt llev. Bishops expect to meet with better suc- cess, is an unfathomable secret? England had ihe strong arm of the law to execute her iniquitous policy ; our Bishops have weaker inctruments of oppression. England's assimilating force was crushed to the ground by our manly resistance, and to-day, thank God, we are a strong and healthy nation. Let us conclude with a warning. If this policy of oppression is not discarded, history will relate, to generations yet unborn, sorrowful tales such as were chronicled during the first centuries of persecutions. We have spoken of the national spirit that animates the nations of Europe, let us now take a cursory glance at the Btate of things in Ireland and England. LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 37 It is quite certain that there are many marked and strong national peculiaritios, in existence in Ireland, which rre of a singularly different kind to those of England. The same may be said of Scotland. But it ha'^ fallen out, through a long course of events, that the peculiarities of Ireland and England, instead of working to a national union by asr^iinilation and a gradual fusion of the V'ces, have been antagonistic, so that they are as fsir asunder, and their elements as hopelessly dis-united as ever. The feeling, in Ireland, ha*^ risen to a desire of rebellion. Will our Right Reverend Bishops meditate on the cause of this state of things, and they will have an accurate idea of the feeling prevailing in New England among our compa- triots. No one will blame Ireland for her noble attitude : she was made the foot-stool of English ambition and tyranny; she was justified in fostering and defending her honor and integrity. Though, we are French-('anadian, our sympathies nre for Ireland, and our compatriots are again ready to espouse her cause. In Canada, Irish and French- Canadians fought, side by side, irrespective of national feelings. We fought for free institutions, liberty and our inherent rights to be dealt with as free men. The year 1837-38 is pregnant with deeds of heroism. In the ceme- tery of La-C6te-des-Neiges, tomb-stones bearing the inscriptions of the O'Collaghans and Tjr.ceys, etc., bear evidence that no race prejudices then existed. Irish and French mingled their forces to check the invading wave of English intolerance and dark despotism. Many a times, we have spent, with our wife and children, hours and hours, perusing the inscriptions that revealed the past and inspired us with energy and courage for the future. Walking over the graves ; trampling upon the dust of by-gone heroes, oiir heart was fillerl with emotions, and our eyes gave expressions to our feelings. Forbear readers, we are drifting into personalities ! The senti- ments that overflowed the hearts of the«e heroes, are sung by the celebrated Irish bard, Thomas Moore. We take great pleasure to quote these lines, that Bishops and i1 'V. ■f ¥> ml 38 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. priests of the United States may compare the present with the past : " Shall I ask tlie brave soldier who fought by my side In the cause of mankind, if our creeds agree ? 8hall I give »ip tlie friends that I've valued and tried If he kneels not before the same altar with me '! " Thomas Moore. If we were then warm friends, fighting for liberty and equal rights, why have you deserted us in the United States? Why do you forget this wholesome brotherhood of 1837 ? Why do our Rt Rev. Bishops display to the world such animadversion ? " Verba movent sed exempla trahuni.^^ Rt Rev. Bishops, why do you refuse to recognize our inalie- nable rights as free men ; why do you exercise coercive measures to deprive us of our national character and spir- it? It is useless to deny and repudiate this well grounded assertion. In our last chapter, we sliall adduce facts that are irrefutaV !«" Tl^. syrcipatliies of our compatriots are for suffering Ireland ; why do not our Irish friends recip- rocate? Why do they refuse to exchange courtesies? A period of re-action is not only natural but advanta- geous to the gradual process of fusion. In Ireland.however, the re-action has never ceased, and the process of fusion, or even the preliminary assimilation, in a national point of view, has not even commenced. We will here quote the words of an eminent philosopher and statesman: '' These two series of phenomena re-adion and fusion will be observed to follow one another, jit successive intervals throughout the history of nations and when thus conti- nuously reiterated and properly proportioned to each other, contribute by their antagonism to the healthful development ofthe highest civilization. The want of adjust- ment between these two laws will be found to mark the period of decline in the progress of nations. Either without the other is destructive of society. Re-action without fusion c«uses permanent unsettlement of the social elements (this is exactly the case in Ireland) ; it is the first step in all political and social reforms. It is on the contrary, the only principle of revolutions. Tlie great end of agitation is ;ii>; LANGUAGE AND NATIONAIJTY 39 to excite re-action. Alone without fusion, re-action leads, through anarchy and functional disturbance of the national brain, to a degejieration of race and dissol ;tion of the body politic." (Dr. Verity.) This philosophical fvinciple ia renpect- fully submittted to the consideration of the Rt Rev. Bishops of N. England States. The longer legitimate re-action is pro- voked and prolonged by deep rooted resistance, the more do the social elements become loosened, dispersed and at lenght severed. Fusion, to return to a healthful condition, is, in consequence, proportionately retarded, or even al- together prevented ; and a disastrous revolution may be effected, where only a reform was needed. Dr Verity lays down general principles which are applicable to all nations. That these principles are sound no elaborate proof is required. History is emphatic. Hostile collision, then assi- milative re-actioa must precede the new national fusion. Will fusionists please observe? The history of Great Britain, from Heptarchy down thro igh the conquest, and its social revolutions down to the reform, affords an illus- tration of the law. In Ireland the old Celtic races will become sooner assimilated to British civilization, in pro- portion as the same social and political systems are made to operate fairly upon both countries. The French-Cana- dians must go through this process of disintegration before they be assimilated to the British or Irish American system and language. If left, as they are now, in the posi- tion of an isolated, foreign body in the state, they will surely follow the law of re-action and ever tend to sepa- rate from the power that antagonizes. Will passionate Americanizers again open their eyes to the light of prin- ciples and to the philosophy of history ? This re-action may be expected to occur until some measures of pacific assimilation be adopted. Oppression begets, at all times, and in all countries, national irritation, anarchy and stu- pendous revolutions. What volumes of furious, life wasting, party spirited speeches — to say nothing of party passions — might be superseded by a few rational reflections like the fore- going \ i1 k k III 40 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. We commenced this historical sketch by a few homely illuBtrationfl drawn from nature. Let us conclude in the same manner. " For if thou wert cut out of the wild olive-tree, which is natural to thee, and contrary to nature, wert ingrafted into the yood olive-tree : how much more shall they, that are the natural branches, he grafted info their oum olive-tree." (Rom. XT, 24.) Herein is comprised the main principle of the junction of nations of different races. It must not be con- trary to the nature of either. Sir Thomas Browne comment- ing on the above remarks : " Insitio melior est similiuru in aimilibua,^^ for the nearer consanguinity there is between the scion and the stock, the readier comprehension is made, and the nobler the fructification. Nations, like individuals, have distinct individualities, and in all unions and desired mixture and fusion of races, where these distinctions are not sufficiently considered and wisely dealt with, nothing but contest and disruption ensues from first to last, terminating only with the extinc- tion (which is not fusion but failure) of the weaker race. We humbly submit to Rt. Rev. Bishops these philosophi- cal principles which must guide their assimilative work, if they wish to enjoy the reality of their dreams. That the end may crown the work essential conditions are to be adopted and applied "Finis coronal opus^ Practical gardening tells us, that if we join a graft and a stock against nature, no good comes of it. They either produce nothing or nothing worth having. Perhaps the scion will not take hold, and if it take hold, it bears no fruit or only some meagre garden monster, or the scion withers. For either the stock grows too fast for the scion and chokes it, or pushes it off; or the scion grows too fast for the stock and then, at the first gush of wind, blows it off; and some- times a strong scion will fairly grow itself off. This prin- ciple of natural law ought to assist assimilators in their work of Americanization. The Anglo-Americans were scions of the English stock : they grew too fast for the parent and cut themselves off, putting forth roots of their own in a new soil. In like manner England may eventually lose Canada, LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY, 41 India and her other colonies, unless she considers more philosophically the necesnty of giving the inhabitants ins- titutions and laws suitable to their national character and partictilarities. Same causes produce similar effect''. What is true on a large scale is equally true on a smaller scale. Si parva magnis componere licet. Again we rpcooomend this principle to the consideration of New- England Bishops. They are all very familiar with the history of American Independence; may the above principle guide them in their dealings with French-Canadians! It would be rash judgment, on the part of any man, to suppose that the words of the pagan poet could be applied to a catholic minister of God's altar: — " Video meliora, probo pejora.^^ (Ovid.) Nations and individuals must be dealt with, in accor- dance with their primitive formation. They emerged from the hands of the Creator, stamped with a national charac- ter, etc. ; consequently these attributes must be respected by crowned heads, whether civil or Ecclesiastical. Ambi- tion, pride and prejudices should have no voice in the government of nations. None but tyrants will ever try to destroy national prorogatives to bring about assimilation. " Neminem laedere utilem ease omnilms." As for poor starving, entangled, half-maddened Ireland, we cannot, of course, call England her parent stock ; it is geographically a twin bough, which has grown prodigious- ly in advance of its unprosperous sister; that it has drawn off and absorbed nearly all the nutriment which should go to its increase and it consequently withers in some parts; grows wild and awry in others and ihreatens to break off with some gust of winds, if it does not utterly decay. Perhaps the best illustration of the many favorable circumstances required for the fusion of mixed races, is presented by England. It has taken many generations to effect it. On the original Celtic stock were grafted the Roman scions ; then came the strong grafts from Saxon tribes and lastly, says Dr. Verity," the national character received its full acces'^ion of strenght and impulse from i 1 4^ LANOUAGK AND NATIONALITY. the flower of the Scandinavian races in Norman invasions and settlementp. It wa** the union of tlie two great elements of modern civilization ; the Roman and Germanic; the one giving us municipal institutions and government, the other our sense oiindividual liberty and independence.''^ (Dr. Veri- ty.) As a result nations were made to feel their divine origin ; by a laissez-faire policy the act of fusion was con- summated. Wherever this policy has been put to test, nations were blended together into a state of homogenei- ty, without bloodshed, nor social upheavals. History is a teaclier par excelle/ice! Would to God that all ruling spirits and functionaries would lend a ready and willing ear unto its inerrable teaching I ! I From the foregoing historical researches, it follows that the very best method to bring about homogeneity is the laissez-faire policy; a policy of equal rights. Wherever force, oppression, ccercive measures were resorted to, the national spirit rose up to a sense of its dignity ; shook oflF the yoke of despotism and refused to assimilate. In the face of these historical facts, we have reason to hope that Rt Rev. Bishops will discard their oppressive policy for one of toleration and equity May they give us priests of our nationality, wherever Ave predominate in number, — priests in sympathy with our national character, and a healthy fusion may eventually follow. The Church, like a blooming flower, will expand under the balmy breath of justice, equity, toleration, and may encompass the throne of the great God, with immortal souls, exhaling the sweet, odoriferous perfumes of christian virtues. •''lllli|ilHi|'l|i'l'|!IM'l'l''|iMi|i|'i'ri'i'i i'|i|iii|i|iinililiiiiii|'r - LANOUAGK ANU NAITONALITY. 4'6 ( CHAPTER IV. Patriotieme and loyalty of the French-Canadians. " () Patrie, incfliible niyati-ro, Mot 8u}>liiiit! et terrible I inroiioevalile amour." j: *• La patrie est iin champ ok nv'lrit Vherdiame nh /fmirit la gaiety, terre oil nous respirons avec Jierti!" In this chapter, Me are to sound the praise of tlie im- mortal, unquenchable and indestructible Frencli-Clana- dians. Our heart leaps with joy at such a tliought, but sober in judgment we must be, for liistory is our judge. The fii'st spirit of patriotism that burned and fluslied in the breats of the first settlers, along the shores of the ma- jestic St. Lawrence, still lives in the hearts of the cliildren of Jacques Cartier and Champlain, despite all efforts at strangulation. History testifies that this noble band has battled, with the red-skins, for years, amid a tliousand conflicts, sometimes vanquished but never cruslied. Behold this little people, after one hundred and fifty years of persecution, rising among the nations, like the sunburst of the morning, not in feebleness or decrepitude, but young, liealthy, vigorous as in the days of warfare. The indomitable and imperishable spirit of our ancestors fills our hearts, and their sacred memories are ever fresh in f^ur minds. We feel reluctant to speak of Canada, as a tb' ;'ir*' of strife, where the dragon of desl,ruction was unchained over that virginal soil. It is foreign to our mind to chant the threnody of French-Canadians tears ! We dare not wave aloft, before the world, the bloof stained banner of Canada. Far from us is the thought of dwelling on njemories that burn and thoughts that bleed. We dare not tear afresh ii||si ( i 44 LANOUAQE AND NATIONALITY. those gaping wounds, fllae they might move, " llie stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.'''' NevertheloHs to show that we have, in our heart?, the seed of genuine piitriotism and that our deeds have the sterling ring of loyalty, we must throw open the history of Canada, Since the meinorahle date, Sept. 13tli 1759, on which were laid low two heroes. Montcalm and Wolfe, on the plains of Abraham, the French-Canadians have been loyal to the British Hag. When the liritish colors were thrown to the evening breeze, from the heights of the citadel, we felt our hearts quake. " Le drai>e(m fieurdelisl.'''' that sacred emblem of sweet liberty, tlie most beautiful that ever graced any nation on the face of the earth, and for which many a hero has poured out his heart's blood to save it from dishonor, was hauled down never more to inspire us. France withdrew her army, bade us farewell, after entrusting us with a most precious legacy— her tra- ditions, literature, language, religion, laws and institu- tions. From the gulf of St. Lawrence to the gulf of Mexico the spirit of Charlemagne and Louis IX had penetrated ; and christian civilization was taking root. Was such a favored people destined to dwindle? In virtue of the treaty of capitulation, Sept. 8th 1760, the free exercise of religion was assured to the people of the colony and their religious communities were to retain their possessions, rights and privileges. From that date to 1763, England perpetrated a series of cold, heinous and brutal deeds against the handfull of Canadians. The population, by reason of emigratioii to France, dwindled down lo 68,500. The British Crown forfeited her pledge ; broke the stipu- lations of the treaty and began her infamous career of revolting crimes. England encouraged emigration, so as to rid the country of the most influential, educated and wealthy clasn, with a view of Anglifying the poor peasants. Despondency overshadowed them, for they were conscious of Ireland's treatments at the hands of the British Lion. We cannot resist the temptation of quoting the eminent and impartial statesman E. Rameau: — ^'Le sentiment nature! de la race, leur aversion pour les Anglais, un attachement profond LANOUAGK AND NATIONALITY. •16 ft le/ur natiand/i/d, it /««/• hriKjiie el a Ifiir rf/y/iou, iliriyh'ent tout ce jieuph, vera an eotiaerrntiim par nu imtiivfvmU intitinrtif et uiiiforme, ttann nncuiw futenf*^ matn'O'lh'. Lis ('miai/ii'ns tronvh'i'nt anuMi ru on'-mnnt'H }ini'forf'f t/e rf'sisfniii'f i/iti ilt'Jta lea prrHA'utu>iii nnaai hifii. qiif In riiae, et iin lieu i/ni mniiitint consfdmiiienf. /ear fiiaemh/f national^ malijre toua Ion fjfiirta Up.h Anylnia." (K. RamKAU, La KkancK AUX CoLONlEH, piige 128.) VV^ere we to unfurl the .secrets of KnglaiurH underhand practices, we could put that coiintry to shame, if it l)e sus- ceptible of that sense. What occurred in 1775, when the American Revolution broke out ? An opi)ortunity was offered, to the French-Canadians, to join their forces with those of the Americans. Earnest sollicitation and bribes were proferred by the American.^, but the French-C'ana- dians remained loyal to the British flag. First instance of loyalty ! Were not 16 years of persecutions a just motive for them to break away from England ' We displayed to the old world, our sense of loyalty to J-lngland, while she was at work to strangle us before we die. Well may we repeat the famous words of Lord Byron : — " Then rose from sea to sky the wild farewell- Then shrieked the timid, and stood still the brave, — Then some leap'd overboard with dreadful yell, As eager to anticipate their grave ; And the sea yawn'd around like a hell, And down she suck'd with her the whirling wave, Like one who grapples with his enemy. And strives to strangle him before he dies." — Don Juan, canto ii, 53. The action of England, towards our forefathers, is very much similar to the action of the mighty waters on the sinking ship. IShe directed her assaults against us, first by setting aside the folemn treaty, robbing us of our rights of religious worship, and later on by appointing judges, who entirely ignored the language in which they were to administer justice. These duly commis.-ioned justices for- feited the dignity of their lofty o^ce and discarded all sense of honor, by transforming their judicial functions II mmgm 46 LANGUAGE AND NATIONAIJTY. into one of tyranny and clespotism.— They turned their strenght against ua. Had it not been for the A.merican Revolution our people would very probably have been annihilated. England needed the colonifits of Canada, in the war against the Americans. Again the finger of God is perceptible. In 1791 Canada was divided into Upper and Lower Canada, with a view of checking French in- fluence. The Upper province was entirely under British laws and the Lower province was governed by a mixture of English and French laws, pursuant to the treaty of 1768. She did not dare tu repudiate, altogether, the articles of the treaty. Under the guise of justice, the French were given a voice in the management of affairs of Lower Canada. As a matter of fact, for cO years, we had been per.secuted; our nationality habitually threatened; the war cry of oppression constantly heard on all oides. There was a solidarity of feeling io deprive us of our language, religion and rights to sit in the Legislative Assembly. So intense was English opinion, that political annihilation was again staring us in the face. Had it not been for the French revolution, like an approaching storm of great magnitude, England would have consented to surrender our treaty rights and abandoned us to the desires of a hungry, ravenous mob, eager to sweep us away from the earth. The feeling in Canada was such that Pierre Bedard, editor of '' Le Canadien,^^ was cast into prison, subjected to all sorts of hardships, simply because he wielded his mighty pen against British Iniquities. Another opportunity is given to the French-Canadiaris to display their loyalty to England. The war of 1812 was a source of grave annoy- ance. England had dcubts, regarding our sense of patri- otism; the least she could expect of us was neutrality. She recalled the human monster, Craig, whose chief tendency was to rob us of national existence, and appointed Sir George Pre vost. What does history say of our loyalty in this present emergency? We forgot British despotism, and displayed to the world our senseof tidelity and patriotism to the Crown. We rose in arms, forgetful of the past, and LANGNAGE AND NATI()NAI,ITY 47 addorl military honors to our record, at the fRmons battle of Chatenuguay, where Colonel Salaborry won a decisive victory over a formidable army, ten limes the size of our soldiers. That battle was a duplicate of Monongahela, 1'. 55, where Braddock succumbed before Canadian prowess. How did England express her gratitude to Canada ? She redoubled her efforts to denationalize us ; to rob us of our language, religion and institutions. These are not gratui- tous assertions : history is my authority. Let us recall to mind that, in 1791, the two provinces were separated for sordid motives. The English did not want to submit to the preponderating influence of the French. In 1832, the British population had reached the grand figures of 265, 000, with fair prospects of an annual increase of about 10^. England wanted to consununate a new and iniqui- tous deal. The union of the two Provinces was now the object of her dreams ! She foresaw that, in virtue of the influence of he* colonists, by reason of capital and ins- truction, French influence would be, in a short time, a thing of the past. Then broke out a storm of French indi- gnation, that culminated on the battle field. The walls of the British House of Parliament re-echoed the plaintive accents of Pnpineaii, Nelson and Vigc. 0, immortal heroes, may we kiss their vwmury and gather their dust ? With throbb- ing breasts, baked lips and oven-throats they cast constern- ation upon every face, breathless and aghast ! Ireland, in the seventeenth century fell prostrate to the ground, all but annihilated ; Canada in the ninetr:nth shares the same fate. 0, unfortunate daughters of England, embrace in a holg sisterhood to soften the stings of thy miseries ! What does Gar- neau say of our forefathers : — " Tons les nid/hearf; qai peuvent J'rnpper iin penple sc. sont rdiinis pour accahter les ('auadiettx. La guerre, la famine, /r^ (h'vastations sans exemple, la comjnete, le despotisme civil et milUaire, la privation des droits politiqnes, I'abolition des institutions et den lois nnciennes, tout cela "st arrivd sinndtan^metit on snccessivement dans notre patrie, en Vespace d'un deini-siecle . . . .11 a lutt/senl contre toutes les ifiita- tives liostiles il son er.istenee, et H s'est maintenu, a la surprist ^k m p fr 48 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. de ses oppresseurs d^courag^s et vaincus. Admirable de perseve- rance, de courage et de risignation, il n'a jamais desespM uri, moment. Conjiant dans la religion de ses peres, riv^rant les lois qti'ils lui out laisse'es en heritage et ch^rissant la langue dont I'harmonie a frappe son oreille en aaissant, et qui a servi de v^hicvle aux pensees de la pluj)art des grands ge'nies modernes, pas un seul Canadien, de pere et de mere, n'a jusqu'a ce jour, dans le Baj-Canada, trahi aucun de ces troia grands symboles de sa nationality, la langue, les lois et la ri' jion." Dear Bishop?, please ponder seriously on 'h*i above fac'tis ! What could we say of the bitter si ^gles, in which Canadians played, an important role? With an energy, born of blind passions, our national life was food for the British lion. '• La diplomatie de VAngleterre, inte- ressee a /aire de nous un peuple anglais, toute l'habiletk,je dirai meme Vastuce de ses homines d'Etat les plus roues, se sont heurtes sur lui. Ni les menaces, ni les persecutions, ni lea ichafauds, ni meme les recompenses', n'ont pn I'ehranler.''^ (L. Frechette.) We were play things of British ambi- tion ! Firm we stood, ready to die rather than entrust to history the safekeeping of the crime of national apostasy. In 1837, our patience and sense of endurance had wasted away. The memory of Lafayette, Rochambeau, de Gras»^e. Vergennes, de Noailles, d'Abbeville, haunted us night and day. Their glorious achievements, at Yorktown filled our hearts with a martial spirit. Our dream was to battle for our rights, liberty, language and religion. The bloody fields of St. Charles, St. Denis, and St. Eus- tache hold in their bosoms the secret of our cour- age. Our fathers fell, l.ut England was moved to yield to our request. The history of 1775 was a powerful incentive to acquiescence ; Wiis a terrible reminder of the disastrous effects of a policy of oppression. England foresaw that her iniquitous, despotic policy would even- tually beget desolation. Th*^ uprising of 1837 opened to the French-Canadians an era of prosperily for ngriculture, commerce, navigiition and industry. Our heroes fell, Pa- pineau, Chenier, Lorimier, Cardinal, Duquette, but poli- J LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 49 tical liberty and free institutions spranjj; from the blood of on fallen fathers. For 150 years, they fought to pre- serve unsullied the precious emblems of nationality, tra- ditions, language, religion, and shall we, Canadians, at the nefarious bidding of passionate Ainericanizers, yield and forsake our national character ; abandon our language? O, immortnl dust of our heroes, sleep thy last sleef), for thy heroic blood is running through the channels of our bodies ! Well may we here repeat the sorrowful strains of the exiled people of God, in Babylon. — *' If I forget thee, Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten. Lei my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember thee." (Ps. cxxxvi, 5, 6.) From the cradle to the grave, we shall speak the language of Bossuet ! " La langue, cette incar- nation sublime de la pensee, comme le Verbe est V incarnation Hernelle de I'idee divine, le langage, plus fort que les decrets passagers d^une legislation perverse, le langage a conserve la croix, comme le nom symbolique de ce qui est grand, gen^reiit et honorable." — This precious heritage — language — we have defended against invaders. When the storm bowled, the lightning spanned the heavens, the alarm filled the air, we shouldered the musket to protect our prerogatives. A race that boasts of such valliant heroes, is not extin- guishable, for it is kindled with the fire of patriotism, a fire that dies riot. V*eie our patriotism and loyalty ever questioned ? To set ft re-^t all opinions and doubts formed against us, let us place ourselves in the hands of a Britisher. His opinion will carry greater weight than history, at least, for those, who charge all historians with unlimited partiality. When Mr. McNeil gave notice, in the Dominion House of Commons, of a resolution, profess- ing Canada's loyalty to the En)|iire, the vote was c;\rried unanimously. Did we French-Canadi.ins, by leason of past outrages, take exception to the resolution ? The French vote was compact, loyal to the Crown. When needs be, we bury the hatchet and shouldei' the musket to protect our flag," La I'resse^' of Montreal, on the following morning, in an editorial said : — Cette ma nif nutation de haut" 'tj i \ i w- " no LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY, 11 loyaut^ envern V Angleterre, a certainement raison cPHre actuelle- ment. En toua cas, le patriotiame de nos ddputh a 4t4 mis an grand jour avec une profusion de discoiirs marques au phis haut degrd d^attachement pmir la mere patrie . ... Si par mal- heur les horreurs de la guerre frappaient une partie du vaste empire sur lequel le soleil nn se couche pas, tous les sujets britan- niques se d^voueraient pour la defense de I' Angleterre et de V Empire." This editorial fragment is un exact summary of Mr Laurier's speech. The Venezuela scare furnished abun- dant proof of our loyalty to the British Crown, " If the U. S. were to go to war with Canada, the province of Que- bec, says the Britisher, would in all probability be first attacked. No French-Canadian, even though a natura- lized American, could resist such an appeal to his pa- trotism. Therefore, when it was a question of a possible raising of troops, the local militia officers in Montreal re- ceived as many oiFers from French-Canadians as from their English speaking fellow subjects. . , . The French- Canadian is essentially loyal. That is a fact not to be for- gotten. He is distinctly and unquestionably loyal to British connexion. Moreover it must always be insisted on, that this loyalty is the result of his religion The French-Canadians, as a race, are imbued with the convic- tion that they are a chosen people, ka first colonists of Canada, they look back with a just pride, to conquet, sufferings and triumphs. As conquered people, they have preserved their language, laws, religion and privileges ; a people cut off, by these very laws, religion and lan- guage, from any possibility of amalganation with their neighbors, they have remained as sharply differen- tiated a nationality as the Jews in Babylrn." Why? becauee loyalty, or love of country is a natural virtue, •' Love of country," says Archbishop Ryan in his centen- ary sermon in the Baltimore Cathedral, " is a feeling »^iant- ed by God in the human heart, and when properly di- rected, becomes a natural virtue," This natural virtue is prominent among Frehch-Cana- LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 51 (liuns. We ^ave learned that the Roman Empire brought about homc'geneity, by adopting a policy of toleration and equol rights ; but this homogeneity was ephemeral. Society lacked uiiitivc powers, that bind and keep combined diversity of elements. IJnitive power is absolutely neces- sary to maintain the stability of any society — civil or ecclesiastical. To preserve the union of nations, or ele- ments of nations, there must be a moral power, a vital force, strong enough to stifle human caprice, mental fluc- tuations, and purify the foul breath of passions, that en- gender disintegration and anarchy. This moral bound is religion. With reference to the French-Canadians, hi.^story certifies that wherever our compatriots abandoned their language, they invariably lost their faith. Consequently, any coercive measures, tending to infringe our inherent rights to perpetuate our racial characteristics and lan- guage, must destroy that vital link, binding the elements of society. This imitive power, receiving a "quibus," will cause civil or ecclesiastical society to totter and fall. This principle we respectfully submit to the attention of Rt. Rev. Bishops of New-England. To strenghten our attitude, we may invoke the testimony of contemporaneous history. We know that the vital principle of the American Cons- titution consists in liberty. Washington and his associates favored the independence of Church and Stale. Why ? be- cause the two societies are antagonistic in faith and prin- ciples. This country, according to Leo XIII is destined to become the greatest catholic country in the world. Evidently liberty is most conducive to development, in any sphere of human activity. The policy of liberty, to the diverse nationalities, must be equally favorable to religion. Were the Rt. Rev. Bishops of New-England, to govern their dioceses, pursuant to the principle laid down by the founder of this Republic, the Chuch would necessarily expand. The wisdom of George Washington has been put to test and has withstood the trying ordeal of a hundred years ; should the Bishops adopt this same policy, similar effects would result. Any other policy must drive away souls from the Church of God. 52 LANOUAQE AND NATIONALITY. Agnin, what can Bishops do for religion, when a large portion of the clergy and laity are against them ? In milit- ary compaigns, victories are not gained, unless the com- miinder in chief of the army is sustained by his officers and soldiers. We Canadians, priests and laity, are not in sympathy with the rigorous policies of our Rt. Rev. Bish- ops — little or no good can be accomplished. Viewing our Attitude under the light of history. Bishops have every thing to gain by favoring our national sentiments and every thing to lose by curtailing our prerogatives. We are essentially loyal ; essentially religious. Can there lurk in the mind of any man, doubts regarding our loyalty and patriotism ? Our sense of loya'ty is more ardent in religious matters. We love our reli- gion and language, for they are inseparably connec- ted. Violence at either provokes us to vindicate our rights. In the face of such irrefutable truths, can our Rt. Rev. Bishops of the New-England States, be excused for their policy of extermination ? The history of our race is opened before their eyes ; condensed in this modest pamphlet. Persistance, therefore, in their des- tructive policy is a striking evidence, that national pre- judices hold a prominent position in their hearts. Please be mindful of the fact that we belong to a persecu- ted race like the Irish. We have grown to manhood ; under the yoke of British oppression, we are accustomed to tyrannical measures. We bore our servitude with dignity and courage, cradling the thought that better days were in store for us. Our hope of final success was the preservation of our religion and language. Remember that violence applied to language or national prerogatives invariably produces a crisis in the Church. Be attentive to England's perplexities, when the French-Canadians were forced to assume the aggressive. She weakened for fear of disastrous results, and our ancestral inheritance waa preserved. Grant us liberty of speech; give us priests, who have grown with us in an atmosphere of persecution ; priests in sympathy with our history, our character, our LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 53 Bufferings, our hope, and your dioceses will have in us an element of strenghi, a loyal body of church defender?. In- stances are many attesting our love for the church of Pies- sis and Laval. The New- England States bear evidence of our ardent zeal for the honor of religion. Churches, schools, convents, parsonages are living monuments of our loyalty to our church and clergy. The past is a guarantee of the future, provided our national prerogatives are unmo- lested. \i II ,1' n „i m mi b*AA*A^iAA*AAntenden,t poivt hi parole de Dieu, pnisqu'ila ne recoivent />as le pai'it encore plua necessaire des sac^ements d^ J^sua-Christ qui purifient I'dme et la fortijient contre toutes lea tentationa... Qu'ondonne des missionnaires canadiem lux Cava- diena et voua aerez vous-mnnes ^fcnn^a de la libdralit^ de ces pauvrea diaigr^a." The above extracts prove conclusively the necessity of a national clergy to minister to the spiritual and temporal welfare of the French-Canadians. This knowledge, the Venerable Bishop has acquired through experience. He feels keenly the miseries and sufferings of our people. To his experience, our compatriots go to church, where they must stand up during the entire service and are most al- ways exposed not to understand the preacher, either be- cause he does not know how to speak French, or else because he speaks it too badly to be intelligible. This is again the case to-day. To our knowledge, there are many priests, pastors of mixed parishes, who so disfigure and torture the French language as to transform the house of God into a play-house ; oftentimes we have to concentrate our moral forces to abstain from laughter ! Such comedy in the house of God has no raison d'itre in this latter part of the nineteenth century. If the Venerable Bishop of Burlington was so thoroughly convinced in 1869, that French- Canadians are lost to the Church because they have no {)riests of their nationality to minister unto them, why has he failed, and does fpM habitually to make provision for these same French-Cana- dians of his diocese ? Whence cornea it, that they are LANv-JUAGE AND NATIONALITY. ei allowed to drift away from the Church, for wart of priectp, of their nationality, speaking their hmgunge and fully in sympathy with their national character? Large French congregations are entrusted to Irish priests, knowing very little or no French. Could we specify names, the history of the diocese would be interesting reading. How would His Holiness, Leo XIII relish such reading ? As a matter of fact many mixed pari.'^hes are administered by priests knowing no French ; and when the pastor knows the language he refuses to jpeak it. Assimilation ! Assi- milation 1 1 Assimilation I ! I is the by-word. America- nization at any price ! What could we say of Middlehnry f The present pastor, is of French descent, does not speak French in the Church. It is foreign to our mind to fathom his reasons for refusing to address his parishion- ers, in the French language ; what we consider now is th(! fact. The entire congregation can certify as to the veracity of our as.sertion. Aga^n what could we say of : — Brandon^ Bristol, Barre, Graniteville, Proctor, Mont- pclier, Bellows Falls f Statistics prove to the highest evi- dence, that French-Canadians are largely in the majority in each of the above parishes. They even run up to 1.500 souls in Brandon The percentage, in the other places, varies from two thirds to three fourths. In each of the foregoing congregations, no French is spoken in the church, either because the Irish pastor does not know the language or because he refuses to speak it. How do the Eishops's ringing words, of may 13th, 1860, harmonize with his ruling at this stage of his career ? Montfielier is undoubtedly the mecca of French-Canadian sufferings. The pastor knows French well, speaks it fluently, but never in the church. Our people do not under.stand English, particularly the language of the [)ulpit ; ihey abandon the church and are lost, as the good Bishop knows well. Furthermore there are other parishes en- trusted to Irish pastors that ignore the primary rudiments of French. Our |ieo])lo do not gotochurch ; their children grow up in irroligion. What of the future ? may the Venerable Prelate think of these fucts ! 62 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. I ■l '\\ I ; ij 'i Is Mgr. Michaud, the coadjutor bishop, in sympathy with the PVench-Canadians of his diocese ? We cannot unearth the secrets that lurk in his breast, but we may judge him by his actions. To prove the point, to the entire satisfaction of all those who may peruse this pamphlet, particularly the Roman Authorities, into whose hands this brochure will circulate, we submit the follow- ing letter : — St. Johnshury, Vt., 16 juin 1806. Cher Moiis. : — Partagemit eidierement voij oues au sujet de la Icingne frnni'aise et de la nianiere dont les ev^ques irlandais Iraitent les Canadiens dans la Nouvelle-Angletprre, je me siiis demarde ce que vous penseriez des (^veques du Vermont, dont I'lin fran^ais, Mgr Deljoeshriand H Vautre canadien, Mgr Michaud, qui ne parlent presq ue pas le/ram^'ais dans leur visite du diocese. Mgr Deljoesbriand est deja venn ici et notis a donne le cotnjite iindu, en anglais, d'un voyage a Home. Encore le 7 courant Mgr Michaud etant ici pour la confirmation et s'adressant a '>ine popidation dont plus des trois quarts est canadienne a a peine parle deux on trois minutes en Men niauvais Jran^'ais, j'aisaut tout son dist^ours en anglais. Si ces remarques, Mons., peui'ent vous servir ou etre coinmuniquees d, votre correspondant M. Chs F. St- Laurent, je vans les livre, vous en garantiasant la ve'rite'." This letter speaks for itself and proves, in part, the seventh charge, lodged against the New-England Bishops. It is obvious, from the above facts, that these two B'3hops, who, by reason of their origin, ought to be in sympathy with our compatriots, arfi victims of a well defined policy. They are leagued with the other Bishops to destroy our national charactor, cost what it may. Our language, cu>toms, tradition^j, prerogatives must give away bol'ore their i.olicy of Americanization. Before taking leave of these two Prelates, may we be allowed to submit to their consideration the expressed will of the ITolvSoo. LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY, 63 I i The Holy Father through the S. Congregation of the Propaganda, addressed a remarkable instruction to the Hungarian bishops.. We quote the subjoined passages which bear on the language question. " The bishops shall earnestly demand that the pastors and catechists of that portion oi the faithful who do not speak Hungarian, obey the state law which commands that the school children must be instructed in the Hungarian tongue ; on the other hand, not to give them instruction in Hungarian until they have acquired a perfect knowledge of that tongue. They shall likewise see to it that the pastors and their assistants do not preach, in Hungarian idiom, unless they are satisfied that the people fully understands them. In case the parishioners speak diverse tongues and do not all undei'stand Hungarian, the pastors shall strive to have the word of God preached to them in their own mother-tongue. Iii as much as the cultured societies are opened to men of every faith and have no catholic character, the bishops shall instruct the pastors to take every precaution to prevent the infection, by the poison of indiflferentism, of those of the faithful who join these organizations. It is eminently useful that there be catholic papers in the different localities, more than that there are at present, and not only Hungarian, but printed in every other language spoken by the people and adapted to the understanding of the people." " If wo substitute the word " English " for " Hungarian," in this paragraph," =ays the Milwaukee Columbia— ^^ we have the clearly expres-^ed mind of the Holy See with regard to the non Engliph speaking catholics of this country in relation to the "language question." {The Revieiv, No 21, vol. III.) In the diocese of Manchester, N.H. the same policy pre- vails. Bearing on charge number two, we may enumerate ten or more parishes, having a very largo French major- ity. These mixed parishes are entrusted to Irish priests, knowing little French. Among the most populous local- ities, we may name : — Lebanon, Franklin, Penacook, Gor- P\ I j . iili; 64 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. ham, Greenville, Malboro, Claremont, Newmarket, Salmon- Falls, WeatiriUe, Whitefield. Injustice to the Rev. pastors of Malboro, Greenville, New- Market and Salmon Falls, speak French in a satisfactory manner both in and out of the church. The policy adopted in this diocese is identical to that of Burlington, Vt. If there be any difference it lies in the fact that these mixed parishes were some years ago, entrusted to Canadian priests, and to-day they have fallen into foreign hands, through well concocted schemes of Americanization. What could we say of the late trouble at Lebanon? The Bishop, to carry out his design of American- ization, discarded the spiritual interest of the congrega- tion, with what results ? History attests that the people are irritated against the pastor and about one third has fallen away from the church. In that same locality we have a proof of charge eleventh. A great deal more might be said, but Rome will read the rest of our grievances The next in order is Boston. His Grace, Archbishop Williams, has liberal views on some points, particularly school matters ; with regard to grievance number two, he is not altogether immaculate. Amesbury, Cambridge, Hiidson, Newbury^iorl, Quincy, Hebronville, Newton, contain a large contingent of French-Canadians, and the pastors hardly ever say a word of French in the churches. The Venerable Metropolitan has been faithful to the words he uttered in Lynn, Mass, 1888. " La langue est une cause raisonnable de separation pour le culte public.'" Unfor- tunately for the secular clergy the separation is very often made to their detriment. The very best of French parishes are entrusted to religious orders, Lowell, Haverhill, Lawrence, Boston. The secular priests are doomed to occupy secondary positions. Whenever vacancies occur, the Archbishop, instead of displaying a liberal policy by appointing French Canadian priests, knowing well both languages, promotes to these vacancies, Irish pastors, pos- sessing a very meagre knowledge of that most beautiful tongue of Bossuet. This policy, pursued up to date, is a striking illustration of Americanization, at any price. The prospects, for the future, are not very bright. LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. a5 Religion, in the diocese of Springfi<3l(i is iilso crippled by the action of over-zealous Ainericaui/erp!. The war-cry ia heard, on all sides : let us do away with foreign languages. Power is concentrated to that end. The policy of oppres- sion is applied with equal rigidity. At this hour of writ- ing, there are several important mixed parishes, with a large French majority, committed to Irish priests. Some few know little French, but decline to practice their know- ledge of the French tongue. Always the same story —me too ! ! ! Chief among the mixed congregations are : — North Brookfield, Gilberlville, Grafton, Oxford, Wdvren, Wittinsville Wil'Aamstown, Winchendon, East Douglas, Ware. There are many Ciinadian priests who would accept any of the above positions, but their aspimtions are held in abeyance by oppressors that they may further their sordid motives. Grievances number twelve and eleven have zealous pro- tectors in this diocese. North Brookfield has an Irish pastor, with a young French assistant, also Lebanon, N. H. Every year students are sent to Paris for theological training, on the plea that French parishes, In course of times, will revert to Irish priests. To our knowledge, the greater part of Holy Cross students, studying for the church, are sent to Paris or to the Canadian College, in Rome. Bishop Beaven is reluctant to patronize St. Sulpice of Montreal, because there are too many Canadians desi- rous of learning English. Consequently Canadian students, preparing for New-England dioceses, are compelled to study in Canada where they have no opportunity to learn English. The same policy is carried out in Manchester and Boston dioceses. In the same diocese of Manchester giievance thirteenth has a itrotector In addition to the above, we may add that among other grievances, the French clergy of Springfield has to put u[> a groat deal with the policy of Bishop Beaven, regarding marriage questions, etc. To our knowledge the last sacraments oF the Church were administered to a French-Canadian by an Irish ])astor. when the French pastor was at home and ready to attend co his parishioner. The diocesan statutes forbid 5 as LANGUAOK AND NATIONALITY. M such intrusion. The Rt. Rev. Biphop discarded the dioce- san regulations aod authorized the Iri?h pastor, not only to administer the sacrament of Extreme-Unction, but also to sing the funeral mass and to receive the customary per- quisite. This is contrary to the general legislation of the Church. Besides marriages and baptisms are performed by Irish pastors, contrary to existing laws, forbidding such practices. French priests protest against puch abuses, but to no avail. The proper remedy can only come from Rome. Children born in this country, according to cer- tain bishops, are Americans and, therefore, may be chris- tened by an Irish priest, when the family belongs to a strictly French parish and both parents are French. This despotic ruling cannot stand the test of canonical exam- ination. In missionary countries, no Bishop has the power to discard the general legislation of the Church. Where the law does not apply it is because Rome has so decided. But with reference to the sacraments of Mar- riage, Baptism and Extreme-Unction, the general law is our guide. The country that gives birth to a child is not necessarily a factor to determine his nationality. A child is a Canadian not necessnrily because he is born in Cana- da, but because he is born of French-Canadian parents. We are not speaking here in a political sense — we are dealing with ecclesiastical matters. Later on we will dis- cuss the marriage question. -tors,and the Bishop will, in time, ordain your sons ; then you shall have a national clergy, of your own creation. On that score, it would be advisable to peruse the article of Dr Omer Larue, published in '* Le Travailleur " of Worcester. The s^- * f 70 LANOITAGE AMD NATIONALITY. I I trend of his article was to jirove that the Bishop, abetted by his clergy, was wronj? and niisrepresonted the state of things, when he declined to accept Quebec priests on the plea that they were not suitable foi the positions. To gain their end, Irish priests adopt all efficient means, whether lawful or not. For some, the end juntifies the means. Again we may repeat what was said above, could we speak, " ex ahundantid cordis," interesting things might be said, that would shock timid catholics. We must abstain from unearthing facts that would injure religion — at Rome we will divulge all detail.«i. Suffice it to say that when the present pa-itor of (Jrosvenordale, (a late arrival from Ireland) was appointed parish priest after serving THREE years, at Putnam, the people rose, e?i masit. The votes were counted and it became clear as light that the Bisho})9 repiuliated the voice of the electors. We learn from goi>d auiltority thai the young clergy will no more cast theirvotcs knowing well that it is a meaningless ceremony— a sham-fight as it were — The will of the clergy counts for naught. Traitors we have in Portland, Manchester ac.' Hartford. Men without }>rincii>les ; men devoid of al' :ense of honor, men of whom history shall tell sorrowful tale.-. These Benedict Arnolds of our race, we despise! Theii' sullied character, and treacherous conduct is a disgrace m our nation. Giievances nine and thirteen were given birth to in Manchester diocese. We hai)pened to be passing tlirough the stale of N. H. shortly alter an Ecclesiastical Confe- rence, and we learned from two French priests that theRt Rev. Bishop Bradley had openly given orders that thoso whose mother-tongue was not Eiiglish, would be required to speak latin. When this bit of news reaches Kome, it will undoubtedly convince His Holiiiess how des- potic, tyrannical some Irish-American Bishops are ! It is well that Rome should know these details. Grievance thirteen in the only casein the United Statehaiid probably in the whole christian world. This grievance was born in the diocese cl' Manchester, N. H. In this same diocese, also in Portland, Maine, grie- vances ten, Iweive, and eleven have their origin. We can prove t)i'lv re the Roman Court that in Portland, Man- chester, Spiinjvfield and Hartford the diocesan statutes count for naugiit. The Irish chrgy. under episcopal sanction, tressi)ass on the rights of the Frejich clergy. The liishops overlook the general legislation of the Church to suit themseb'es and i)iea-e ambitious parties, l^'ew of those Bishops have received laonita from the Apostolic Delegate, in spite of which they remaineil firm. We have in our possession documents with which to show how Rt Rev. Bishop Beaven treated one of his French-Cauudian . ii 70 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. '^\ p desire to calf Mr. Thome's atfeitfioti, to hix nerionn hhtnder in printint/ the irretched, calumnionn charges of that Canadian disturber St. Laurent^ lahose recent pamphlet on French- Canadian ecclesiastical affairs in this country, is a tissue of falsehoods. The attack on the Neiv-Enyland Bishops who, according to St. Laurent, discriminate, in various ways, against the French speaking priests and people, is a piece of con- temptible and treacherous ingratitude. We are some tvhat familiar ivith this question of so called national churches, and u^e only express the general sentiment of priests and peo)>le in New- England, outside of the irreclaimable cranks, ingrates and rebels, when tve say that the dealings of the bishops have, in every instance, been characterized by e.ctreme gentleness, forbearance, indulgence, long suffering, patience, and fatherly tenderness." This strain of malicious invectives called forth the fol- lowing rejoinder, which appeared in '^VOpinion Puhlique" of Worcester, Mass. Mons. le Redacteur : — Dans I'intorfit de la religion et jxHir I'honneur desCana- diens-Franyaisde In Nouvelle-Angleterre, je ne puis parser sous silence les elucubrationsintempestives des Reverends LANOUAGE AND NATIONALITY 85 rrres Dominicains de I'uvenue Lexington, ville de New- York. Dans la livraison de juin du ''Romry,'^ la redaction otale les frnitH (le son ignonince. De I'ignorance a I'injure, il n'y a fiu'un pas ! Kn general les tils do Saint- Dominique, partout oiiilsse trouveiit, sontdes hcunmes sages, iiistrnits, tolerants, et agissent avec uno iirudence consommee. Dans le cas .<;^ <;y' ^,P 80 J.ANGITAOE AND NATIONALITY. somiritiillttit pendant que sa plume faisait des tours de force? Ellea dft luisoustraire wa lumit^re ! Non, inon R6v. Pfere, je vous confirme ma declaration premiere, ma bro- chure intitulee '* Germanization and Americanization com- pared'^ ne contient que la verit6. Elle ne renferme pas un fait que je ne puisse prouver, aveedes preuves ^crasantes. Si j'^talais k vos yeux lea souffrances morales et physiques dont se plaignent les Canadiens-Franyais de la Nouvelle- Angleterre, vous rougiriez de vos paroles honteuses et mensongSres. Si vous avez pour mission de calomnier et de faire tortau prochain, vous remplissez bien votre r6le; mais si vous Ctes journaliste pour defendre ropprim6, votre conduite est indigne d'un ccBur chr^tien. Mon R6v. Pere, je vous quitte avee regret, mai? je me propose de vous visiter en septembre prochain. Quand vous lirez ma seconde brochure, vous compren- drez que vous avez denigr6 led Canadiens Frangais des Etats-Unis et que vous m'avez caiomni^ sans mis^ricorde. Je finis, en vous renetant les paroles du divin Mattre: — " Pardonnez-leur, mon P^re, car ils ne savent pas ce qu'il« font." Charles F. St- Laurent. Montreal, Canada, 24juillet 1896. With reference to the editor's qualifying adjuncts— ex- treme gentleness, forbearance, indulgence, long suffering, patience and fatherly tenderness, we must express our surprise that the Rev. editor did not reproduce the twelve gifts of the Holy Ghost ! Probably he wa3 out of breath. Of course Rt. Rev. Bishops hnve received the plenitude of the Holy Ghost. If the editor will indulge in a complete course of gymnastic, probably he can stand the strain of another article, in which he can display to advantage his fitness for long-winded elucubration. The above is a sample of the charitable proce we had occasion to read This style of attack is a positive evidence of a weak an 1 desperate cause. Evidently the good Fathers would like to crush and LANOUAOE AND NATIONALITY. 87 annihilate us ! Oh ! but good Fathers, Canadians are made out of sterling stufiF! P^ngland tried for 150 years to feed her ambition and pride at our expense, but at last, in despair, she, like a rapacious and ravenous lion, had to look else- where for food to satisfy her craving appetite. The above elucubration will convince Roman authorities that re- ligion, in this country, is in a heart-rending plight, and that the Rt. Rev. Bishops are fighting, with a courage born of despair, to Americanize the French-Canadians ; for, to encompass the object of their craving ambition, they enroll to their sti vice the editor of the " Rosary " : " Igitur exfructibua eorum cognoscetis eoay (Math., vii. 20.) Men are known by their works ; journalists are known by their prose, just as trees are known by their fruits. " Uno avuho, non deficit alikr.''^ In the literary horizon storms broke out on all sides. The Morning Star of New Orleans ; The Kansas City Catholic ; The Freeman's Journal indulged in bitter sarcasms and fulminated against us. We cannot reproduce the passionate prose of all these aggressive editors, but we deem it expedient to reproduce the opinion of the editor of the Kansas City Catholic : " In its issue of March 5th, "The Review" (now of St. Louis, Mo.) is out after some body, and as usual, with a sharp pointed stick. This time, however, it is with some other body's sharp pointed stick. It devotes an entire column and a half to a series of charges brought by a certain M. St. Laurent, of Montreal, against New England Bishops and New England Irish priests The charges are of a serious nature, and if true religion in the New Eng- land States must be in a rather poor condition, so tar, that is to say, as the French-Canadians Catholics are con- cerned. Their condition is hardly better than was that of the catholics of Ireland before Emancipation. But we don't believe they are true. These Irish Bishops and Irish Priests would not only be neglecting their sacred and bounded duties, but would be stultifying themselves, if, half what Mr. St. Laurent says, is true. Instead of I -I, ^ 88 LANOUAQE AND NATIONALITY. parading those charges in the public prints, why do not Mr. St. Laurent and his hackers bring them b^ore the profier church authorities f Archbishop Williams of Boston, is a just and wise man. and we are just as sure as we are writing these lines that he would examine into those charges and have the abuses complained of corrected with the least delay possible." We have complied with the editor's request, by furnish- ing him the following facts: "We do not bring our charges before Archbishop Williams of Boston, because we know that he will refuse to hear them. The largest French-Canadian parishes in the archdiocese of Boston have not Canadian pastors. Those at Haverhill, Law- rence, Boston and Cambridge, are in charge of Marist Fathers; Lowell with a Canadian population of 19,545 souls has been given to the Oblate Fathers. The most important question for the French-Canadians in New England is that of the schools. If we have Canadian parish schools we can bring up our children as good catholics. Without schools of our own they will get lost in the '^ grand tovi anUricain." Now, Mgr. Williams is opposed to parochial schools. Cardinal Simeoni, some years ago, in a conversation with a venerable Sulpitian Father of Montreal, said : *' What can the Bishops of the Boston Province do, when the metropolitan is radically opposed to the parochial school system f " Has the Archbishop mo- dified his views since? The catholic Directory with its silent language answers in the negative. In consideration of those facts, would it not be puerile on our part to expect redress from Mgr Williams? Again can we expect a fair hearing froi»i the venerable Metropolitan of Boston ? Did he give a hearing to Father Ponsardin of Biddeford, Maine, while he labored under ecclesiastical censure? He was refused a hearing, contrary to the provision of Canon law. Father Ponsardin appealed to Rome and won his case. The Bishop of Porthmd had to reinstate him in his former parish. In the face of such facts we had no other means at our disposal to air our grievances, but the LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 89 public printB, The editor of the Kansas City Catholic was evidently patisfied of our explanation, for. from that time, he became sphinx-like... The next warrior who displayed fighting inclination was Rev. Fr. Lambert of The Freeman's Journal. With due respect for the Rev . editor, we cannot withold in abeyance our surprise at his narrowmindedness. He bitterly assailed us, then refused us the hospitality of his columns for our defence. This policy lacks dignity. This method is devoid of all sense of honor and equity. A man chastised, accused, has an ineradicable right to be heard. No court of justice will convict a man without giving him a fair trial. Injustice is never excusable, when committed by lay people, far less by ministers of God. That we may not be taxed with a sense of exageration, we will submit Fr. Lambert's charges to our readers : " Every true catholic of whatever nationality will condemn the spirit of obstinacy which provokes Mr St. Laurent to add that if all authority up to the Pope himself eventually decides against his cause, they will put themselves into the hands of the divine mercy which assists the counsel of the powerful and permits iniquities, but never permits iniquity to triumph indefinitely. If this means anything, it means that although bishops and Pope. i. e., the authority of the Catholic Church, should decide against him, Mr. St. Lau- rent will still believe that he is right and thty are all wrong." Poor Father Lambert, is that the kind of logic you used to annihilate Bob IngersoU ? Our reply to this attack was published in '' L'Opinion Publique " of Wor- cester. We will not reproduce our rejoinder. We prefer to publish the opinion of an eminent journalist, touching the true meaning of the circular, which Rev. Fr. Lambert christened — " A mischicvoua circular.''' There are none so blind are those who will not see ! That the public at large, particularly the Roman autho- rities may judge Father Lambert's attitude, in this case it is well to reproduce our circular to the clergy of the United States. At the head of this movement are found 90 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. two laymen. This feature may appear strange at first, but a sober second thought will show the wisdom of the selec- tion. No cleric can be the instigator of such a movement without incurring grave responsibility, to say the least. We have been chosen to proclaim the rights of the French- Canadians and to appeal to Rome for redress of grievan- ces. We are both living on neutral grounds, consequently we are free from ecclesiastical lestraint. Our line of action is mapped out by the ^^ Advisory- Board" composed of eminent Franco-Canadian prests of the United States. Montreal, P. Q., 6 mai 1896. Mf^NS. l'abbe: —La bi.ochure, " Oennanizatinn and Ame- ricanization coinpa7'ed," qui vous a et6 dernierement expe- diee ainsi qu'aux evfeques et a tout le clerge canadien des Etnts-Unis, 6tait destinee, dans la pensee de I'auteur, si etre suivie de plusieurs autres travaux qui verront le jour graduellement. Charles F. Saint-Laurent, vous n'en avez l)robablement pas doute, n'est qu'un pseudonyme. Ce nom recouvre, soyez-en certain, une personnalite qui pent donner toutes les garauties morales pour I'oeuvre qu'il a entreprise en communaute avec des membres importants du clerge. Je me h&te de vous dire avec joie qu'une foule de pr^tres ont donn6 leur plus enti^re adhesion h ce raouve- ment de revendication de nos droits de catholiques Cana- dians. Plusieurs ont ajoute quelques suggestions pratiques que nous serons heureux d'adopter, et pour lesquellesje les remercie de tout coiur au nom du Comite. Voici le plan que nous nous proposons d'adopter et de suivre. Nous voulons, au moyen de publications autres que celle que vous avez dej^ reyue, faire connattre nos griefs au public ecclesiastique, pour reveiller les conscien- ces endormies, et montrer A toutes les j^mes honndtes que nous g^missons sou.s le joug d'un ostracisme que nous n'avons pas m^rit^ de porter. Depuis trop longtemps, a certains endroits, on nous traite en parias de la familie ' Mi LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 91 ( catholiqne ; comme si nous n'avions pas en ce pays et ailleurs poit6 le poids tin jour et de la olialeur ; couinie si une foule des ^;tablissements religieux n'^taient pas en bonne j)artle 1^ fruit ^^ "os travaux (>t de nos suenrs ; comnie pi nous avions, ]>lufl que d'autres, contrisle par notre conduite le ccDur de notie mere TEglise. Non; nous voulons le proclamer bien haut, et le piouver sv la face du monde civilise, les Canadiens ne sont pas d'une race abjV tardie; leurs pr^tres ne sont pas des niercenaires (jui n'ont droit qu'a la plus luaigre pitance et au in^pris des autres nations. II est plus que temps de lever la t6te, de sonner le clairon de I'alarme, et de crier a nos spoliateurs : " Nous Bommesinjustement l^ir^^s ; rendez nous les droits que vous nous avez vol6s." Voila ce que nous voulons faire et dire, toujour^ reepectueusement, parce que oeux que nous atta- quons sont revfitus d'un caractere sacre que nous savons v6n6rer ; mais franchement parce que c'est un devoir, si p^nible qu'il pui^se 6tre parfois, de d^masquer I'injustice et I'absencede bonne foi, ou qu'elles setrouventd'ailleurs. Afin de proceder sOrement, de ne pas nous ex poser a des ennuis et des mecomptes, je viens. Monsieur I'abbe, au nom du Comite, vous prier de vouloir bien nous aider de votre travail et de vos lumieres. Pour ceia, nous serious heureux, si vous pouviez vous joindre a nous, en nous faisant parvenir I'expose des griefs que vous auriez per- sonneliement, oil donl vous auriez eu connaissance, avec des explications detaillees qui pourront nous servir dans la lutte, et garnir d'armes notre arsenal qui n'en est pour- tant pas depourvu des maintenant. Aussi, nous s'erions reconnaissant de tout ^crit dans lequel vous donneriez votre mani^rc de voir sur la mnnii^re dont nous sommes traitds, et des arguments nouveaux, ou autres nioyens de defense. Si la redaction vous pfise trop, nous nous en char- gerons volontiers : toutefois s'il vous 6tait loisible de r6di- ger vouR-ni6me tout ce que vous jugerez bon de nous en- r 92 LANOUAQE AND NATIONALITY. voyer, ce ^erait un lourd fardeau de moins pour nous. Je rne hftte de vous affirmer sur ma parole (Vhonneur que le secret vous sera inviolablement gard^, et que jamais, pour aucune raison, votre nom ne sera accole d aucune pi^ce de la lutte. Noussavonsqu'ici, la position du pr^tre cana- dien est delicate, et qu'un nom pent compromettre notre position. Puis quand la cause sera parfaitement conn tie et appr^- ci6e du clerg^, quand le branle sera donne, quand le travail d'organi«ation aura relie entre eux les prfitres ca- nadiens de V Union Americaine, il sera temps de faire entrer avec nous F^l^ment la'ique, comme auxiliaire. Nous croyons qu'avant tout c'est le cleig6 qui doit agir, parce que c'cst lui qui a la mission de diriger dans les affaires de race et de religion. C'est lui qui a forni^ la patrie cana- dienne avec son aur6oIe ^blouissante de qualit^s natio- nal es ; c'est ii lui de voir que nous ne soyons pas ^touff^s dans les serres d'un despotisme Stranger. Les la'iques raar- cheront avec enthousiasme k sa suite ; et les plus intelli- gents et les mieux 'disposes seront toujours pr^ts ^ rompre en visi^re en sa compagnie, quand le temps sera veuu. Nous voulons qu'au moment donn6, tous les Canadiens se Invent en masse dans leur puissance, pour venger leur dignite outrag^e et reconqii^rir leurs droits odieusement foul 6s aux pieds. Le mouvement que nous entreprenons aujourd'hui ne sera pas seulement un simple feu de paille ; nous en ferons une action strategique aussi bien dirigee que possible, pevseverante et victorieu^e. Et si I'autorite locale prfete uneoreille sourde et inattentive k nos suppli- cations; si elle se bouche les oreilles pour ne pas enten- dre nos oris de d^tresse, nous irons, forts de la justice de notre cause, jusqu'aux pieds du trdne du Vicaire de J^sus- Christ sur la terre, et Ik nous avons le ferme espoir d'etre exauc^s. Le Souverain Pontife ne demande pas qu'on nous m^ne au ciel k coups d'angluis ; il veut «|ne I'on s'adreiise au people dans sa langue,et qu'on lui parle pour LAMOUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 98 qu'il com] Ten ne. II suit que le prfitre est fait pour le peuple ot non le peuple pour 1«; pr6tre. Son action, *'.n faveur rles Italiens residant aux £iats-Unis, inontre avec surabon- (lance qu'il ne veut pas de I'unification forcee. Voilii, Monsieur I'abb^, la these que nous voulone deve- lopper sous toutes ses formes. Montrer que plusieurs de nos 6v6que8 agissent contniireinent d la pens^e du Pape dana le trait'^uientqu'ils nous infligent, voil^ notre programme pour obtenir jutitice. Ce programme, nous le croyons sage, et avec votre aide, nous sommes bien decides k le faire triompher. En tous cas, nous ne mettrons bas les armes que lorsqu'on aura fait disparattre les causes de la lutte. Et fii, contre tout espoir, nous devons sortir de \k ecrast'S et vaincus, au moins nous tomberons comme des hommes de coeur, qui n'auront jamais doute de la saintet6 de leur cause, et qui auront lutt^ avec toute leur energie pour la faire triompher. Puis nous nous en remettrons ti la mis6ri- corde divine, qui a^siste aux conseils de tous les puissants, permet bien des iniquites, mais ne lais.se jamais le mal in- definiment victorieux. En terminant, Monsieur Tabbf';, permettez-moi de vous dire que la brochure que vous avez reyue, et qui contient a la fois I'expose de la cause et l^nonce des griefs que nous voulons prouver, a et6 in?.prim6e et distribute aux frais de I'auteur sans le secours ni I'aide du Comity, qui n'a encore aucun fonds. Nous devons done forcemeni faire appel k votre gen^rosite pour nous fournir le nerf de la guerre^ a mesure qu^ se d6veloppera iiotre programme. Nous serions dejd pr6t h faire paraitre une seconde publi- cation, si I'argent ne nous faisait complfetement defaut. II nous faut compter sur un mouvement g^n^ral des Cana- diens pour nous appuyer de Louche et de bourse dans notre oeuvre. Nousavons I'espoir que cet appel sera entendu, et, qu'en battant le fer pendant qu'il est chaud, nos ennemis seront forces avant longtemps d'admettre que nous sommes serieux etqu'ils feront mieux d'abandonner la lutte contre nous. ' 94 LANaUAQE AND NATIONALITY. Dans I'attente de vo.s bons offices, je me souacris avec reconnaissance anticip^o, etc., etc., Votre d^voue en N.-S., CiiAKLEs F. St-Laurrnt, Scc. COMITE ECCLKHIASTI'I'TE, Montr^nl, Canada. N. B. — Adressez toutes correspondances, chnrgees ou non, au Trosorier du ('omite, MoNs. La.-N. DuMOucHEL, N. P., N** 66, rue St-Jacques, Montreal, P. Q. This circular was disfigured by Rev. Father I^mbert, for what purpose, we know not. Let us now compare the Rev. editor's elucubration to the sagacious remarks of " L'observateur Louisianais." — Bearing on my brochure, the editor was moved to say: " M. St- Laurent croit que toutes ces injustices sont de nature h diminuer la foi et ^ semer des germes de zizanie qui [ euventsusciter des mal- heurs irreparables. Rien n'est plus odieux et plus decourageant pour le clerg6 et pour le peuple que de voir des flatteurs imberbes, pnuvres de vertu comme de science, arrives d'hier, nom- mes a des postes importants, tandis que les vieux, qui ont peine et porte le poids du jour, restent dans la mis^re et meurent de chagrin dans I'oubli. Comment voulez-vous exiger de ces hommes quils croient \ la vertu et ^ la justice de leurs chefs? Comment voulez-vous faire croire au peuple que I'obeissance doit 6tre aveugle? Les reflexions de M. Saint- Laurent sont remplies de v6rit6. Tant qu'il n'y aura pas dans chaque diocese un s^nnt de prfitres, choisis enti^rement par les pr^tres eux- m6mes, pour tenir la balance de la justice, le champ du favoritisme sera toujours ouvert. Si I'Evfique etait le pou- ▼oir ex^cutif dans le gouvernement du dioe^se, on sim- plitierait de beaucoup cette question. Sans doute, par le LANOtlAOE AND NATIONALITY. e in droit (livin, il est otabli chef pour regir rEfjlice. Mavis ce quisc fait on Europe j^eut so fnire eti Am^riquo. Ordinaire- ment, le conseil de TKyfique propose les eandidats nux difforentes places vacantes et I'Evequo ne sY'cnrto gu^re ou jamais de la decision de son conseil. M Saint- Laurent ajoiite, en terminant, qn'en agissant de la sorte, les Evfiques d'Am^rique ouvrent le chemin an schisine. Le Christ a envoye ses apotres enseigner toutes les na- tions par le fait qu'il lour a dit de parler toutes les langues et de les respecter toutes, Le palais de la Propagainle i\ Rome est la v<;ritable image de TEglise: on y parle toutes les langues. C'est done le droit des Canadiens emigres aux Etats-Unis de demander des pretres de leur nationalite des lors qu'il sont prets i\ payer les frais de leur entretien commeceux du culte. Refuser une telle demande paratt une chose contraire a I'esprit de I'Eglise, qui e^t pleine de cha- rite pour tous ses enfant'^. Passing to the editor's observ- ations, touching our circular he says : — " Le but que se propose cette association, t\ laquelle noussouhaitons tous les succ^squ'elle merite, est de niettre au grand jour les injustices que le haut clerg6 am6ricain a commises contre les couturaes, les usages et les loi" de i'Eglise, contre les chretiens qui ne veulent point renon- cer ^ leur langue. Certains membres de la hierarchic s'in- quietant pen des Ames etde la conscience, ont voulu avant tout faire du patriotisine ridicule. Etrangers eux-memes dans ce pays, ecorchant plus ou moins la langue de Web«t- er, ils se posent en y)urs Americains et ne peuvent point tolerer d'autre idiome que celui-lil. Croient-ils aux ftmes ces hommes qui veulent tout niveler ^ leur inesure et qui ne font monter aux places que les pleutres de la flatterie et de la honte, toutes choses qui tiennent la bouche close? Oui, il est opportun dejeter quelques lueurs sur les in- trigues employees pour arriver au pouvoir et :iussi sur les persecutions qu'on exerce sur les pretres etsur les peuples qui refusent de renoncerau catechisme qu'on leur a appris dans les sanctuaire de la vraie science." Now, Fr. Lambert will please take, with good grace, his 96 LANOUAOB AND NATIONALITY. medicine I " Le Frcemnn'H Jnurnnl prend jI partie la bro- chure de M. 8t-Lauieiit sur le sort fait aux Canadiens catholiques pur les KvCques des Etats-Un:. , Get 6crit inalveillant blesse, d'apr^a lui, Irs oreillen fran^-aif^es au- tant qu'am6ricaineH. II ne faut pas oublier que le point de vue auquel on se place pn'sente le?i choses sous des jours differents. Le Freeman ne nie pas les torts de cer- tains Evdques A I'endroit des Canadiens ; il ne saurait le faire parce qu'il snit tnieux que personne ce que sont les Evfiques ain^ricains. Ce qu'il critique c'est done le pro- cM6 employ^ par M. St-Laurent pour arriver ti ses fin?. M. St Laurent proinet de ne pas deposer le;? armes jusqu'A ce que la question soit bien connue et que pleine lumi^re soit faite, non seulement devant le pouvoir ecclesiastique des Etats-Unis, mais devant Rome. En ce fai^ant, il ne commet aucune faute, c'est le droit de chacun d'en appeler au pouvoir supreme de I'Eglise. Nous sommes niSme persuade quo Rome, en bien des cas, renverserait les decisions de Washington si appel etait interjet^, les influences locales ayant toujours le privilege d'obscurcir la verity et de donner une mauvaise propension a la balance de la justice. II n'y a done uucun mepris A I'tgard du D^l^gu^ ; on se soumet A sa decision jupqu'A ce que I'autorit^ au-dessus ait rendu son jugement. Ceci est tout k fait dans I'ordre. 11 est rare que les prdtres trouvent raison devant les tribunaux du pays, tandis qu'ils font reconnaltre souvent leurs droits et leur inno- cence devant la Cour de Rome. Sans doute, la delegation est anim6e du nieilleur voulo.. pour rendre justice i\ chacun; mais vous n'empficherez jamais les mille obs- tacles qu'on peut semer sur le chemin du pauvre diable qui n'a pas les ressources voulues. Le Del^gu^ doit quel- que pen compter sur les Evfiques pour le c6t6 materiel, et cette raison, bien que secondaire, a toujours quelque poids dans les affaires de ce bas monde. Lorsque M. St-Laurent dit qu'il faudra s'en reinettre A la Providence si Rome venait aussi si rejeter la cause des Canadiens, cela ne veut pas dire, n'en d6plaise au I.ANOUACiK AND NATIONAMTY 97 lis \0' )le et iue Lre ise lau Freeman, que les Ev6qups et le I'upe nut tort, ct que M. 8t- Laurent ii seul rnisou. D'^;pr^3 nous, coin signitie (lu'il faudra prier, aliu qu'un jour la question, niieux connuo, suit revisee en faveur de» Canadiens. M. 8t- Laurent ue traite pas uno th^se dogmatique oil toute:) les paroles duivent £tre pesOes ; il plaide una cause diHciplinaire qui ne touche en rien aux dogmas. Et il a bien le droit de penser qua, si les EvOques des Etats-Unis ne lui font pas justice, le Pape le fara, s'il peut arriver k I'exacte con- naissance de la situati(;n — ce qui n'est pas toujours aussl facile qu'on le croit. Plus on est eleve, pluB on est expos6 & dtre mal inform^, parce qu'on n'a, u i ?tour de soi, que das homines haut places eux-m6mes, d souvant int^ ress^s. Lorsqu'il s'agit des Ttaliens, le ' r.pe envoie 'Ud prdtres italiens,les investit d'une autoritu pouvant..iu be8oin,d^fier • ile de I'Evfique, pou'* venir au sacoiirs acs Italiens qui ne parlent pas ou qui nevjulent pu4 purler la langue des Etats-Unis. Pourquoi les Canadiens n'auraicnt-ils pas les mdmas droits? Ce qu'ils demandent est tout conforme tl la tradition de I'Eglise, et ils ne sont pas la partie la moins int^ressante de la grande famille chretienne. Ledit journal objecte k ce que M. Saint Laurent se cache sous un pseudonyme. Quel mal voit-il i\ cela l Tons les jours certains ecrivains se cachant sous un nom de plume ; veulent-ils rester inconnus pour cela? Pas le nioins du monde. Cast une mode. M. Saint- Laurent ne se cache pas autaut qu'on le veut bien dire, puisqu'il donne sa veritable adrasse et qua chacun peut lui ecrire ou aller le voir an personne pour savoir s'il est quelqu'un. (We are not supposed to be a living curiosity placed on exhibition in a museum. Any one desirous to meat us will please cor- respond and we shall entertain personally any man at No 66 St. James Street, Montreal. We are away often, tra- velling to and fro, and wa cannot always be in Montreal to satisfy the ravenous appetites of reporters or curious spect- ators.) Le Freeman lui reproche de donner de mauvais conseila 7 98 LANOUAGK AND NATIONALITY. aux pr^tres, en leur disunt quHl taira leurs noms dans le cas o^ ils croiraient devoir lui fournir des renseignements atiles £l sa cause. Cela encore se passe de la sorte dans toun les bureaux de journaux. On n'est pas oblig^ de donner les noma des auteurs. Le nom n'est pas un p^ch^, et il n'evt pas besoin de le confesser. Maintenant, le Freeman n'ignore pas que les Evdques sont des hommes et restent hommes sous la mitre autant que sous I'habit ordinaire. Ils ont le^ in^mes passions et peut-£tre plus violentes parce qu'ell«» sont attisees plus souvent paries occasions plus fr^quentes. On veut nous persuader que le roi de France ou d'ailleurs ne se souvient pas des griefs qu'avait le prince aspirant, mais cette doctrine est intenable. II n'y a rien de rancu- neux comme les personnes recouvertes d'un habit reli- gieux. Autant I'habit religieux est commun, autant Tesprit religieux est rare. Les faits de ce genre pullulent, et il serait bien superflu d'en donner des exemples. Done, M. St-Laurent, qui n'est pas Stranger en la matidre, a cru devoir tenir compte des vindictes ^piscopales en garantissant le secret k ses correspondants. Sans doute, il y a quelque chose de repugnant k ne pas oser dire ou- vertement ce qu'on pense ; mais le d^sir de monter autant que la peur d'etre chftti^, un jour ou I'autre, puisque l'autorit6 a des casiers sp^ciaux et indestructibles pour ces m^faits, font que tous courbent la t€te et plient le genou devant le soleil du jour. Comment oser s'aven- turer k encourir sa disgr&ce ? G'est souvent une question de vie ou de mort, ce qui veut dire de mort. M. Saint- Laurent a vu parfaitement juste, et garantir I'incognito est tr^s souvent le seul moyen de connaitre la v6rit6." The above lucid explanation of our circular as well as our method of procedure will undoubtedly convince the Free- man, that he made a grave mistake when de deliberately chastised us. Our stand in this matter is approved by the leading catholic writers of this country and Canada. '* La Presse" of Montreal said, in an editorial regarding our brochure : " La th^se est bien d^velopp^e, I'argumentation est d'une logique serr^e, les exemples hittoriques bien LANGUAGE AND NAITONALITY. mx choisiBeilie tout est pr&i.nt^ sous is forme tespeotuouse qu'.un catholique dolt toujours conserver en s'adressant aux autorit^s ecoI6siastiquep, Burtout en discutant avec elles. La publication de cette brochure n'est pas inoppor- tune; le3 rapports eutre lea paroisees canadiennes etieurs 6v6ques, dans la Nouvelle-Angleterre, sont actuellement assez tendus en plusieurs endruits et on ne saurait trop insister aupr^s des 6v6que8 irlandais de ces dioceses pour leur faire comprendre que leur zSle national met en dan- ger le succ^s de leur minist^re religieux." Other author- ities might be quoted, but further reprcduction would en- large our pamphlet. We will not close these lines without presenting to our readers the masterly article of M. Reini Tremblay. This gentleman enjoys a wide reputation. He is a deep thinker, an impartial man, and a jurist. " Le Monde " of Montreal criticized our policy of action, and condemned our conduct, because we do not carry out our promises. This assertion is gratuitous, as we shall prove later on. " Depuis quelque temps, un certain person- nage qui se cache sous le pseudonyme de Charles F. St- Laurent, fait beaucoup de bruit au moyen de bro- chures, de circulaires et de correspondances ins^r^es dans V Opinion Publique de Worcester, Mass., k propos de re- vendications de droits qu'il pretend avoir 6t6 violas et qu'il faudrait d^fendre devant les autorit^s Episcopates et m§me devant le Saint-Si^ge. .... II n'y a pas de mal, certes, a procurer aux opprimes, s'il y en a, le moyen de se faire rendre justice; mais il nous semble, 4 notre point de vue de simple fiddle, que la discipline de I'Eglise doit pourvoir k tons les besoins sans I'intermE- diaire d'un personnage, peut-fitre bien intentionn6, mais qui a le tort d'agir en dehors de I'autorite compEtente. II a aussi le tort de promettre ce qu'il ne tient pas, c'est-^- dire de se r6vEler h. ceux qui viendront I'aller voir k Tadresse donn6e Cette manoeuvre n'est pas de nature {I inspirer confiance '* To my mind the assumptions of "Lc Monde" are deplorable and the writer displays crip- pled arguments. His argumentation rests on suppositions. 100 LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. ' :, ,\, pi 1 ['■! 1 ■; K « :t He ought to know that there are laws goyer:[]ing the faiths ful and canonical prescriptions compelling Bishops to be just and merciful toward the catholics of their dioceses. As a matter of fact, there are too many laws and not enough obedience to established laws. The laws of the III Council of Baltimore are oftentimes discarded, as w6have proven in our preceeding chapters. If the editor of " Le Monde'^ ignores, what every educated man, in the United States, knows, he ought not to discuss such an important subject. For his future guidance, we advise him to peruse the *^m&moire, of Hon. Hugo Dubuque, also the various papers that were read before the Willimantic Convention. These papers embody the sufferings of our compatriots of Connecticut — they are supposed to convey only local grie- vances, whereas the application is general. The grievan- ces of our people of Connecticut are a sample of the grie- vances of other New England dioceses. A careful perusal of our brochure will have a tendency to modify the opinion of the writer of " Le Monde " " Depuis quand," says M. R. Tremblay, " est-ce un crime de demander justice? Affir- mer t^m^rairement qu'un homme est agitateur, dans la mauvaise acception du mot, ce n'est pas r^pondre k ses arguments. Les int^rgts religieux et nationaux des catho- liques franco-canadiens des Etats-Unis sont-ils, oui ou>non, sacrifi^s aux tendances assimilatrices de I'episcopat irlan- do-am€ricain ? L^ est toute la question. M. Saint- Laurent soutient quMl en est ainsi ; il cite des faits consider^s conime indiscutables par toute une population a portee de savoir & quoi s'en tenir. Apr^s avoir fait un expos6 loyal des griefs dont il se plaint, il demande aux autorit^s constitutes de proc^der h une enqu§te, et comme celui qui se trouve dans la plaine, ne pent faire quelque bruit sans 6tre entendu de ceux qui habitent les hauts sommets, il a recours k la grande voix de la presse. Pent-on I'en blAmer? Non, certes, puisqtie c'e?t le neul li < LANGUAGE AND NATIONALITY. 101 moyen d'attirer I'attention des autorit^s auxquelles il s'adresse, sur le fait qu'il existe chez une partie notable de leiirs administr^g, un m^contentement s^rieux et des plus justifiables. Nous n*avons aucun doute que les Merits de M. Saint-Laurent ont signal^ les abus dont I'existence a ^t^ toute une r^v^lation pour certains dignitaires eccl^- siastiques. La presse lui offrait probablement le seul mo- yen de porter ces faits ^ leur connaissance, et de les forcer en quelque sorte a s'enqu^rir du bien fond^ de ces asser- tions. Sans une agitation ^nergique et quelque pen bruyante on aurait pu continuer ^ternellement 4 faire bon march6 dC'S timides plaintes individuelles dont I'^cho affaibli n'arrivait quetr^s rarement aux sommets de la hi^rarchie. Grftce au travail de M. Saint- Laurent, on doit commencer k u'apercevoir en haut lieu que I'on n'a pas affaire k quel- ques caracteres inquiets, k quelques esprit grincheux, k quelques visionaires en proie k la dyspepsie. La question est pos6e carrement. C^est tout un peuple d'origine fran- 9aise, qui veut bien se soumettre k T^piscopat anglopbobe sous lequel la Providence I'a plac6, mais qui reclame le droit de conserver sa langue et sa nationalite distincte, qui veut, autant que possible, £tre desservi par des pr^tres appartenant k sa race, qui s'insurge contre toute tentative ayant pour but de le d^nationnliser. Les ev£ques irlandais ne coraprennent pas ou du moins ne semblent pas coni- prendre jusqu'^ quel point les interSts de P£glise, d'accord en cela avec nos inter^ts nutionaux, exigent que Ton fasse droit k nos legitimes revendicationp. La conservation de notre caract^re distinctif, consid^re par nous conime un droit sacr^, a 6te traitee de vaine lubie, de caprice deraison- nable par quelques-uns d'entre eux. Le Monde semble croire que M. Saint-Laurent devrait s'adresser aux ^.v^ques aesioiilateurs et les constituer juges dans leur propre cause. L'exp^rience a prouv6 qu'il n'y a pas de 102 LANGUAGE AND NATIOKALTrV. m jufliioeaattendre-.de ce c6t^. Ce n'e^t p«,9 1^^ pf>eM»i&re loie que ces distingn^s peraoniaiageB ont iie indivjduellement et collectivement pri^sde rendra justice d no8:CorfiUgion- raires franco-canadiens. Sans doute ce n'est pas le tribunal de I'opinion publique qui sera charge de juger en dernier ressort, mais il parait qu'il faut que ce tribunal soit saisi de- nctre cause pour que I'attention des autorit^s com- p^tentes soit attir6e sur nos griefs. Nous trouvons dans ce fait ind^niable la justification de la ligne de oonduite adoptee par M. Saint- Laurent. Nous r^clamons pourlui commepour tous les opprim^s le droit k I'agitation legi" time. C'est au nioyen de I'agitation quetoutes les grandes. r^formes ont et6 op6r6es. Les efforts Isolds produisent pead'efifot sur.ceux qui exercent le pouvoir. En demandant le concours de tous ceux qui souffrent des abus qu'il signale, M. St- Laurent fait tout simplement ce que doit faire tout bomme ayant k coeur le succ^s d'une cause dont il s'est conslitu^ le champion. II n'y a rien dans sa conduite qui aoit contraire ^ la discipline de I'Eglise. Loin de nier I'autorit^, c'e.?t «lle qu'il in- voque, c'est ^ elle qu'il s'adresse et s'il a recours k la publicity pons atteindre son but, 11 ne fait en cela que suivre I'exemple qui lui est donnd par toutes les publica- tions religieuses. II ^erait Strange que I'usage de la presse fAt mis au service de I'arbitraire et refuse aux amis de la justice. Quant au reproche que lui fait le Monde de promettre ce qu'il ne tient pas, il suffit de lire Particle denotre confrere pour constater que cette accusation est fausse. M. St- Laurent a invito le redacteur du Freeman's Journal k I'aller voir au n" 66, rue St- Jacques, Montreal ; il n'a jamais promis de s'y exhiber en permanence pour la satisfaction des rejiorters indiscrets. Nous conseillons k nos lecteurs de lire Particle de " VObaervateur Loui- «tanrtt8,"que nous reproduisonssous le titre M.:Sti- Laurent et ie Freemanl'a Journal. lis y verront que. cette publica-* LANQUAGK AND NATIONALITY. .103 tion catholique ne partage pas du tout leR sorupules du *.' Monde " relativement ^ I'agitation entreprise en fav«ur du clerge canadien des Etats-Unis. Les Merits du digne personnage qui se cache (c'est son droit) sous le pseu- donyme de Charles F. St- Laurent, n'ont pas encore (5t6 rel'ut6.4, mais ils ont attir^ i\ son auteur des invectives qui, esperons-le, ne I'empficheront pas de mener h bonne fin la croisade qu'il a entreprise pour la revendication de nos droits trSs r^els, dont la violation ne fa.t pas le moindre doute aux yeux des Canadians dee Etats-Unis. Si oela devient n^cessoire, la cause sera port6e devant le Saint- Siege qui, nou3 en avons la certitude, ne sera pas scan- dalise le moins du monde k I'id^e que des catholiques osent en appeler k lui pour la solution d'un difiT^rend entre eux et un certain nombre d'^vfiques am^ricains." With the above documents, that vindicate our attitude, in the present struggle for liberty, we must take leave of our kind and very indulg«9nt readers. We have penned these lines with purity of heart and rectitude of intention. We discussed, with the eyes of faith, every utterance found in this pamphlet, and we feel satisfied that we did not abuse the liberty of speech guaranteed to every gentleman, by Rome and God. We have served a great body of laymen and priests, who, for years, endured in silence the yoke of servitude. May heaven bless our humble and imperfect effort I may a suffering people be relieved from thraldom ! If we have wounded the feelings of some bishops, in furthering the cause of our com- patriots, we were empelled to such action by the powerful incentive of charity for a down-trodden neighbour. May these venerable prelates forgive us ; our motives were pure — God is our judge ! We have not written a line with a spirit of hostility to New-England prelates. With great confidence in the j ustice of our cause, we respect- fully submit the grievances of our French-Canadian com- 104 LA.NOIJAQE AND NATIONALITY. patriots to the attention of our Bishops, trusting that the unmitigated, highhanded exercise of arbitrary power may be discarded; may the policy of might for right br abandoned. May the cry of distress reach your ears ; may your paternal solicitude be extended to all your spiritual children, irrespective of color, clime, nationality, and you shall have deserved well of our people. We pledge our word and honor that the Church will receive a new impulse in the New-England States. Among the clergy and laity great rejoicing will prevail. Cote-des-Neioes, Oct. 20th, 1896. Charles F. St. Laurent, N^* 66 St. James Street, Montreal, Canada. !iimiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiin!' " IIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHI INDEX. J* P.\f»K«. IntriKhiotion 1 OHAPTU 1st. The origin of Language and Nationality :i OHAPTBR II. Language and Nationality in the light of History 17 OHArrBR III. Nsitionality and the warning facts of History i'T OHAPTm IV. I'atriotism and Loyalty of the French-Cnr.adian8 4M OHArriit V. (Irievances of the Frenrh-Canadians before the searrh light of Facts 54 (irievances brought to light -Vi Circular to the French-Canadian Cler,iy "<» «-.^.., . . CORRIGENDA . . Page 26 a; 37 43 SO 5» Sa 55 62 6+ ^ine (t »t u n t( (t i( (( We admit that they 67 '* 67 67 69 7» .78 81 81 82 (( n (t (t 20 Read Wrath. 5 (t Revolutions. Latin Text n Componere. »5 t« O'Callaghans. of Title (4 Patriotism. 26 »t Conquests. 18 (t Qiiietus. 3 u Campaigns. 22 tl Disturber. 14 and 16 it DeGoesbriand 3 eak. . • i . etc. Before — speak 9 ii It. 35 l( Pharaoh. 36 t4 Heaving. »7 (I Not. 26 i( Applause. 6 i (i Practices. 18 \ «( Public. «9 11 Do Not. 14 t( Our. r^ i . * ! ERRATA. ftK 9 2.. . line... 21.. read.. It 8.. . line... - 0... read. n 8.. . line... 29... read.. « 26... line... 5... read. « 26.. line... 15... read. n 27... latin text read.. It 37.. line... 25.. read.. it 43.. title of chapter... tt 56.. line... 22... read.. « 62.. . line... 5 and 7 of Deljoesbriand. tl 64... add after Salmon tt 67.. line... 35... read.. II 67.. line... 36 .. read..