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NATICJiS'AI LIOnARY C A N A D A BfB^.'.O Uf .gL a NATIONAI .E Archbishop Tache. / fe' • f .0^ %kC^^ da Pi ^J. r^ CLAStlFlOATMMI V L* .■2.2i'~ A PAGE OF THE i?AirAl>^ ■••.■*' 'v- History of the Schools i-'- '■V ■ In Manitoba f 1893 .^- ' DXTRIIVCS^ IS YEA.RS. -% d^' ? '^w^ i rK5 ) / Archbishop Tache. » ♦ » A Pag€i of the History of tlie Schools in Mairtoba cliiriiijif Seventy-five years. BV HIS Ct^ACE, THE ARCHBISHOP. The Manitoba schools are the object of general attention throughout Canada, every day they are alluded to in some of the newspapers. Every political assembly of any importance is forced to consider this question and it is done in a way that betrays embarrassment or half -concealed hopes based on painful incertitude. On the one hand, love of the country and of Christian instruction of children gives hope for an advantageous solution; on the other hand, hatred of the church and religious indifference reject the most ele- mentary notions of common right and respect for the convictions of others. At home people pray, hope and fear; while elsewhere it is triumphantly affirmed that all is finished, that there is no remedy to the evil, not even a wound to heal; that the minority in Manitoba must neces- sarily submit to the will of the majority and must renounce what they consider as a sure right and a sacred obligation. I am of thoae who think that a question is solved, only when it is settled with jus- tice and equity. I am not an admirer of subtile legal technicalities nor of skilful combinations, in the art of expedients ; therefore, I am far from believing that the Manitoba school question is settled or that injustice is to put an end to it; that con- viction is my reason for believing that the cause must again be studied, even in its minutest details, in order that those who wish to appreciate it may make a full ex- amination into the subject. To-day I gather some historical infor- mation concerning the different phases, thk'ough which the schools of the Red river have had to pass; not as to the de- tail of their action, but as to the mode of their existence. This historical study covers three- quarters of a century, it goes back not only to the establishment of tha first school on the banks of the Red river, but even to the generous thought that in- spired such an establishment. At the beginning of 1818 the jurisdic- tion of the Bishop of Quebec extended all over the Dominion of Canada; it is that prelate who sent towards the Northwest the first missionaries who took up their headquarters in St. Boniface. A month before the departure of Messrs. Proven- cher and 'iDumonlin, Mgr. Plessis gave them a series of instuctions, as remark- able by the largeness and elevation of the duties mentioned, as by the exactness and wisdom of the details. In this document, dated 20th April, 1818, and kept in the archives of the Archbishopric of Quebec, we find the first prescriptions concerning the schools of Assinil)oia and the Northwest. It is saii : 6. "MissionarioH will take a particular cure of Christian education anions children, and for thin they will CHtablish schools and catechisms in all tlie localities they may have occasion to visit." Further we read : " The missionaries will establish their home near Fort Douglas, on the Red river, will build there a church, a house, a school. For their support they will take the most advantageous way to utilize the lands that will be given to them." The first order for establishing a school, in this country, came then from Quebec and from a Catholic bishop. All those who have the least notion of the history of Canada, know that Bishop Plessis was a glory to the country by the force of his genius as well as by the splendor of his virtues. It is also well known that his authority over those who were under his jurisdiction, greatly contributed in keep- ing Canada and the Northwest under the allegiance to Great Britain, at the time of the war with the United States. What every one does not know is that the first schools of the Red river are due to the instructions, given by him to his priests and followed by these mission- aries, notwithstanding great difficulties. Another fact, not universally known, is that on account of the services that Mgr. Plessis had rendered to the crown, he had gained the confidence of the authorities, who had recourse to him, in the direction of public affairs, and who seconded his zeal, in the accomplishment of his own duties; one may be easily convinced of this by the following letter given by the Governor-General to Mgr. Plessis, when the later decided to send priests and establish missions and schools in the Red river settlement. "Flis K (oIltMicy.Sir John ('nope Sherhrooko, .S. ('. H., Ciiptaiii (Jumriil and (Jovt-rnor in ChUifinniul ovcrllio IV vinc(^sof Ippor and Lower ('aniidii anil ConinmndiT of hin Ma jCht,\'s forcOH t,llOI(;iM, itc "r >all lo whom (Ikjsc pniKoiitx sV all c.oino: "W'hornas thii lldvontnd Joseph Norlierl I'ro- v^onehcr, Sexcrc-Joseiih Nicolas Dmioiilin and Onillauni(j KiioniK? Kdge h ivt? heon appninled hy ilio Most Itcverend ('attiolic Hishop of (Que- bec lo proceed as missionaries lo llie Ited riv(!r and ad.iaccMii [ndiaii Ici rilori' s, i Ihm'c to disseminate llie ClirisMan rolit^ion an I l.o af- ford to lin! inhahiiants ihe liene I of liie riles thereof, now know ye that.heinK de-irons of fnrlherinK so pious and nsehi) a work and of otlV'PinK I Ik; fiilk'.sl protection and sur))>i)rl in my j)ower to the pcM'son-i enK'UKed in it. I do hereby call on all iiis niaJe-tyV snh.iecis, ci\ il ami ndli ai-y, and do recniest all ol tier persons whom-oever lo whom these nresen's shall eome, not otdy lo ]iermit the said mi-sjonaries to pass witliont iundran'e oi- molestation, hnt render tliem all >lisli- ed them, the parents helped to their main tenance, in no case were they hindeied in the liberty of causing their children to profit by such schools, and iu no way were they prevented from helping those schools by the obligation > f assisting other insti- tutions, to which they could not or would not send their children. True, our schools did not exist l)y law. On the other hand the civil authorities or the state never thought of lessening the action of the schools because they were denominational, but favored and helped them as such. It is to prove this assert ion that I will ex- amine the conduct of the three powers, which exercised their aut^hority in the Red River during this period. I. Lord Selkirk helped the schools. We have seen that Mgr. Plessis pre- scribed the construction of the first school, on the banks of the Red river. It is with this satne prelate that Lord Selkirk negotiated the permanent estab- lishment of Catholic missionaries, in his new colony. As far back as the year 1S1(>, in a letter dated the Ith of April, the founder of Assiniboia wrote as follows to the Catholic bishop of Quei)ec : " I am convinced that a zealons und intelli- gent eci-lcsijmtic would do inciili'ulabli! ^ood; it" your lordsliip clioscs a suh.icM:!, <|Uiilitic(l for the work, I do not licsiiatc in iissurinj^ him my coMsidcriition and ott'crinj:; all tlu; liuli» that your lordshiit may,in(ljj;c necessary." This plan could not be realized in ISKi. In 1S17 Lord Selkirk visited the colony. The deplorable events of the prec(!eding year; the fears and regrets of tiie immi- grants did not shake his hopes of the success of the enterprise he pursued with so much allcction. On the other hand, the past misfortunes made him. under- stand more fully the necessity of furnish- ing his colony with the religious inHu- euccs, which alone could a.ssure the success and stal)ility of the enterprise. To the Protestants he designated the place where, later on, they would build their church and school. He did the same for the Catholics; stating to them that he had already entered into communication with the Bishop of Quebec, and advising them to make a petition, which he would him- self endorse and send to the venerable prelate. The petition was signed and Lord Selkirk, when sending it, insisted that it niiiiht not be fruitless. The.se re- quests were favorably answered, and the departure of missionaries announced for the month of .May, isi.s. M^-i'. I'lessis chose Messrs, I'rovencher and Uumonlin. The illustrious prelate gave them the instructions we have already snoken of. A copy was handed over to Lord .Selkirk who gave his appreciation as follows, in a letter sent from Montreal and datecl the Kill May : ".My lord, Mr. I'rovencher lias sliown me the instructions and documents kI vcn to him, they seem to contain all that could he desired." Let it be well remembered that these instructions obliged the missionaiies to build schi,uls in dillerent localities atid directed them to have their home near Fort Douglas on the Red river, and there to build "a church, a house, a school." After perusing these instructions. Lord Stdkirk did not hesitatetosay,"theyseem ed to contain all that could be desired." He then prepared the indentures, which he signed on the ISth of the .same month, and by which he gave to Mgr. I'lessis and co-trustees, two " tracts, pieces or par- cels" of land; oni; covering an area of about twenty s(iuare ndles and situated on the east side of Riviere la Seine; the other, which contains twenty-two acres or fifteen s(|uare chains, situated on the banks of the Red river, near Fort Douglas; the whole to help the work of the Catho lie missionaries in Ited river country. On the li)th of the same month of May, ISIS, the two priests accompanied by Mr. William Edge, who was to help them in the instruction of children, started in a birch bark canoe, partly e(|uipped at the expense of Lord Selkirk, and on the Kith July they arrived at Fort Douglas. The nnssionaries immediately began a construction which, at first was to be a "church, a house and a school." They built it on the banks of the Red river, precisely on one of the parcels of land given by Lord Selkirk. Notwithstanding painful trials and the greatest dilliculties these humble beginnings became grad- ually more and more important ; they de- veloped into the establishment of St. Boniface. After seventy-tive years of ex- istence in the midst of vicissitudes, but without interruption, it is on the same spot that one can see to- day the church which has become the Metropolitan church, the house which is now the archiepiscopal residence, the school which is now the college of St. Boniface and the Provencher academy, on the one side for the boys and the l>oard- ing school and Tache academy for the girls on the other. To-day the lands given \)y Lord Selkirk help to the maintenance of these establishuients. The part taken by the civil authority, the State of those days, in the foundation of the first school at Red river is obvious. Lord Selkirk was Scotch and Presby- terian; nevertheless he thought himself bound by duty and interest to ac^ as he did. Being the founder of a colony con- taining Canadians and Catholics, he asked from a Canadian bishop that priests .should he sent to minister to the Npiritunl wantH of the settlers uiul tench their children. He hmi enough priictical sense to understand that, when one wishes for anything, he takes legitimate and t (tlca- ciouH means, and that the most certain way of assuriuK the success of his enter- prise was to call to his help some mission- aries, whose zeel and devoted ness would he of great advantage. Lord Selkirk did not agitate the (luestion of the union of the church and state; lie did not accept nor repudiate that theory; he mere- ly understood that the combined action of the religious and civil powers; that their good understanding would surely be favorable to the develop- ment of the country, as well as to the true prosperity and happiness of its inhabitants. *rhe troubles which had taken place in the new colony, caused him to understand the necessity of the salu- tary restraints imposed by religion and its teaching. He easily understood that it costs less to favor the construction of churches and schools, and even to help the missionaries, than to levy and enter- tain a troop of constai>les. Lord Selkirk was a coloni/er ; he wanted immigrants; he knew that a sure way to keep those he had already, and to bring others was to facilitate the education of their children, without oirending the religious scruples of their parents. A fortnight before founder of the colon v the 22nd March, 1820, from Montreal to Mgr. "On behalf of TiOrd Selkirk, wo ask for the permission of otTering you all Uie iissistance we may KJve, for the .journey uf those (gentlemen (a priest and u teacher), and we wish yon to tell us wlien they will be ready and what they may need." This favor was the last received by the missionaries from Lord Selkirk. He died on the 8th of April following. 2. as^istan^e (ilvkn to schools ijv the Hudson's hay company. After the death of Lord Selkirk the Hudson's Bay company re-entered into possession of the lands they had ceded to him and took the management of the colony. That company had an un- derstanding with the Church Missionary society and gave free passage to York Factory to a minister of tne Church of England. Mr, West, accompanied by a teacher, Mr. Ilarbridge, came to the Red river in the autumn of 1820 and built on the land given by Lord Selkirk a log house, which was also used as church, dwelling and school, which has since been replaced by the cathedral, the bishop's court and the college of St. John. Soon after this the Hudson's Bay com- pany and the Company of the Northwest put an end to their rivalry and made their interests one. Seeing this. Lady Selkirk, who had always shared the views and generosity of her worthy husband con- the death of the of Assiniboia, on his agents wrote Fanet, in Quel)ec : cerning the Catholic mission of Ued river, wrote to th«! Archbishop of (4uel)ec on the 27th of.luly, 1821: "M\ b F lioipr iliiil thrarriih>,'cmriil con- cluded liilrly ti\ llic Hudson s Hii.\ r inpaiiy will not liuil the interests of tlic mi-sioii, l)ut Krciiliv facililiite lliem liy impro\ing the mode of I ratling with the Indians. ' That wish of the noble lady was real- ized. The Honorable Hudson's H ly company, sole master of the country, always favor- ed the schools, Jatholic or Protestant, and that in ditl'eront ways, I will mention only three; the granting of lands, pa.ssage on their boats and sukisidies in money. (iUANTINO OK LANDS.. It is with my personal knowledge that in the limit of the colony of Assiniboia nearly every Catholic school was built on lots given for that object by the Hudson's Bay company. Let it sullice to mention the schools of St. Vital and St. Norbert,on the Red river; and those of St. Boniface west, of St. Charles, of St. Francois \a- vler and of Bay St. I'aul, on the Assinl- boine. I do not hesitate to say that the company did for the Protestants what it did for the Catholics. I have always thought that the schools of St. Paul, St. Andrew, St. .James, Headingly and others were built on lots given by the company. It is perhaps well to renuirk that when the company gave some land for a school, it did not only give an acre or two V»ut a complete lot. PA>iSA(iK ON HOATS, One of the greatest obstacles to the de- velopment of the colony of Assiniboia as to the instruction of children, con- sisted in the difficult of having teachers. At the beginning they could be had only from Canada, F^ngland, or France. Every one knows how the journeys were long, diflicult and costly. The boats of the Hudson's Bay company were the only ones reaching the country and the facilities they oll'ered were more precious, on account of their limited ca- pacity. Without the good will of the company it was like an impossibility to enter its domains, and without its assist- ance many school teachers who, have ful- filled here their most important duties, could not have come ; many of our schools could not have been opened. It was there- fore a most real and precious help given by the company to the schools when it granted passages on its boats and that, most of the time, gratuitously, to teachers, either Protestant or Catholic. Gladly do I here offer to this honorable l>ody the tribute of my gratitude. I am convinced that Protestant school authorities have entertained this same feeling, for they have received at least as much as we. SUBSIDIES IN MONEY. Not content with giving land for the schools and transportation for the teach- ers, the company helped them by grant- ing sums of mone^ . Sir George Simpson, re. Kovernor of thi" conipaiiy, kinnv wlint privatioiiM Mkt. I'loviTichcr imposed upon liiii).s«-li' for tlic fiiithfiil uiuiiT hiNciireuM)! the teachiiiK of their chihiren, so much so, that in a in(>ftiiii{ of tiie factors of tin' compiiiiy, at Yort- Factory, on till! 2n(l .Inly, IM'J.'), he iiiove«i the following resohition, which I l)orro\v from the minutes of tliat meeting: "(li'cul hiMictll ln'iiiK cNpcriciiri'd frmii llic l)enc\'i)lciil atid inilcfati^iilil)) exertions nf t)ie Catiiolic mission III I{(mI ri\('r, in IIk; welfiire anil tlic moral and I'cliKions inhlrurliiin of its niiincroiis followers; and, it ln'in^? (iliscr\cd, vv'ltii Mini'li sal i -^faction, that the inlliicnrt! of tlie mission under liic dircci ion of the UIkIiI |{e\ creiid Hislioji of .liilioMolis, lias l»oen uni- foriiily (iiiu!cl(^d |(» the l)es| interest of the seltleuKint and of t li()e<)iintry at larj^e, it is: " Il(!sol\i'd, ttial, in order to maik our a|)|in)))at ion of sneli a laiida))le and disiidorest- ed eondnet, on tiu, |iart of said missionarien, it. li(M'ec(>mmende(l to llii! hoiioral)le eommit- Itu', tliat usuni of KiV) per antmm to l>e Riven towards its support," That reconxneiuhition was accepted by the committee in Lonen most willing to consecrate a great part of the Hudson's Bay company's grants to help the schools of their denomination. From what I have. just said it seems to ine evident that I may state that the com- pany, as a civil power has largely helped tlie schools of Assinilioia whether Catho- lic or Protestant. 3. THK COLONIAI, COrNCIJ,: The council of Assiniboia is the third power that exercised a civil juris- diction in the limits of the colony. Its revenues amounted to very little, their chief source being custom duties. Those customs duties were levied on the importations of the com- pany as well as on those of the citi- zens. The council, without tions or laws, relative to them nevertheless, both and donations. passing regula- schools, helped by exemption KXKMPTIO.NH. We may see in the reports of the Coun- cil of .Vssiniboia that exemption of cus- toms duties were made in favor of the schools on certain articles such as "books, maps, scientitic instniments.etc, etc." In practice the exemptions granted to the missions, and the missionaries were ex- ti'uded to I he schools and to the teachers of those schools. IIONATIONS. Xotwithstandiiig the smallness of its resources, the council of Assiniboia some- times gave money to the schools. In the minutes of the meeting of Oct. It!, lH.")(t, we read : "Adani 'roin, Ks(|. A motion for taking into consideration the projiriety of >?rant of fifty jtoiiiids which you gave to His Lordshin in April last for the luiriiose of education; tliat during the latter part of the interval, the said school has been placed under the auspicea of a iliily ordained minister; i hat in reliance on his ai'tive and enlightened suiieriDtendt-nee, your peti- tioners and those whom they reiiresent. hope to see the said school raised, in sonu; measure to the h'V(d of parochial schools of Scotland. "That, us the iiuiiroveiiient of education, seems to lu' more reiiuisite, at least ainon^; the Protestants nf the settUMiieiU, than its nuM-e 2Xteiisioii, your iietitioners pray that their minister luay reeei\e from the [lublic fund a, sum proportional to the Hfty pounds, as aforesaid, granted to the Church of KiiKland without iire.judiee, how- ever, to tlie reeotcnized e(|uulity in the preni- isi's het ween the Protestants, as a whole, and the Roman t'alholics. "And your petitioners shall ever humbly Iiray. "(Sit^nedl A. Ross. ".lohn Kraser and tin? other trustees of the Presbvtiu'ian eoniniunit v. "Re'd River settlement, 2.5tli Nov., 1851.'" That petition had its effect, and on July 13, 18.52, Dr. Bunn moved and Mr. La- fleche seconded this resolution : "That fifteen jiounds be granted to the Rev. ■lohii Hlaek. of Kro); iilaiii, for the purjiose of education, in ac(!or(laiice with the petition of the emnniittee of his conj^regation. "Carried unanimouslv.' On the Vith of December, 18.52, "Mr. Lafleche moved and Dr. Bunn seconded, 6 thai nft(>en pnunds \m nr)U\U>ii to t\ui IMshop uf St. ituiiihui' for lli(' piirposo of «duciiti{rii/i'ii atid liclpcil \\\v. hcIiooU. III!'; I'UOIKSIANr.H AS A W MOI.K. Iiitlic pi'litioiiof tlif I'ltsltytcriaiis it can \ni n'liiaikcd that w hie aMkiii).' lor inotu-y fur lilt" x'liool of Ilicir dfiioiniii- atioii, tlu>y alliriii that liny ask tliis "willioul pn-jiidici' lo Mm ri-co^inizcd «'(|uality ill tiie prciiilsi'.s Iu'Ivvimmi tin*. rroU-NtaiitH as a whole and tliu llonian CaLliolicM." Ky this tlic I'n-.sbytr'ians aMlnii a fact well known in the colony of Assinilioia and considered l»y the )/■ ' // SIKONK I'll ASK. Tin' schools were not forgotten in the n»'got iat ions which brought a satisfactory solution to the lied IMvcr dilHcull ies. .Schools existed for (Ifty years when, in IHiH, th(^ terriblt! plague of grasshoppers tried the country cruelly. This was not without piecedcnt ; as fai' as IHlH, the colony had been alllicted by them to such an exiitnt that a notict^ible part of the population had been forced to take refuge in Pembina, where they could live i)y hunting. 'I'hat migration to the Ameri- can boundary caused the establishment of the seconfl school house*. .Mr. Dumoulin followed the hunters and estal)lished, in favor of their children, a scIkjoI attended by sixty pupils ; Mr. Kdge was the teacher. In ISIH the destruction of crops was compensated by hunting. On the con- trary in IH(\H, while myriads of locusts destroyed the crops of the lied River the butValoes went so far that the hunters could not reach them and were obliged to return home, absolutely with- out provisions. The two most abundant sources of food were thus exhausted at the same time, and that without any sign allowing to get ready for the emergency; the I'ountry had then to endure the great- est famine it had ever experienced. In ISIS, the ravages of the locusts were the occasion of the opening of a second school; in ISdS, the same pl.igue had some- thing to do with some of the incidents which brought about what I may call the second pli.ise in the history (jf our s(;hools. Without bread or meat the people be- came hungry; hunger is a bad adviser, so much so that the famine of IStiS il wa.s fol- io wcmI by the troubles of ISdi) 70. It is not my idea to write now the history of those troubles, but I must allude to them to show the new phase to which they have brought our scliools. For this I will try to prove the three following points: Mistrust was the principal cause of the Red River troubles. The assurances given by Imperial and Federal authoritiescontributed to appease the dilliculties. Friendly negotiations, during which the schools were iiot forgotten, inspired and caused the acceptation of the "Mani- toba Act," its guarantees bringing an ad- vantageous solution. the Int. MlHTHrHT < AUHKh IIIK Kill UIVKU A purt of till- iio|)iiiiiti<)ii of As Hlnlholn ntid cspcciiilly tli*- Kinuh liulf- hn'i'ds, iiiistnistcd CiuiikIu. so lur us to i«'fii.si' lit llrst, tin- |»i(i|)t)sf(l iiiiion. Wliv this inisliust (111(1 li'iir,' Th'it whicii hiippciis to d/iy is an iiiiswcr to t lie (jiifs tion. The vcxiit ioiis now iiiiiiosctj on tin- Cut holies (if .Miuiil(»l»a and the Ndri hw est had Imm'11 foi('>('('n, and sujlici" to sliow that the a|»pi('hi'iiHioiis tlicn cntfitr 'tied were not iiKsre fancy. What lian Inp pencd after Ittjiut; united fur twenty years with Canaihi, and not wii hstindinji li\in\ Htitees niveii so solemnly, proves clearly that the anxieties experit'^nced liefore the transfer were not wil limit reason. In Uroiips as well as in individuals, there is an instinct of preservation, iiispiiin;^ a pors|)icacily whicli escapes the most judi- eioiis, wlicn the latterdonot run the same dangers, |,et no one he snriirised if I say that the injustice we liave to sutler to-day was foreseen. I am in this conn try for the last forty ciwht yeai"^ I can therefore speak with Unowledfic i had lieeii in the count i\ for twelve years when in isrw, 1 had to spend the summer in I ni'ed Canada, to superintend the prinliiiKof tiooUs in Indinu laii(j;iia,ues ; up to that lime may he t» iceil t'le hcjiin nin;^ of my fears and an.xiet ies. lama (Janadian in the most intimate llhresof my lieiiiy:. l''or(!o(i alone, have I heen aide to hreaU the exterior I ies hind interne to my native land. l'"ar from the land of my liirtli, my heart was never .separated from it, it vvas therelVue with Kicat enthusiasm that 1 received the news that .some day perhaps, my adojited conn try would he united to my n iti\(' one. .My existence and my life had heeii uixenlo tht! Northwest. l'"r children of the wdods, I considered as odioiist he conduct of those whodidnot want the hreaking of the l>read of Christian education to the civil i/e(l children at tending , he schools. The pleasant illusion exiieiieneed in thinking of our union with C.tiiada partly disap- jieared, Itecause I foresaw for onr pf.pu iat ion of t he .Northwest some dangers of sNliich I liad never thought. I returned to St. lioniface witli uneasiness in my h' ,rt. .ti ls.').s, I expressed my fear to Mr. Dawson when he wrote me for inform- ation on our missions I answered him in a let ler which was printed witli his ollicial report, and in which is the follow ing phrase: "Kor myself I feel very mill h I'oiicerni'd in the midst of that ag- it. it ion and of all that is done with regard to Kcil Kiver. As you tell me. the countrv is opi'iicd, immigration is to come; it is niiiloiihteiily a plea-ant prospect . . . to see my adopted land soon to enjoy the advantage jieuple inteiul to give it; never- tiieless, in foreseeing what is to occur, I feel a sent iiiienl of uneasiness. It seeniH Mpiiaifnt tluit in Lraiiiing much, we may aUo lose a great deal. I am afraid that ourpi'sition will not he much inii>ro\i'd." 'I'lie comniiinicai ions, uhile tiecoming more easy, did not diminish the fears and apprehensions, they served to generalize them. It is on seeing that state of the minds t hat I thought proper to wiite the following ii'llexion in IHtiS. It is on piige <'i!l of my pamiihlet called ••Skftch of the North West of America." '"Ill the roloiiv itscir there i- ner\ iiii>iics-, mill niieasiiicss aluiiil llic future, .Some who li(i|ii' In 1,'iiiii hy aii.\ cliiiiiKc iirc rlaiiioiniis t'(ii' one. .\ ^iiTiit iitiiiilpcr llie iiiiijoiiiy ■hcinl lliiil iliiuiKe. The coiiiill'V wnllld cerliiiiiiv oh- tain iiiMii; :iil \ i'd clia iiges." Tliefeais hecarne greater hecause the estahlishment of ('oiifederat ion rendered more prohahle and nearer the absorption of the Northwest hy the nesv Duniinion. "is iiKjuii i( ted hy phigue of locusts, which was rendered moie disastrous hy tlie complete disap- )iearance of hullaloes. This moment was favorahle for Canada; unfortunately, vvliat was done at the time, instead of dispelling the fears aiul concili- ating the spirits, served only to increase the uneasiness. I'nder the pretext of helping tlie people in their nusery, men were sent from Ottawa to continue the road traced between Fort Garry and the I-ake of the Woods. Should I men- tion it^ These employes were so indiscreet Excellency the Governor General, to con vej 'o you . I think it unnecessary to lUi .^c more than a l)assing reference to tlie acts of folly and indis- cretion attributed to persons who have assumed to represent the Dominion and to speak in its name. but. who ha\e acted under their own responsibility and without the knowledge and sanction of the government." On the IGth December, 1809, the privy council recognized that "the resistence is evidently not against the sovereignty of Her Majesty, but to the assumption of government by Canada." As the Cana- dian government had no authority in the Red River, to take possession of it was not only illegal but even provocative and the privy council, while acknowledging this, explained the excitement caused by this act. jd, had ittitude IMPE- Tii:s ,larming ;s were and ex- ,uses of ! recoK- nsidered without quences, 3ut civil antry by of the nd Can- i action ious ac- Is: "To and con- to force." ir.st, the commit- red; then sons, who ise whose it was ances in id caused 9 k not hesi- rnment a great mourn- •anville, "The certain . and overnor ving by an out- morable, rovinces, ly vicar- lency the ■e than a iiiul iiulis- ; assumed leak ill its lu'u own ledge and The Canadian government did not spare its appreciations concerning "its employes who had committed acts of folly and indiscretion." The honorable secretary for the provinces wrote to one of them on the 28rd December. "The proceedings, as reported bj' himself are so reckicsH and extraordinary that there can be no relief from solieitude, wlule an offleer so im- prudent is acting under your authority. "It is imy)ossible toread the account of his attempt to persuade .Judge Hlack to aid him in proclaiming martial law, without strong feeling of regret that you should have been re- presented in the settlement by a person with so little discretion." The secretary of state having put all the blame upon the employes of the govern- ment, of which he was a member, Lord Granville, minister of the colonies, did not fear to place the responsibility to the government of Ottawa itself. So much sr that the noble lord used the following words in his dispatch of Jan. 16, 1S70 : "Those proceedings have certainly enhanc- ed the responsibilitv of the Canadian gov- ernment." It is evident that the dissatisfied in the Red River settlement could not but ex- perience a certain satisfaction and feel more confident the moment thev were in formed of the condemnation in high quar- ters of the conduct of those who appeared so odious and even so dangerous. The authorities understood the necessi- ty of sending to the dissatisfied MEN IN WHOM THKY TlirSTEl), and this is the reason why Messrs. Thi- bault, Vicar-General, de Salaberry, Donald A. Smith t the nomination, for the reason that it was told to them tha the "Bill of Rights" of the convention would be modified and that, besides other demands, instead of asking for tlie acknowledgement of a ter- ritory having its temporary government, they would have to ask for the creation of a regular province, with a permanent and responsible government. The delegates dreaded their responsibility in the matter; nevertheless, the certainty of numerous dangers that threatened the country, de- termined them to delay no longer the chances of reconciliation, and conseijuent- ly of union with Canada. It is only on the 22nd of March that the delegates received their credentials and new "Bill of Rights," which was to be the only basis of the negotiations with the government. A woi'd on what is called "Bill of Rights." The demands to be made at Ottawa were modified so often and in so many ways that it is not surprisiny that these numerous additions have given rise to a certain confusion. Whatever may have been the opinious on the subject, it is now settled by the re- searches which werecrowned with success in the departments of the capital, and asked for by the Hon. Senator T. A. Bernier. It is well known that Rev. Father Ritchot was one of the three delegates. That venerable priest, called as a witness in the case of the Crown versus Lepine, handed over to the presiding judge the original "Bill of Rights," the very onr ' Un the 22nd under secretary wrote ; "Troops in forcing the whidi was put in his hands by the Pro- visional Government on the 22nd of March ; and which was to guide him, and in fact did guide him, in the course of the negotiations. That document, inestimable as to its historical value, was never returned to Father Ritchot, although it was filed un- der the letter X, among the exhibits of the trial, in Winnipeg. Fortunately a true copy, signed by Mr. Daniel Carey, "clerk of the crown aiid of the peace, ' had been officially sent to the department of justice immediately after the tria, in 1M71. This copy has just been found in the archives "at Ottawa; it is in the depart- ment of the secretarv of state, where its authenticity has been estatilished beyond any doal»f. nrPOKIA.NCK Ol IIIK l)i;i,K(iAIIUN. Even before the departure of the dele- gates. Lord Granville telegraplu'd to the governor-general : "Let nie know by tele- gram when you know delegates have started from Fort Garry of March, Sir F. Rogers, of state for the colonies, should not be employed sovereignty of Canada on the population of the Red River, should they refuse to admit it." On the 7th of April the gover- noi'-general telegraphed : "Last of the delegates is expected at St. Paul on Thursday, the 14th ; the others arrived there to-daj% and may reach Ottawa on Saturday the !)th." On the same day, the nth of the same month. Lord (iranville telegraphed to the governor-general : "Let tne know as soon as you can by tele- gram result of negotiation with Red River delegates." On the 23rd April the Karl of Granville made known as follows the will of the Imperial government : "Canadian govern- ment to accept decision of Her Majesty's government on all portions of the settlers Bill of Rights." It is evident that the English govern- ment attached a great importance to the negotiations that were about to take place at Ottawa to consider the bill of rights brought by the delegates. Those negotiations were opened on the 2;{rd April and continued until the 1st day of May. The delegates insisted on all the points of tlie bill of rights, but as they had come to negotiate and not to impose their will in an absolute way, they had to ac- cept some modifications. It is easy to sec that the bill had not lieen prepared by men well versed in such matters, for it contains contradictions and even im- possibilities. Whatever may have been its preparation, all the articles were ex- amined, either accepted, modified or re- jected in order to meet the assent of the government and of the delegates to such an extent that, on the 'Ard of May the governor-general was able to telegraph to Lord Granville, "Negotiations with the delegates closed satisfa^itorily. le Pro- ind of rn, and . of the s to its irnedto led un- lihits of ately a 1 Carey, ie, " had meat of in 1^^74. in the deparL- ht-re its boyond U)N. lie dele- (l to the by tele- es have he 22iid ,i'cretary "Troops ;ing the )pulatiun efuse to he fiover- t of the Paul on i arrived taw a on J day, the Ch-anville -general : by tele- lith Red ]^ranville 1 of tlie h\ govern- Slujestv'w e settlers }rovern- \i> to the ^ake place )f rights ^d on the Fie 1st day Ion all the , they had 30se their [d to at- j,sy to sec Ipared by 5rs, for it leven im- lave been 1 were ex- >d or re- lit of the to such I May the |egraph to Iwith the 11 THK MANITOHA AC T. The assent of the Canadian parliament being necessary in order to bind Canada in its undeistiinding with the delegates, the government caused a bill to be drawn, tiiis was entitled the Manituba Act. In comparing this act of the Canadian Legis- lature with the Hill of Rights brought by the delegates, it is easy to convince oneself that the act is but the legal form of the concessions and arrangements based on the bill To render my asst rtion more evident I will establish the relation exist- ing between the twenty articles of the Hill of Rights i;nd the XXXN'I clauses of of this Manitoba act. In making this comparison I will use tlie Hill of Rights handed by Father Ritchot to the court while adirming under oath that it was the document which had been the basis of the work of the delegation and the copy from which I borrow my citations has i)een cer'ilied as a true cojjv of the true copy by Mr. CatiUier, under secretary of slate at Ottawa. I will indicate l)y (lUotatioM marks the text itself of the bill and of the act and mark l»y italics the identity of the meaning of lioth docu- ments. I will give in lull the twenty articles of the Hill of Rights, but as the \lanitol)a act is better known I will take ill each clause what is nccfssary to show the icsemblance Itetwcen thoseclauses and the demands made in each article. Analogy between th the Hill of Rights an. 1 of the Manitol)a act : liii.i. Oh luiiins. AKI'HI.K 1. •'Tliat the tiriilnry iiiTCtot'iiiH' Uiiowii un- der the nimifs of Uiipert's Land and of the Northwi'si enter liie Itiiininiiin of Caim- fla a> a provim c to be naiuid AsNiniliiiia ^vitii all I tic privilc^fcs cnni- nion lo till! dilltit'iit pr()\ iiHTs of till' do- minion." (X. K.i- 'I'Ih! aftfr llieir ar- rival at t)lla\va re- ceived in-liMK-tioii-, lo (leniaiul that llie new pro\ iiM'e.-- l)e called .Manitoba. I e twenty articles of the XXXVI clauses MAM lOHA ACT. fi.ArsF': I. ■■'riu! t^ue( II shall ad- mit Kniiert's Landand the Northwest Terri- tory into th(! union or l)omiiuon of Canada. I here ^liall be formed out of the same a I'ro- vince whieh >hall \>r. ealleil the I'ro\ inee of .Manitol)a. ■ ( I.AISK II. "'Vhc, l'ro\isioiis of the British North Ani- eiiea .Vet, l,-(i, >liall l)c appliealile lo the I'ro- \inee of ^blniloba i! the same way. and lo liie like extent as they applv to the sc\eral I'ro\ iiiees of Canada." "Ciau>e VI for the saiil Pru\ inee thei'c shall In- an olHcer st\leil the Lieiitenant- Go\ eiMioi' ' : clause VII "The K\eculi\c Coun- eil' ; ^eat of (ioxcrnineiit shallbeat Korl (Jarry"; clause l.\ "There shall he two houses slyled respect i\-eh' tlu^ I.eKis- 1 lati\ (' ( 'ouiieil of Mani- I toba and the l^e},'isla- live Assembly of \Iaiii- I loha. Clauses from .\ , to .\'II relate lo the lA't^islative Coiiiieil, clauses .\IV to .\ VI 1 and .Will to .\.\I re- late to the bcKislative Ass(unbly, and <'laii.ses X.X.W and .X.XXVI to the (JovfrnmenI of "such portion of Kii- uert's band md the Northwesteri Terri- tory, as is not meluded in the Province of Manitol'/a." "That until such time as the increase of tlie population in this country entitle us to a tfreatcr nuinher, we have two represtMita- tives in the senate and four in the Coimnons of Canada." 3. "That in entering the Confedt^ration the liro\inee of .Xssiniboia be eoiiipletely free from the public debt of (Canada; and if call- ed upon to assume a part of the said debt of Canada, that it be only after having re- ceiviid from Canada thoaine amount for which the said prov- ince of .\ssiniboia should he held respon- sible." " That the aiiiiuai sum of eighty thous and dollars be allowed by the Doniiiiion of Canada U> the let.;isla- tiire of the itrovince of the Northwest." "That all properties, rif^hts and jirivileges enjoyed by us up to this day hi; resjiectiMl ami that the rooKni- iion and settlement of customs, usages and lirivilcKcs \h'. left ex- elusi\eiv to th(! decis- ion of Commons liy four members." CI.At SK x.xiv. " Inasmuch as the Iirovinee is not in debt the said proxinee ^liali he entitled to be paid and to receive from the K<>\ernnient of Canada, by half yearly payments in adsance, iNterc^st at th(! rate of live per centum per annum on t he sum of four hundreil and sev- enty-t wothoiisand and nincl.v dollars. ' Cl.Al SK XX\ . "The sum of Ihirt.v ihfiusand dollars shall tie jiaid yearl.v by Can- ada to tlic pro\ inee . . . and an annual Krant, in aid of the said pro\ inee, shall be made e<|ual to eighty cents per head of the liopulatioii." ci.Aisi-; .\x\ii. "For the (luietiiiK of titles and assuriiij; to tlii^ settlers in the jiro- viuec t he peaceful pos- i session of the lands I now held by them, it ' is enaeted as follows :" ' (.N.H.I The \\\v sub- I clauses direct Uial th(! rights and jirivi- Icpces possessed be re- spected and moreover assure the benetil of custoni> and practii'C. il.MSKS XWIII A.NIi X.XIX. ".Such iirovisions of tlw custom.-, laws of Canada . . . !Such : iiroxi^ions of the laws of Canada resjiei'tiiiK the inland re\t!iiue . I . . as may be from i time lo I ime declared I by I he (jrovernor-(ien- 1 eral-in-couneil ajiplic- ■I 12 "That the schooln be separate and the |)ub- lic iDoriies for sohooln he distributed ainoti),' tiu! different reliKif>UH denominations in pro- portion to tlieir respec- tive population." 8. "That the determin- ation of the qualifica- tion of members for the Parliament of the Pro- vince or for the Par- liament of Canada be left to the local legis- lature." able to the said prov- ince, shall wpply tnere- to, and be in force therein accordinKly. ' CLAIHK XXII. "In and for the pro- vince, the said legisla- ture may exclusively make laws in relation to education, subject and according to the i following provisions. : (1) Notliing in any such law shall preju- dicially effect anv right or jirivilege with ' resi)ect to denomina- tional schools which any class of persons have by law or prac- tice in the province at the union :— (2) An appeal shall lie to governor-gener- al in council from any I act or decision of the ! legislature of the pro- . vince, or of any pro- vincial authority, af- ; fecting any right or I privilege of the Pro- testant or Roman ! Catholic minority of I the Queen's subjects j in relation to eciuca- ! tion : (S) In case any such provincial law as from time to time seems to the governor-general in council requisite for the due execution of the provisions of this section is not made, or in case any decision of the governor-gener- al in council on any appeal under this sec- tion is not duly exe- cuted by the proper provincial authority in that behalf, then, anil in every such case, and as far only as the circumstances of each case require, the par- liament of Canada may make remedial laws for the due exe- cution of the provi- sion of this section, and of any decision of the governor-general in council under this section." CLAl'SK V. The qualification of voters at election of members of the house of commons shall be the same as for the legislative assembly hereinafter mention- ed, and "O peixon shall be qualified to be elect- ed or to sit and vote as a member for any electoral district un- less he is a duly quali- fied voter within the said province." P. "That in the Prov- ince, with the excep- tion of the Indians, who are neither civil- ized nor settled, every man having obtained the age of 21 years and every foreigner being a British subject, after having resiued three years in this country, and being possessed of a house, be entitled to vote at the election for members of the Local Legislature and of the Canadian Parliament; and that every foreign- er other than a Hritish subject having resided here during the same period, and being pro- f)rietor of a hous), be ikewisc entitled to vote on condition of taking the vote of al- legiance. It is entitled that this article is sub- ject to amendment by the Local Legislature exclusively. 10. "That the bargain of (he Hudson's Bay ( oinpany with respect to the transfer of the Government of this country to the Domin- ion of Canada be con- sidered as nul in as much as it is contrary to the rights of the people of Assiniboia and as far as it can interfere with our future relation with Canada." 11. "That the Local Leg- islature of this Prov- ince have full control over all the lands of the Province and have the right to make nul all agreements made or begun with regard to the public lands of Rupert's Land on the Northwest now called the Province of Assiniboia." N.B.— Later, a pro- vision was made to grant lands to the heads of Halfbreed families and old set- tlers, over and above what they possessed at the time of the Union. C'LAISK XVII. "Every male person shall be entitled to vote for a member to serve in the Legislat- ive Assembly . who is (lualiHed as fol- lows: that is to say, if he is: "1. Of the full age of twenty-one years and not suoject to any le- gal incapacity. "2. A subje ears, a report of the mineral wealth of the country. 13. "That treaties be concliuled between Canada and I lie differ- ent Indian tribes of tlie country at the retiut^st and witli the co-operation of the Local Le;--slature." It. "That an uninter- rupted steam commu- nication from Lal "That both English and Freni'li languages be conimon in thit leg- islature and in the courts, and that all public documents as well as the acts of the legislature' be pub- iislied in both lan- guages.' "That the Lieuten- ant-Governor to be ap- pointed for the pr()\ ince of the North- west be familiar with both English and French languages." 18 "That the Judge of the f^uprc-me Court giieak the Fhiglish and French langujiges." (N.B. What con- them by the ilth rendering tjv regard as ^ed. The first ority over the ake an appli- which gave it limits in the he Northwest my. :.oba will make of its liberties ther things it education put ,in restriction, examine with his important me of the in- jncei nine this bout eighteen (vinceof Mani- ur lieutenant- lorable Adams ider Morris, and James B. ^ MANITOUA. Canada at the the province ^dams George ntiusted the of go%'erning urrection. It on the 28rd tenant-gover- rnor-general, ided that the ajesty should the United ce the ancient illiam. His the 7th of ter abundant himself that most pleas (n. In fact needed in- rmness and state, in the rs surround- essed those an ordinary among the the popula- ted that he he had to entiously to ionfidence in the country. He understood, and all well minded people understood like him that he could not he purely and simply a con- stitutional governor, "in the usual sense of the vvonl. but that he had to net himself and put his hand to the wheel to give a regular motion and a useful direction to the car of the state. I'ortunatcly his knowledge of juris|uudence and adminis- tration had pr»'pare(l him to advantage- ously cotnlial the numerous dilliculties he met with. Mr. Archibald had occupied a seat in the commons at Ottawa: at the very origin of confederation he had been a n|ember of the tirst Federal caliinet. When dilliculties began in lied river he followed their development with the anxiety of a patriotic and (enlightenetl statesman ; he lost sight of no staue of such threaten- ingevants.The negotiations carried out at Ottawa greatly interested him. Having been a member of the government and alwavsoneof its most zealous partisans, Mr. Archibald knew the views of the Federal administration, and when the Manitoba bill was discussed in the Com- mons he took an active part in the de- bates and proved, in a speech full of moderation, that he had fully conceived the extent of that measure of conciliation. The governor immediately named two ministers, one Knglisli, the Hon. Alfred Hoyd, and the other ot French origin, the Hon. Marc A. Girard. He himself often spoke French, although he could speak it but with dilliculty, to prove that he had not come in contraiity with the re- quests made by the delegates. A proclamation assured to ever) one an equal protection and equal ritrhts : this was necessary to show that the Manitoba Act was not a dead letter. A census of the whole j)opulation made known that its two sections, that is to say, the Catholics and the Protestants were about e(|\ial and lived in parishes exclusively French or exclusively Knglish. or rather exclusively Catholic or exclusively I'rotestant. This is why the Province was immediately divided intotwenty-four electoral distri(;ts, of which twelve were among the French and twelve aniopg the English. A proclamation, dated the Jird Dec, announced the elections for tho«e twenty four divisions; the elections took place on the ;i()th of the same month. Among the twelve Catholic representa- tives were six half breeds : Messrs. Beau- chemin, Breland, Delorme, Klyne, McKay and Schmidt. The six others* were Can adians of dilFerent origin: Messrs. Clark, Dubuc, Girard, Lemay, McTavish and Royal. Amonig the twelve Protestant re- gresentar.ives were also six halfbreeds: lessrs. Bird, Bunn, Bnrke. Xorquay, Spence and Taylor; the six others were English or Scotc;h, at least by origin : Messrs. Bird, Boyd, Hay, Howard and Sutherland. The governor completed his administration by adding three other ministers to the two already mentioned; one of Engli.sh descent, Mr. Howard, another of Irish descent. Mr. Clark, the third was a halfbreed, Mr. McKay. The legislative council was also formed and according to the Manitol)a ^ act, numbered seven mentbcrs, two Scotch halfbreeds, Messrs. Inkster and Mc- Kay; two French halfbreeds, Messrs. Daiiphinais and Hamelin ; two Irish, Messrs. O'Donnell and O'Giltree, and one Scotch, Win. Gunn, A prochunation, dated the 1th day of March, convoked the chambers for the transaction of business, fixing March 15 as the day of opening. On the Ktth a proclanuition named the Hon. Jas. McKay speaker of the legislative council ; another made Mr. Thomas Spence clerk of the same council, and a third named Mr. Molyneaux St. John clerk of the legislative assembly. I give these details to show what care was taken that the different ele- ments of the population be repre- ented and have their share of patron age. Harmonizing heterogenous elentents is done only by equal protection and not by systematical exclusion. The house opened on March li>. Mr, Royal was unanimously elected speaker of the legislative assembly. All the cere- monies of the opening of this first session of the Hrst parliament of Manitolja were marked by great pomp and solenmity ; it was the inauguration of a new era in the Northwest The governor himself had his share in the organization of all that was required on this solemn occasion. He was still more particularly busy in the preparation of the measures which were to put to the test the ability of the new legislators. Besides his e.\perience in Ottawa, Mr. Archibald had bad a large one in the legislature of his own province, where he conducted many important measure.s. The (luestion of education had received on his part a particu'.ar attention; he was therefore in a position to direct the inex- perienced of the new legislative bodies of Manitoba. He did so faithfully, keeping in mind the Manitoba act, which he always considered as and knew to be the true charter of the province, reminding his legal advisors to keep within the limits of that charter with regard to education as well as to other matters. The legislative assembly selected eight different permanent committees, one of which was on education. It was com- posed of Messrs. Boyd, Girard, Bird, Dubuc, Nonjuay, Breland and Sutherland. The speaker of the legislative assembly had beforehand made a special study to the ctlectof preparinga bill fortheschools. V Xorquay presented that important measure on the 27th April, 1871. After passing through all the required legisla- tive proceedings the bill was unanimously adopted and intituled "An act to estab- lish a system of education in this pro- vince." On the lird May the lieutenant- governor gave his assent to that act. I IS Thn passing of this statut I' was the \w ginning of the Tliird Phase of our scljools. To come to such a result, the legislators, under the direction of tlie lieulenaiil- governor, knowing tlie practice in the country, were persuaded tliat the con stitutioii of (iie province imposed tlie re spect for tiiat "pra(!tice." Tlie governor's opinion was most decidedly t he same. All tlie memi)ers of thethre*; hranches of the legislature, either Protestant or Catholic, lliought it natural, just and wise to acknowledge e pial rights to all. This first school law created public schools either I'rotestant or C'atholic aiul those schools were so much the more public that parents respectively found that, owing to the regard paid to theirreligious convictions, they could with safety allow tlieir children to have the benefit of tliem. The law was so fnvorably received that it provoked no ol»,jection. The taxes iin- fiosed by it, and that were the first leviey or erected under the law of Manitoi)a were not simply on the same footing as the separate schools in Ontario, but, they wei'f on a footing of perfect e(|Uiilitv and had an action altogcthere parallel to that of non-Catholic schools. The one as well as th«' other were "public, common, free, national," but none of them were either neutral, anti Chtistian or godless. Ki;i»i:KAt, KNDOWMKNT* The federal government determined to endow the schools of Manitol)a and the Northwest. These countries newly ac ((uired to the Dominion, bad enriched it with an immense domain; it was decreed to reserve a part of it for the advantage of the young generations that occupied or would occup> in the future this vist ex- tent of lands. The Manitoba legislature had just es- tablished a system of education in har- mony with the old practice of the country and in conformity with the idea predo- minating in the constitution of the new I)rovince. The facility and promptitude with which the new system was put into action jiroved that the system favored the views of the population; the federal government, instead of disallowing that law (as it did others passed during the same session! was willinu on the contrarv to help the schools such as established; this is the reason why, during the session of 1872, it proposed to the parliament of Ottawa to reserve a considerable part of pultlic lands in favor of the schools of Manitolia and the Northwest. This ju'oposition was accepted and incorporated in a statute of the Federal parliament intituled, "Domin- ion Lands act, 'Mi Victoria, chap. 2^." The grant of which I speak is stipulated in section 22 and has for sub-title, "Educa- tional Endowment," and reads as follows: "And whcrciis it is expcdifiit ti) make ijto- vision in nid of (■diiciitinn in Manit()l)a and flic Nort Invest Territories, therefore sections 11 and 21) in eaf'li and €\er.v suf \ t'.\('d lownsliiii tlironKlxxit the ext(;nt of die J)onHnion hinds shall be luid ai-e liercliy sot apart as an endow- ment for jjurposes of education." 1st. The sections so dedicated shall be designated "school lands, etc., etc., etc' By this the scliools of A'Ianitol)a and the Northwest were entitled to the eighteenth part of all the public land comprised in the limits of the province and the terri- tories. I ask from any man of good sense, could it come to the mind of a .single member of the government, of a single iiiemi>er of the Canadian parliament ; u. it in the spirit of our constitution to vote such a law, with the intention of depriv- ing of the benefit it confers a noticeable part of the nation and that, on account of its religion i The liill would have been rejected with indignation, if only the administration at Ottawa had manifested dispositions difl'erent from those ani- mating the members of parliament. If, .^ IW ituh'r tlic law of y oil tlic same lool.s ill Ontario, iiiK f)l pt'rft'ct ion altoK»'llii'i'<^ Jatholir sfl)ool.s. IT WlTU "|»iil)lic, lilt noiu' of thi'in liClniMtiuii or '•MKNT* (li'terniincd to litoha and the lies nowly ac- ad enrichod it it. was drci'j'cd tho advantav(t' liat occupied or e tills vist ex- 'e had Just es- liication in har- e of the country he idea predo- on of the new id promptitude in was put into system favored )n; the federal isallowinp; that ^sed during the lllinir on the schools such Is the reason on of 1872, it t of Ottawa to t of public lands )f Manitoba and oposition was in a sl.itute of Utuled,"Doinin- chap. 2y." 'J'he is stipulated in b-title, "Educa- eads as follows: (•111 ti) iiiiikc iiro- Miuiilohii iiiid tlic fore sections 11 i-\i'.sc(l lowiislii]) ■ Diiiniiiiori liiiirls iirt us itii endow - 111." ated shall be etc., etc., etc." nUoba and the the eighteenth d comprised in and the terri- 1 of good sense, nd of a single nt, of a single arliament ; u. it :itution to vote tioii of depriv- s a noticeable on account of Id have been n, if only the lad manifested 11 those anj- irliament. If, leader of the hou»<« I for an Instanee, t he had said ; "To-daN We « jsli to iniiki- iiii I'liiliiwiiii'iii in favor (if I he scImhiN of .Mi(hil(iliii, we want to endow Ihelii II- lliev ar<', CilllKilie ihkI I'ldles- tiiiil lii(lisi'!-iiMiriiilel\ . Iiiit lei it li.> well kimwii to tlie IliilKinilile IlieiillK^rs (It' t liiit liiillse, if in I lie fill lire, I lie ( 'ill Ik illes or the I 'nil es Inn Is he ('(line IlliH'e llMllieriills, tiie.\ will, eillier llie (ilie or tlie (n Jier, Ii.inc llie l•i^fllt Ici iiiddify llieir seliodl laws ill iirder lliiit ihe iiui.inril.N , wliicli I'Ncr it niii.v lie, iiniy eslulilisli u new system of ediiciilidii, ill iKciirlliMice svilh ils \i(!\vs, witli- iillt re^'iird Id llie reli;^idils edii\ iet inns (if Uie iiiiii(iril> mid in lliis ease the imlilie liiiids w lijili we desire Id i'e>er\ e fur llie seliddis df .Miinildliii mid of iIk^ Ndrlliwesl. will Ik; fur Die e\( lllsi\ (• lielielll df t li(! ( 'ill lldljc seliddis if ||)e miijiii'lly is Ciillidlic , lis well as lliey wmild li- f(.r lliu exelusi\c lieiiclll (if I lie " l'rdt(!slaiil seliodls if I lie iiinidrity Is I'mleslanl." This imaginary jiroposition. however absurd, finds today its adherents, even among men usually believed to be intelligent and reasonable. I ask from tli(! adversaries of our schools, who ex- amine what happens, to ajtpreciate the situation as they would, if the majority of Manitoba and of the Northwest were Carholi( s, juid if th:it majority, forgetting its traditions and its duties, would treat the lion ( ■atholic minority like the actual minority is now treated. Let it be grant- ed that, if the positions were reversed the country would be the theatre of a terrible commotion. 1 desire no commotion from wherever it may conn!, (iod forbid that I should e.\(ite the jiassions of the people, but it is allowed to ask for Justice and the British fair play so much boasted of. That demand; although I make il to those of my religion, I do not fear to address it to our .separated brethren an ^ tosay to them, treat the minority of Manitoba and of the Northwest as you would treat it, or at least would wish it to bel treated if it were F'rotestaiit and if the Catholics wanted to iinjiose upon it their own views on education. What! th(UMghteenth part of the public lands has been put aside for the support of the schools and the Catholics of the country would be de- prived of their legitimate share in the benefit of such a rich endowmen ! Those lands, if 1 can speak in such a way, are for the five-twelfths (^itliolic, because when the act was passed concerning school lands the Catholic population of the Dominion was as it is to-day, the five-twelfths of the wliole Canadian peo- ple. The Protestants, although they are the seven twelfths of that same popula- tion, would not wish to impose such an in Justice upon their Catholic fellow citizens and it is useless to add that the latter would not tolerate it. 2xr>.— SIlfOM) I.IEITKNANTOOVEKNOK OK MAMTOH.V. The Hon. Alexander Morris is advan- tageously known in the Letters and An- nals of the Canadian Parliament. Admit- ted to the bar in l.S.")L he did honor to his profession both in I'pper and Lower Canada. Ten years later he was elected in South Lanark, and by repeated elec- tions received an uiiei|Uivocal proof of contldence. In his very llrst speech in tlie legislative assembly of Pnited Canada, Mr. .Moil-is was remarked by his views a.s Just and liberal. He sustained before the assembly what he had said elsewhere, that the "representation by population" was not the true remedy to the ditlicul- ties then agitating tin; clnintry. There, as "everywhere, he showed himstdf partisan of a federal union of the liritish provinces of North America. .Vfter the establish- ment of Confederation, he continued to represent his county in the Commons. In isiill he became a member of the I'"ed»'ral ca2»inet and occupied tliat position until 1H72. He was then a member of the privy council at Ottawa, when tlie ditlicultles began in Hed River. There he was also when the negotiations which took place with the delegates restored calm to tlie country. When the Manitoba act was prepared, discussed and passed by the lliree branches of the legislature, he took part in this and could easily grasp its extent and true meaning. In 1H72 Hon. Mr. Morris was named chief Justice of the court of Queen's Hench. established in Manitoba and powerfully contributed to its organization. On the 2n(l December of the same year, he took the oath as lieu- tenant-governor of the province. By this we see that the carreer of the Hon. Mr. Morris had prepared him in a most special way for the accomplishment of his duties as lieutenant-governor. Dur- ing ten years Mr. Morris had occupied a distinguished position at the bar of the two Canadas. His literary works had been appreciated and rewarded. During more than ten years lie was renowned in the circles ■ t our parliaments. Having been a minister of the federal cabinet for three years he was cognizant of the allairs of the lied river and the true conditions of its entry into Confederation. While chief Justice in Manitoba he had to study in a special manner the constitu- tion of the province and the privileges guaranteed to its inhabitants, in order to apply them with discretion and Justice. There is then every reason to look upon that second lieutenant-governor as a sure authority in theinterpretationof the differ- ent clauses of the charter which made Manitoba a Canadian province. Well, Hon. Mr. Morris, lieutenant-governor, and conscious of his resjionsibility, lias said in every way and on every occasion that the twenty-second clause of the Manitoba act had been put in the act as a .sure guaran- tee to the schools, either Protestant or Catholic, that neither the one nor the other could be affected unfavorably with- out violating the constitution and that such violation, if it took place imposed upon the Federal authorities the obliga- tion of safeguardingthecompact concluded and accepted on both parts at the time of the negotiations in Ottawa with the Red River delegates. I •JO c On tlie.'fOth DvicinlM-r, IH72, MIn Honor convoked l\w hoiiH(> for th«' traiiMHctiDt; of hiiNincsN hikI lixfd tin; date of opening for Mu> .'ilh Kchruiiry followinx. In niunin^ NiH'cial and perinutn-nt commit tuoM the l«-)(i ill I'ti its (ii.stiiictlvc witli tliti arioi«'Ht iirunti^ed i»y tln^ ttiiii-i>t()()(i lit, till' at Ottawa in IH'O. i.stration of Hon. lliat tlii> al)olltion took place. Tiu^ siMiiieiict's of tills li'iiid tliu j^ctvfrn it as a coiiiiitioii !!■ ft'iiiiN aHlion of the new province into Confederation. He followed all these (juestions with great attention and interest. He had taken j)art in the solution of the irritating i|uestion of sep- arate schools in Ontario, as well as in the peaceful arrangeirent of those of (^uebecr. He liad his share in the debates that agi- tated Canada (ioncerning the schools of New Brunswick. Many a time did he speak to me, as wjll as to others, of the important service he congratJlatinl him self having rendered to the government of Hon. Mr. Mclvenzie by a suggestion that saved the government from an adverse vote in relation to the schools of New Brunswick. Mr. Cauchon claimed for himself the paternity of tlie resolution moved by Mr. Mclvenzie i)efore the C'om- mons to refer this didicult and important f|uestion to the judicial committee of the privy i-ouncil in I'^ngland, and therel)y be delivered from thedanger that threaten- ed theexistence of his Government. Many friends of the Catholic schools of New Brunswick did not see the danger wh'ch would be tlie consequence of the resolu- tion and for some reason or other it was carried by the majority of the Canadian parliament. The government was sav«'d but tfie schools were sacrificed. Mr. Cauchon, in relating wliat he considered as a clever political mameuvre, adde a part (if Die written cnn-litiitinM of .Miimlotta. wliicii was ribiiiincd hy tlic pcopU; of tlio c(Hintry and granted liy ilio Dominion of Canada under the sanation of an Imperial act; and "VVliercii-. all tin' ihomhers representing ll»e Kn^clish siR'akiiiK electoral diviMons, heint; the majority in tiie provincial IcKisluini-t!, liavo latJilv eiitei'cd into a, (pertain iiolilica! <;oiiiDai,'t, (•hi(!tVv to carry out c(;rtain ray , alwl doei the •I I 28 never concealed affirmed that he ols either Catho- k'hat he had tings in the icause in his Jar in one case nstitution safe- Dnal schools as :wo ofl'cial lan- lerefore be as- uchon's adrnin- .t1 of his book we read the following passage. "Kl'.l.loiors AnVANTAUKS." 'Lord Selkirk's schunie of j)0'fcct roliKioiis iHiuality ami tok'nitioii is that still suhsistiiiK In Miiiiit()li-(. One of the I'csults of lliisisa fritiidly fi (Hiiii; iil)sistint^bt't«(Tntlio(litror(;iit cluifclu's. Ittiidiii li.uioiial raiii'oiir is one of the u;r<'at(st liiiKlcraiici-s to proicrcss inn new country. It is satisfactory thul tlu'i'e is no bono of comcnlion to disturb the i)re\a;linK hai'inony. No cliurcli i- j^ivun an,\' p'aco of prcccdoiuu', fXCL'i)t \\liat its own energy aiul nscfiibiess to thi' coinnmnitv at la-rgc sccuros for it. ■ Whfit a pity that this most learned doctor did not persevere in so just an ap- preciation of what can assure the social hapi)iness of the country ! What a mis- fortune that he has thrown into the midst of our population, what he so properly calls "a l)one of contention to disturl) the prevailing harmony." But let the incom- parable doctor anal>ze his bone. Who knows, it is perhaps a relic of an immense ethnograpliic value unearthed since 1.SS2. in exploring some Indian mound. Before the last evolutions as to educa- tion we had peace. The happy disposi tions of Mr. Aikins could but contribute to the maintenance of ti)e harmony which he greeted with pleasure on his airival at the head of the administration. His ex- perience, aided by a calm and sound judgntenl could only cause him to appre- ciate favorably the state in which he found the province. Hon. Mr. Aikins was in parliament since lS.'i4. He had been a member of the assemblv and of the legislative council in I'nited Canada. At the time of confederation he was called to the senate, and named secretary of state of the First Federal Cabinet. He was a member of the admin- istration at the beginning of the lied River dilbculties, when the Manitoba Act originated and was voted; he understood its scope and signification. He offen af- firmed that it was well understood that this act assured to the Catholics as well as to the Protest. i. Its, schools of fheii' own choice, and in accordance with their religi ous convictions. To the department of Mr. Aikins was entrusted the administration of the lands of Manitoba and the Northwest. It was there that, in 1872, the eighteenth part of the public lands was reserved for the schools. Hon. Mr. Aikins, as well as his chief and his colleagues, well knew that the schools were then Protestant and Catho lie. and all on the same looting before the law; that, (•onse<|Ucntly. the lich endow- ment made to those schools was for the benefit of both, and that without violating in any way religious scruples. True it is towards tin- end of his career as governor, Mr. Aikins witnessed politi- cal commotion. b\u religious or nalioiuil discord had nothing to do with the occur- reru'c; so that they did not strike deep enough to leave bebind ihemthe disagree- able lesults whicli have happened since. I'nlike his pred'n-essors, Mr. Aikins had not to Itattle against false interpretations of the Manitol)a Act. but should he have had an occasion to (io so he would stirely have followed their example, for he par- took of their views and the school laws amended under his administration kept their character. It is in the calm and assurance of good will that the third phase (jf the schools of Manitoba enrled, this phase lasted for eighteen years. The history of the facts I have related proves what follows : 1. During this period four lieutenant governors were at the head of the admin istration of the province. All wen? men of experience, had been miiii.sters of slate and occupied other important positions, both provincial and federal. 2. The lion. Archibald. .Morris, Cauchon ami Aikins were in the parliament and two of them in th*' cal)inet of Ottawa, at the time of the Red river troubles, of their pacification and of their ending by the neuotiafions which determined tlie Alani- tol)a Act and the entry of I he province into Confederation. .'?. Tlu' four tirst governors all inter- preted the Manitoba .Vet in the same way in the sense of suie guarantees. I. These governors thought that de- nominiitional schools, in use at the time of the union, should be respected, because they were guaranteed by the constitution and when needed, they ;e to be either Catholic or Pro testant, the Federal parliament endowed the schools of Manitoba and of the North- west in putting aside fo- them th(^ eigh- teenth part of all public lands of the Do- minion, and this without restriction or exclusion. H. The law of Manitoba, explained and applied in this way, brought back peace and harmony to the diU'erent classes of persons composing the province, and that ))eace and harmony were maintained dur- ing this whole third period of the history of our schools. T| nat tx)bl thai vvhif V\ nor caul saci theJ had! utilj of tl Hue IV. Fourth rhase. Manitoba inaugurates a System of Schools that may please the Majority but otfends the Re- Uilious Convictions of the Minority. »H' iM ( See next page. ) - 1 ■■j*trt=ji¥ft9ia-«»J*s4^^'^ 25 it restriction or I, explained and if^lit back peace erent classes of rovince, and that maintained dur- od of the history FOURTH PHASE. The above title shows well enough the nature of the now evolution of the Mani- toba schools. I need not state to the reader that it is with j?reat grief tiiat I write what follows. For seventy years the country had de- nominational schools; these schools had caused much work, pre occupations and sacrifices, but no human will nad opposed them. On the contrary all public powers had been unanimous in recogni/ing their utility and in helping theni. The founder of the colony of Assiniboia; the Hon. Iludson's Bay Company, the governors named by the latter; the colonial council, the governors appointed by the crown;the Imperial and Federal Tiuthorities; six parliaments of Manitoba under four governors; all, without exception, for nearly three quarters of a century had recognized and helped schools in which the faith of children was not exposed to the dangers of interference or seduc- tion. And why not mention it ? The cause of Christian education in Manitoba and the Northwest was the object of my as- pirations and my life during forty five years. It is to that sacred cause that I vowed all my energies and all the resourcesof which I could dispose. My only ambition was to help to enlighten and improve, and for this give to childhood and youth an edu- cation, which, while assuring them the advantages of human knowledge guaran- teed them also, as much as possible, the formation of the heart and will, aspiration to things above earth, dependence to God, submission to His holy will, all that sacred code without which the rest is vain, futile, and ever langerous. I need not then repeat that feel deeply grieved while writing the hi tory of the fourth phase of our schooLs, a period during which, diflficulties, until then unknown, have been thrown in the way ; obstacles, hard to con([uer, have been multiplied in order that the population under my pas- toral care might not have schools ; that at least, it might not have them without great difliculties, and this is in order to force that population to accept a system it cannot admit and which is a real dan- ger for a great number of its children. I so much the more hesitate to write, that this phase of the history of, our schools is mixed with proceedings and acts whi"h I reprobate, although they are done by men whom I would desire to respect, on account of their exalted position. They themselves cannot be astonished that I speak of what they have done and of the manner in which they have acted. The seriousness of the (jues- tion indicates sufficiently that the grief experienced will not cause me to abandon the gravity of language with which it should be treated. I could have assigned a more remote date to thechanges to which the school law will besulimitted: nevertheless, Ipl^e the origin of this phase at the beginning of ISH8, because the events that then hap- pened iimst be known to help in under- standing what followed, not as a natural conse<|Ucnce, but because some had wish- ed that it should be so. In writing this fourth phase of the history of our schools. I will indicate: The promises that should have prevent- ed the change. The incidents following these promises. The manner in which they were violated, 1. PROMIHKS OF MAINTAIMXC THIC ' S( HOOI.S AS TUFV WKIU:. In lS87"the legislators of Manitoba pass- ed statutes reliitive to the construction of did'erent railways, among others the one called lied River Valley railvva:,, that was to connect Winnipeg with lines in the TTnited States at a point of the boundary line between Pembina and West Lynne. In the mind of the legislature and of the people this new railway, odering more facility for the export ol the products of the province, could only be advantaireous, and this advantage should not be restrain- ed by the monopoly guaranteed by the charter of the Canadian Pacific railway. The Federal government thought itself bound to disallow this urovincial statute; this disallowance provoked great discon- tent in all the country. The legislature was unanimous in expressing this dissatisfac- tion in a petition addressed to the tjueen- in-council. Mr. Norquay, who was the promoter of the disallowed measure, who with his vigorous ann had turned the first sod inaugurating the work -Mr. Norquay, premier— was the first victim of the discontent excited by the disallow ance. Having been unsuccessful in his etfort to carry out his scheme at Ottawa, he cave in his resignation as chief of the cabinet. His colleague, Mr. LaHiviere, did the same, and both gave their sujjport to Dr. Harrison, who had undertaken the ungrateful task of maintaining the administration in the midst of the difficult ies by which they were surrounded on account of the disallowance, for some would not believe that the steps taken l»y Mr. Nor(|uay and his colleagues both in England and in Ottawa could bring about a favorable solution. The opposition acted in such a way that the blow given to the IIon.Noniuay might also attack his colleague and success- or Dr. Harrison. I?ut one obstacle was in the way of the hopes of the opposition, calling itself the Liberal party. The chiefs were accused 6f being hostile to Catholic schooTsAhdthe olliciiil use of the French language; tjiey were interest eked to accept the nomination, he said he would not accept unless empowered to give the electors a pledge that if the liil- berals got into oflici! tliey would not in- terfere with the institutions of the French, their language or their school laws. I am informed that he was autho- rized to make that projnise, that lie went to the electors and gave them the jiledge. I did not know that of my own knowledge but I knew from the newspaper reports and from information brought to tin VVinnipetr Liberals tliat strong speeclies were being made hy Mr. Burke and his friends in the riding, calling upon half breeds and French Canadians to vote against the Liberal (jandidate on the ground that Liberals would likely pass laws interfering with their institutions. It was said, "are you going to put into power people, who, when they get into office, will legislate away yoiir schools and your language," and the electors were appealed to op()ose Mr. Francis for that reason. This became practically the leading (|ue.stion of that campaign, and the contest was a crucial one. Should th(! Liberals win, it was plain, in view of the losses sustained by the gov ernuient. that, they must resign. So that the success of the Liberal caneral policy became so prominent and urgent in St. Francois Xavier, I was consulted, with others, about it, and Mr. Martin was asked to go out and as.sist the candidate. I was told that he went out and attended a meeting, and I was told of promises he had publicly made, which were, to my knowledge, in accord with what was intended he should make. I went with him myself to a second meet- ing. It was a large gathering, mainly composed of French and half-breed Catholics. The same charges were made i w jmwiuwwa^w vum 27 lewspaper reports 1 brought to tht it .strong speeclies Mr. Burke and his ^allinK upon halt )aiiaflians to vote candidate on the would likely pass their institutions. !;oing to put into en they get into way your .schools (1 the electors were Ir. Francis for that practically the it (campaign, and iciai one. Should I was plain, in Lined by the gov st resign. So that al candidate meant I at once attain ion of Mr. Burke have ensured the jral.s in opposition le necessary for the )re, to meet this and race feelings If- breed voter-s, the ancis appearing to y them. Now, the jlatform, and their stood. Personally, lolicywas. Perhaps Gijeenway and Mr. ■ position to know these questions. )ut that attitude. were denouncing piay government nch printing, the xpended, and the ned, if the party they would do but the idea of guaranteed, or uaranteed, by the been suggested. frequently been blic platform by institutions were emedy was in cor in abolishing in- omi.sed that the the use of the be cut down and n creased. No one tod tliat we .should the(juestion about ne so prominent is Xavier, I was ibout it, and Mr. ut and as.sist the at he went out and I was told oi ly made, which in accord with hould make. I a second meet- athering, mainly and half- breed arges were made r( ut II by Burke as to what the Liberals would do if in iittice. The same ai)peals were niadeto his couiitrymenand c(jreIigionists to defeat Mr. Francis for that reas-on, Mr. Martin, in a powciful speech, denounced the stiitenients (jf Jlurke and his friends as false. He told the meeting that it had never been the policy of Liberals to inter- fere with the language or institutions of the French Oatholic population, and he appealed to them to trust the Liberals, and to support their candidate. At that time I was presilentof the Provincial As- sociation of Liberals, and Mr. .Martin referred to my preseiu'e at the meeting, and said I could ymt him right if he w.is wrong. He went, farther, and not only said Libonils had no idea of interfering with their institutions, but he gave a positive pledge, in the name of the Liberal i)arty, that they would nol do so. I have always thought thatthe movement to establisli the present school law, abolishing all Catholic schools, against the strong protest of the minority, was under tlie circumstances, and in the face of tliat promise, a gross wrong. Person- ally I made no promise, I felt as nmch bound by the pledge given as it I had given it myself." I'HANCiK OI' (;OVER\Mi;.\T. On the 12th January, the second .ses- sion of the sixth parliament of Manitoba was opene wii : I, the Very IJev. .loachiiii .Mlunl, O. M. 1., of the town of SI. JJonifafc. in Ihc nroviticc of .Maniloba. vicar-general of tlie arcli-diocesc of S|. Honif.ici', do solcnmlx ficilarr : lain now, and Wi\s dnriii}:; all the sear of our t.ni'd one tlion^aiid eiijht liiindri'd and (•iH'hty-fi|.ch'. the vii'ar tjencral of lh(^ saif the -aid yvnv of onr Lord one t lioiiMOid ei^'hl hnndreit and eiglit,\-ei^-hi. Ilie Hon.Tluis. (lereiiway, with wlinin I was not llien iieison- all.\' ac.|U;unti'd, ''ailed at sad e|)i«i-n|ial I'esi- (ienee 111 St. Hdiiifa' c in the I'omiian.x of Mr. W.K. -Mlo • ny. whniii I peisoiialiy knew, and I lie said .Mr. Alloway then iiil roduci'd the said IIcjI). TIu)-. Hi'eenwa.v In me. and ihe ^aid Mr. (ii-eenway then stated to me i ha Ihe liad railed In see his .'raee the ai'chiM>hoi) iiei'sonall.\', l graei^; and I iheii asMired him that he eniild r(dy upon m.\ di-erelinn in any e()ntidenlial eonimunieatiniith.it he wished to malvc and that his fjrrace the arclibi,-hnp would ai-^n respect his coiilideiice. The Hon. Mr. (ireenway then stated In me tliat he had lieen called in form a new govern- ment in this ])rovinee. and I hat he wa- rfe-iroiis to .-lrenu;tlu'ii it by takiiiir into his cabinet nne of the Krciicli miMiiber- of llu; le,,'islat uie who would Ije agriMiable In the archbishnti, where- niinti I remarked Ihal I did imI think that his grace would favor aii,\ Kii'iich member joining the new a Kiaee. Mi\ (Jreenway reiilied that he had already talked the mattev over with his friends and and that he (.Mr. (Jreenway) was (niite willing to guarantee, under his govornment, tlu' main- 28 Icmiiiie (f the llioii existin>< coiKlition of inatlors vvitli regard 1. To Hc^piiruto ( 'at liolii; school^. 2. To llie olllcial use of Die Krcneli liiiiKiiHi?e. U. To the Kri'tiili eleiloral tli\ isioiis. I received tlie fi.NSdraiues of tlie said Hon. 'I'hoiiias Greenvvay as ahos e slated to me. and I i)niiiiiscd him that I vvouldcoiivc.v I he same to iiis Ki'a(eth<;ar(hbi.shoi), and I fiirt tier told him that I belie\t'(l his assurances so made wouUl j?ive great salisfaclioii to his grace. The said lion, Thomas (Jrccnway then pro posed to conu^ agai!! on the following day to rec(!ive an answer as lo tlie nomination of tlie French meml)er of liiscaliinet : hnt I iold itim Dial I would not put liim to that in<'on\e- nieni (■; Ijutliiat I uo\ild meet him in Winni- peg on the following day for thai purpose and it was then agreed l)e( ween myself and him that such meeting should taki^ jilace on ihe following morning in Mr. Alloway's ofHee, at Ihe hour of nine o'clock. This "llnishe'l the lirst interview I had witli the said Hon. Thomas (ireenway. I Miring all the time that elapsed between the introduction of Mr. (Jreenway and the end of said interviciw. as ai)0ve set out and his de- liart.ure from said residence on tiiat da>', Mr. VV. K. Alloway was personally present and heard all thai took i)laee between the said Hon. Thomas Greenway and myself as abo\ e slated by me. In pursuance of my promise, I, on the said day of the interview, visited liis grace the ai'ehbishoj) in his bedroom and re- ported to him fidly and faithfully what had tak(!ii i)lace at said interview. His grace expressed his satisfaction and in- structed me to answer the Honor ble Thomas (Jreenway that he would throw noobsticle in the way of his administration, and that I could say to him that his grace would have no objection to Mr. I'rendergast being taken into tlu; new cabinet as a French representative, and his grace par ticularly re(iuested me to convey to Mv. Greenway the satisfaction given to him by the assurance and promise made lo me by the said Mr. Greenway. On the following morning, in pursuance of the appointment so nnide, I attended at the ollicte of Mr. Alloway in Winnipeg, and then, again, met the said Hon. Tliomas (ireenway, and I t.hen comnninicated to him the message of his grac(!, so entrustcid to me as above set on I. and ^I I'. Greenway then (expressed to me his personal gratification at the said message and altitude of his grace, and he then assured me that faith would be kept by his go\ernment with '''s grace; and. then again, and in spccitle tci ir tipeated to me the assurances that— Film -The ("alholic separate schools. Secondly The otHeial use of French lan- guage. Thirtt The number of French eon.stituencies would not be disturbed during his adminis- tration. T had promis(!d not to violate the (;onfldence of the hon. Mr. Greenway by disi-losing the parti(-ulars of said lu-omises and assu- rances by the said ^Ir. (ireenway on the floor of the li;gislature, notwithstanding that he had \iolated the terms of same before that time, and but for such open denial by him of such jjromises and his mistalemenls of what look place, I would not have felt at liberty to now disclose the same. Mr. W. F. Allow :iy was present at bis office during the second interview with said Hon. Thomas (ireenway, as abo\ e set out, and re- maining in tlxM-oom where we were closeted during much of time during which said second interx lew lasted. And I make this solemn declaration conscient- iourtly believing the same to be true and by virtue of the aet respecting extra judicial oaths. (Signed.) J. Ai.i.akd, O.M.I., V.G. Declared before me at the town of St. Uoni- face, in the county of Selkirk, this l«t day of Aitril, A.I»., l.S!»2. (Signed.! .\i,K.\. Haocakt, Commissioner in I{.U., etc. Manitoba, county of Selkirk, to wit : I, William Forbes Alloway, of the city of Winnipeg, in the county of Selkirk, banker, do solemnly declare that I have seen and read the statulory declaration of th(! Very llev. Viiar- General Allard, nnide before Alexander Hag gart, a commissioner of H.H. etc,, on this Isl day of Aj)ril. A. I)., lH!l2,and I say that I was present as therein stated by him, and I did on said first occasion introduce the Hon. Thomas (ireenway to tl e \ icar-general, and I say that the account of said interview, as set out in said ileclaration of the vi, O.M.I., V.(;. town of St. Uoiii- Ikirk. tliis Iht day of ;. H.\()(;.\KT, inner in H.U., etc. I{. to wit : 'ivy, of the city of Selkirk, banker, do e Huen and read the ! Very Unv. Vicar- re Alexander Hag- '. etc,, on this Ist I say I hat I was him, and I did on 5 the Hon. Thomas ral, and I say that w, as set out in said feneral, is true in J of the said intor- ranspired hcstween 'hos. Green way. I'csent at my bank- ay, when the \ icar riiomas Greenway lit made the day of the interview m on that second nises and pledffes tieral's said state- said second inter- ly then expressed ed with the atti- j, the archbishop, d expressed sneli It in my presence 1 declaration con- to be true and b,\ iiK extra Judicial W. F. Al.I.OWAY, 1st day of April, Winnipeg, in the T Tll'l'lOK, ioner in B. II., etc. clearly that the t into office only lost formal and ntenance of the anguage and of ey then existed ceived. More- that the Hon. If, before com- repeated assur- mal and more eutenant, Hon. 16 subject. LOWED TIIOHJ'J er as being the has been very kind, and has the most mul- lonths of 188H hree convoca- ssembly. The ry, and it was e sixth parlia- at having been the 28th of August and recalled for its second session on the isth of Xoveiiiber. Durin;;; these few months the lieutenant-governor had to ascend his throne not less than ten times; to read three speeches of opening, three of closing and moreov^i- give his assent to different measures i. four (liller- ent times. There were no less than eight prorogations and the dissolution of the sixth |>arliament after its second session. The three sessions taken collectiv.'jy occupied two hnmlrcd andsixty-four days, in the course of which there were but seventy seven consecrated to meetings, and this, in counting those during which the Speaker was aloi\e and had to adjourn himself. Therefore the legislators sat for only seventy days. Nevertheless much work was done, for the lieutenant-gov- ernor assented to ninety-ffve new measures. Among these measures three were to amend the school acts. It had been promised to respect their distinctive character and this was done. The amend- ments are specially on administrative matters; for an instance, the government took away from the board of educa- tion all pecuniary responsibility ; it constituted itself the treasurer of the board and would pay itself all accounts. It is easy to see that this was centralization witli a diffidence, which, besides was clearly expressed. The board, accustomed to certain courtesy, could not help seeing immediately that it had come under an al)solute regime, and that it was governed by men whose dis- tinctive diaracter was not civility. Whatever may have i)een the mode em- ployed, in this there was no (juestion of principle and the Catholic section showed no opposition. f:i>K(TORAI, ANIMOSITY. The elections were not an unknown thing during this short period. Besides eight partial elections there were genera! elections for the thirty eight electoral districts which had l)een created by re- distribution during the sec-ond session of the sixth parliiiment. Those elections were so favorable to the new Go\ ernment that we may nearly state that they were pernicious to them. Ten among the lead- ers and partizans were elected by acclam- mation ; twenty-three others obtained their seats at the polls and the Opposition numl)ered but live members. This was a dangerous success for men who were not accustomed to triumph and powcr;the completeness of the ffrst inspired the absolutism in the second. Strange to saj'. and this proves that extrenies meet; irri- tation seized upon them and they swore revenge aa if they had been beaten. Al- thousch the opposition was small it had manifested and affirmed itself in the con- test that had taken place in twenty eight electoral divisions. In the six French dis- tricts there liad been one election by acclamation in favor of the government, and in the five others four government candidates were eli:r;d. Nevertheless, t he government had beenhuit by what had been said and written on the occasion, and it thought of vengeance. I had ah^a\s refused to believe the lumoistliat circulated concerninu this, when my as sent was given to them on a testimony which I cannot challenge. 1 prolit of this ( ircum>tat ce to give my opinion as to elections. With a con.stitu- •.•"!i like ours the vole of the electors must 1)1' free, and if in live nut of the six electoral divisions the snllVaj.' 's havt- not l)e.en unanimous, the aih i-isarics of the I'atliDlics should see in th>it a proof of the liberty of action of electors anmng us. As to the hard things which were said to have been spoken or written, 1 do not know them. If they have taken place I cannot do otherwise than blame them and blame them so nmch the more as they are of a practice unfortunately too common during elections in Canada; this goes so far that, for my part, I cannot help being grieved liy it. 1 dislike reading in the newspapers articles concerning elections to avoid the regret of finding the abuse they too often record, and which, if they were true, would prove that all our political men are, often all and without distinction, a band of criminals unworthy of the Icf-st confidence. \o, I am not a partisan of such tactics, I repudiate them as nmch as I can and on all occasions; but I confess that I fliul childish the attitude of those who, notwithstanding their custom of almsing their adversaries, are angry ;ind swear veitgeance because four of their candidates were opposed and yet were victorious. I confess that I consider as more chivalrous, in its sort, the con- duct of one of our late governors whose pen was too often dipped in gall against his adversaries. One day while believing he had excelled in this practice he was ftiUy repaid with his own money anil seeing, on the other side of the street the man who inllicted upon him such a chastisement, he crossed the road, affectionately shook hands with him saying: "This time you have paid me weil, but let us not forget that we are old friends." A general election took place in .Jan- uary 18S!»; I was sick in Montreal, some telegraphed from Ottawa to Winnipeg that the archbishop of St. Boniface forced the Federal government in favor of a can- didate who surely had not the sympathies of the Manitoba government. The news was entirely false from the first to the last word, btit like all other lies it had its effect and strengthened the determi- nation to make the Catholics pay for the supposed fault of their bishop. Positive and sure testimonies are required to believe such things and had 1 not such testimony I would have considered those rumours as unworthy of credit. I.NTEHPKOVIXCIAI, ( ONKKKEXl K. The disallowance of a "-ailway act had had a great result in th . country, but one ' I >!' SO irmst not believe tliiit the excitement raised l)y thi.H fccienil veto extended to every p()s.sil)le di.stillovvan(;e. The (Jreen- way government itself ^ives the proof at least inii»licit tliat it was not so. On tlie 7Lh May, IHSS, tlie premier, seconded by the hon. attorney K^in'ral, moved what follows : " That this ho>ise approve the resolution of the interprovincial confer- ence held in the city of (Quebec, October last ," and the next clay the resolution was ad()))ted by a stronj^ majority. In this conference of Quebec, the pre- miers of the five most ancient provinces of the Dominion, with the aid of tifteen of their colleagues, had made a special study of the British North America Act, 1H(57, in view of askinjj; amendments from the Imperial parliament on certain points. "Twenty years of practical ex- perience had shown c.'uses of conflict between t he government and the legisla- tures of the Dominion and of the prov- inces ; grave omissions had been dis- covered in the disposit.ions of the act; several ideas generally admitted and understood were not expressed and the true meaning and intention of several im- portant dispositions of the act were ob- scure." In this examination of the constitution of the country the twenty statesmen, as- sembled in conference, pointed out seven- teen points to which could be applied some of the inconveniences already men- tioned and concerning which they thought "that the constitution ought to be amend- ed and' revised in order to preserve pro- vincial autonomy so essential to the fu- ture prosperity of Canada." Let it be well remarked, in this elaborate work of the twenty learned members of the con- ference, not a word was said concerning the French lan{.,uage or the separate schools. Conseijuently, in the mind of Hon. Mowat, Mercier, Fielding, Blair, Nonjuay and other representatives of the five provinces, there was nothing to be amended, no clanger to be feared against the autonomy of the provinces, in the dis- positions of the Britisii Nortli America Ac,t 1S(>7, in the use of the two official lan- guages as well as in the maintenance and defence of separate schools. Then, Mr. Greenway, his government and the parliament of Manitoba, while adopting in ISSH the resolutions of tl'e interprovincial conferance of Quebec, recogni'.ced,at least in an implicit but very clear way, that th« privileges we claim have none of the inconveniences discover- ed by the representatives of the govern- ments of the five ancient provinces in the seventeen points of the constitution, and also none of the inconveniences they de- tected in six points of the other Canadian legislations. rOLiriCAL SCANDALS. The period of which wo speak had very remarkable reactions and antitheses. The Norquay government had been crushed tried to a|)ply fallen ministry. less fortunate. by a railway; the collision of the disallovr- ance had killed it; the whistling of the steam so compressed had made its acute accents heard in the whole Prairie Prov- ince. To those notes already so dis- agreeable were Joined others as false as they were discordant. Scandals, and specially railway scandals, as well as election scandals, are at our epoch powerful tools in politics. It was their force to the Its successors were yet True it is they succeeded in the extension of their line, on placing their demands and so completing the sys- tem they had planned; but the scandals ! They were profusely published. Let it be well remarked by the reader, if I write the word scandal it is not to join in with those who have said ao much about this ■irticle, but only to show how much this period of our history has been full of movement and with what rapidity the most contradictory events have succeeded one another. Besides, no one ignores the fact that there have been serious, and very serious accu> deljiil ul inter nal udi.iinislrnlion. nnri in no \v,iv to tlic pro- pei'ly of t lie iiiniiiint indii'iitc"!, ttie iiinoMnl is (leriiledly a \. sled riL;lit aiied in the let tcr of tin? hon. s(m- relary of state, nf the r.'tliof .Inly. ISSI), tlio Ciilliolic siM'lion of tin' h.inrd of ednciition iinthori/es its superintendent to liand (t\ cr to the prnvincial I reasnrei- llie sum >!!i;t.H7'.(. t". Ite- in^ llic r^ : "I. The reser\ e fund was raistul and ac(M'ned in aci'oi'danee with the disiiosilinns of tin- Mdncalional acts then in \i;^orin Itu.' [iro- \ ince: "2. Tills reserve ha-i hoen mali' possible he- cause 1 li'! niend)ers of the Catholic section not (udy administ-t'i-ed the school fnnds with the siricieHl economy, hut also in many instanceH liel|icd lij pei'^Diial sacritlce*. ;i. The projicrty of lhi~ reserve fund is a vesti'd rii,'hl to the ( alhnlic sclnxds of tlie pro- vini'e. t licrcf((i-c Ihiise wle' iidministercd it until to-da> are persuaded that llie Kovern- tneid will not chanKe its destination and will init un that ai'connl diminish the ordinary jfiants in accdi'lance with the positive assu- rance that the ^i<\ CI mncnt has ^jx-en us in the ahov (' ineiitioiicil letter of the huii. secret ai'y of state. Onthe"J2nd of .Inly, these resojntiotis were handed over to the government with the reserve fund. None of tin- laws then existinu autlioii, justice dictated tlijit lliey should he employed for the henelil of the ('atholic scliools to whicli the^ lielonged. The Catholic sect ion of the board of i duea- tion ii sisted that this money be distributed to the schools, no ac- count was taken of its just claims; the amount was put with the eonsolidat»'d funds of the province. The honorable provincial treasurer counted them as one nf the savings made by the administra- tion. It was inerely and simply an illegal spoliation and a lla^rant injustice. Th(! little ewe laiol) of the poor man was lleeced, nothing was left but to "dress it for the man that w.is come." wanted on this 1 If more details wen qiu'stion one may consult the letter 1 have addressed to the l''ree I'ress on the 21st of .\ugust, ISSi), and specially the admirable speed) made by die lion. .lames 1']. I*. I'lendeigast before the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba on the 12th of March. 1S!N), on page 10 of the pamphlet. to our young of spending :ind regret of )od ; of those tted to the lad but the le amount of blic accounts. me by the to which our )HHKr). in denomin- 'ish schools, many sheep, lad nothiiiK at . and when the ricli man e, and dressed to him.'- (II ere is what government ay, millions :v> ;<. TltK WAV IIIK I'KOMISIIS WKHM \ lOI.ATIOI). It WHH cusy to. sec that nti iiMii will wns lfn' (lirt'ctiiij;^ arm of tin- piov iiicinl ad- iiiini.stiation, that tills will tiiiiU no lit-id (»f ol)slacli'H or it'sisidiH'c. I may atitl that (h'licacy in chuo.sinj; lorm.s uml means ♦ lid not st'cm to \u: the olt.jicl of the nt'W Manitolin L'ov fi iiini-nl. All was uhsohiH'. Wliiitmur may have bt-tMi as to I host! «lis- posltions, no out! rxpi-ctcd tliat explicit, pronusuN, irivcn in soltMnii circiimstanc'cs, in t lu' ttrt'st'ncf of nnmiTous wilncsM's, would lio put asidi; uftci' a few mcuiths, fspccialiy when wi' consider that such promises liail assured power for the new administral irm. and that ahsolulely noth- iu;i; had heen maidlesied hy pulilie opin ion, I do not say to justify, liut even to excuse in any way the violati«)ti of assur; atu'cs fiiven in the name of the parly tliat wished to he in nower and ^jiven l)y t)ie leaders themselves of that, party. That astonishiufj; inconsistency, that criudnal at)and()ninf< of the most ele- mentary nood faith, all this was (h)iie withotit cause, without provocation, as without hesitation. It was In the hctiiu- nitif? of Au^inst. iS,S!>, that the provincial ministers miMh' their debut in that new way of inlldelity to ))roiinses. Mr. Dalton McCarthy arrived in tho country; he made a spi!ecli tliat should surprise those who jirett /id that no one in the province o'' t,Jiiet)cc has the ri^ht to speak in favor of the Citholic schools of Manitoba. Hut it seems that when it is desired to watie war and fome'it hatred against what is Catholic and helonj^infj; to the French lanf]fuaji;e. then everyone has everywhere absolute ri^h' Mr. McCarthy knew his people, he used this privilege to speak to some who would applaud him when he said : "All our energy is needed and let it hewell understood that in every electoral division, a candidate, should he he Grit or Tory, Conservative or Liberal, must make an unequivocal profession of faith that his principles must be solid and that no influence from Ottawa will lie able to cause him to swerve from such determination." That coalition , Ued for by Mr. McCarthy was tu result in the abolition of Catholic schools, in the suppression of the olticial use of the French language, and the speaker ad- ded: "(Jrealer difliculties will arise in proportion to the strengthenine: of the ac- quired rights." The adversary of the Cat- holics thus recognized that they had ac- (piired rights. The Hon. Joseph Martin spoke and na turally he should hav(! said: "But I have promised to protect and defend those ic (piircd rights: it is on account of such pro- mise that I am a provincial minister, and '^ven the attorney-general. In honor, in jus'^ice, in position, I am bound to respect those ac(iuired rights." But this he did not do. On the contrary he moved that the most heartfelt thanks of the audience be tendered to Mr. McCarthy for the add resM he had given. "He thought lliat Mr. McCarthy had struck the key note when he said that the (|Uestions to which he had alluded should l««much considered and carefully dealt with in this the newest part of Canada. "We must remember as the years roll by, vested Interests will accumulate here, and if we are to ileal with these subjects at all "there is no time like the present. ' "It is not proper to liave two kinds of schools. . . . the great argument in favor of separate schools is the pertin- acity with whi(.h the I'rotestant element has "insisted upon the teaching of relig- ion in the schools, the Boman Catholics could logically say, if religion is to be tauglit there it must be my religion not yours. . . . the Iloman Catholic is "perfectly Justifled in saying, I will not setid my children tc a school where re ligion is taught by a I'ro'eslant and ac- cording to Protestant ideas. If we abolish this iniquity we must say education is to be simpiv eilucation and'religion is to be left for ttie family and for the church. "He proposed to take t.hat position in the House, and stand or fall by it. He asked their sympathy and supnort to settle this (|uestion in the early (lays of the province and to have it disposed of before vested interests arise. "He said ; the Dominion parliatnent may be against us ; the constitution may be against us. but we propo.>-e to appeal to the Federal parliament ; if not successful there then to the parliament across the waters. As to tlie schools, if the consti- tion is against us, we have the right and it is not impossible to obtain from the Imperial parliament an act which shall fix the constitution in accordance with our views and with justice." This quotation suggests many rertec- tions. The attorney-general himself acknowl- edges that Catholics have acquired rights, that they have reason to ask for separate schools as the Protestant element insists upon religious teaching in the schools and that as long as this iniquity is not abol- ished the Catholic is perfectly right in not subjecting his children to t .,vhing according to Protestant ideas, conse- quently, he will ask for the pure and simple secularization of the schools, he acknowledges moreover, that he will per haps be in conflict with the Dominion parliament and the constitution, but that lie intends first to appeal to the Federal parliament and then to the Imperial par- liament in order that the constitution may harmonize with his views. Here is another conclusion forced on the reader; Portage la Prairie, where Mr. Martin made the above remarks, is about forty miles from the place in St. Francois Xavier where, in such an energetic way, he had promised to respect and cause to be respected, to maintain and cause to be maintained the Catholic schools and the olli an ela Au su- mil mo vie I th> \\o deH el» sc the ab( wh his thi spt Th of •>•» >ll1 Earthy for the add r. M((;iirth.v had I'll \\i^ said t hilt lUv in\ uHiulcd should od caiefnlly doalt , part of Caiiathi. IIS the years roll liy, •uniulale liere, and these HubjectH at e the present. " ave two kinds of leat argument in Im is the jHTtin- roti'stant element eachinK of relig Uoinan Catholics religion is to he my religion not nan Catholic is yini:, I will not school where re o'estant and ac- eas. If we abolish y education is to religion is to he )r the church, that position In fall by it. He and support to le early days of a it disposed of rise. inion parliament constitution may opo!«e to appeal to if not successful anient across the •Is. if the consti- ive the right and obtain from the act which shall accordance witli ce." its many reflec- limself acknowl- e acquired rights, ask for separate b element insists n the schools and lity is not abol- ?rfectly right in Iren to t .vhing nt ideas, conse- r the pure and the schools, he that he will per 1 the Dominion itulion, but that to the Federal he Imperial par- the constitution views. usion forced on •airie, where Mr. emarks, is about e in St. Francois n energetic way, ct and cause to I and cause to be schools and the odicial Use (it the Ficiich liinguaKf. if is an easy task to tind hi»w many months elapsed l»»'twei'n .lanuary, "IHMM. and August, IMHU. No one, perhaps couhl have suspected that at a distance of forty nUU's and in an interval of nineteen months, the same man could express views so diametri<'ally oppo>»-d. It is also at the beginning of August, that lion Mr. Smart, minister of public vMirks, ha«i said that the tfovernment was (h'cifh (i to oriiig about Mome radical change in the Hdministiation of the schools. At tirsi the premier denied that the governmeni had the intention of aitolishing the Catholic schools. After what had )>et'ii saiil liy two of his colleagues lie kept silent on this burning (|uestioM in the long speech he delivered at Wawunesa. That silence had its contrast in the words of Hon. Mr. Smart: "Iddiiul >vuiit Id ^^l,\ aiiytliiiiK bin! ahoul Koiniiii ( 'iUliolics, he woiilii iiol wisli tliiil siicli an intent iiiii l)(Miltril>iilc(l tu iiini. They de- sire to Imve i heir ritthts as vvell u> any Other cla>s of ihc |i()|iiilati()ii and he will diifeiid I hem a-^ ciii'i'Kcl ically as lliosc of ( he I'roti^st - aiils. As |() Ihc s( liool (|iie-li(Mi, he does not vvani to PO-.C himself as a icformcr of cdiica- lioii, 1)111 a> the (|ucslioii tiiis hecn hefoi'c the K<)\ernmciil he speaks in a practical iioint of \icvv. lie Ihiils .treat anom;llil^s in Hie scfiool la,\v. I do Mill waul my remarks on this i|iicstinii lo be inlcrpretcd as favorahle to tlic aholilion of sepa'ate schools. F'or I hi' moment I am nol I'cady to express an opinion and I do nol (U'sire to discuss the «|Uustion to know if the princiiile of graining state aid to a separates school is pmil or harl, . . . The whole system will be dir'/clly put under tlie control of a responsible minister of the crown anil the same rules will be applied to separate schools as to Protestant schools." The challenge was given in spite of the hesitation of the premier, and of the reti- cence of his colleagues; the attorney- general had given his programme ; he re- solved to fall or obtain complete seculari- zation. He wants to abolish at the same time the Catholic schools that are as much public as the others and the Protes- tant schools that are as much separate as those of the other section. We will see that the attorney-general will succeed only in a part of his project. He will abolish the Catholic schools he has prom- ised to maintain and will maintain the Protestant schools lie has promised to secularize, but whicdi, despite his energy, will continue to be what he liimself calls "an ini<|uity."' HKHKiNA'PION' OK I'HI': HON. SK'.'RKTARV OK STATK. I3ut some may say, what was done by Hon. .lames i'rendergast, provincial sec- retary!' He only did what an honorable man c mid do under the circumstances. He suffered, protested, and gave in his resignation; a resignation imposing on him sacrifices, known and appreciated only by his nearest friends. "L'Ouest Canadien," a weekly journal, established and directed l>y the lion, piuxincial seero tary. was also to disappear. Its last issue aMiounced, with emotion, to the Catholic p jpulation, and specially to the French element, the sa, \Hm, (Hansard, iH'.Cb : "The manner in which the separate school systi^m was abolished (in !Manitol)a) was bar- barous, brutal and butcherly. J lielieve as has been explained by ni.\ honorable frienil from Pro\eiicher (.Mr. llalti vitrei thai I he proeeediiiK^ IhUcii liy the local (government of •ilaniloba to (lass and carry out the school act were such as to givi! the impression that it was their intention lo add insult to injury and to hurl, in excry way in their power, the feel- intcs of the Itoman ('alholic minority of the l)rovinco from which 1 come." That a memlier of jiarliament should speak in such a way, things must have been carried \ery far. THE WAY TIIK .MINOttll' V WAS IKKATKI). I would not like to fatigue the reader by a recital of all the injustices we suffered, nor tell all the calumnies heaped upon us, nor the disdain with which we have been treated, nevertheless, as it seems import- ant that the reader should have an idea of our position, I will quote a few facts : To excite the cupidity of ignorant peo- ple against Catholic .schools, a minister of state presumed to say that "the Catholic schools received twice and even three times more of government money than Protestant schools." However, according to law, the legislative grant was divided between the sections. Catholic and i^rotestant, of the board of education, in pro rata of the school population. For this, the census was made each year iiy the trustees of the different districts; sucli census was sworn to and .sent the government. The government made the repartition of monies. How then, after this, can a member of the aiiiirn liirci'dii «'(intix('iit«'il liv il. mill i'iilar>;i' wimt il nillt'il iiH I'lidiniiiicM. tlt'll with l.lii.H .s|inliilliiill Not liiin. Till' iriMiil't-rs ol tht* litmiil ot t'du cutiuii. all iiaiiifti liy I In- (dtovcriiiiiiiit, had MjilJH t ill' (iiiilrol anil tlii'ccl Kill iif tlirir i'«'>p«'(: llilril tivt' srcl iiili^. I'lu' (Irpllt it'» lit till' pHI'liu or^aii lit'uaii to iriMill I In- Catliiilii iiniit .■Irctnl l>y I hi- proplr, I In- Mills's Nectiiiii lit 111!' luiai-l, -ayinvt ilial naiiitiMiv ( In- cr.iwn, wfii' all visitors, i'\ ittt IIKMIlhl-IN " lull! lllM'll iililivci'l to ilisKotgi' that sum Id vvliirli I lit-v ■aiiti'il to «ivt' a iiii-^ajiin'op; lat ion " iltirii It fsl ilfs tliosi* Nvlio (liii'i'ti'il anil iiisprcti'il llii-in spiiiiall.V, tin- sciiool luiil ^ ^^. ^. iliclflnii' foit V nix otliiT pi'isniiM to \N llDlll AldiiK with ims tin- liasi-,;al ion li'stants; i he i I hidr oliservatioiiH. Ayain. aeididimt to law , I wo piihlie ex- iiinatioiis were to lak« plaec every year. the must deliiaie andidev aled >eiiliiiienl» of the Chris! iaii Miiil; tliev are leli liy all silieere and enllKlileiied t'atholiis, they fi,,. s,inie lnw ililijii-d "the tinsli-e's to art' stren>;tlieni(l hy the (•■achln^of (lie >iive iin an ai hisi lops vvlio, I II th hoi* iimveisi' h.ivi III (Hint of their administ rat ion ilie Ms>.-uil>'ii s. Aw'ii". hy ihelaw, Imt one voiei-. that ol t;on(l slu'pherds who ,1,,. snpeiinlendent ot ea' h >eit ion had lo (h'sire to protect the tender landis of llnii lloeks; hesides, their aceeiils are hut I he (io\ i-nioi in ("ouiieil. This report was to echo of t.hi' Kieal voice (if the .supreme ^\y^. „i| infoiiiiatioii concerninn the cliools, all t heir receipts and expenses. make an annual rei>ort lo the l.ieiileiiant (!ov enior in ( (luiici pontiirvvho puts hoth the pi^tors and the tlo(d< on their Kiiard ajiiiiist all teac'h otc. ere. These prescriptions of the law iiiK tlmt iunores Cod and the doctrine ot were, always sci npuloiisjy followed. hrs Christ/. Those vie .1 1 1 Ciifholic family aie iintoi t nnately nut le mint Those reports were made annually, they ere rereivcd Ity t he (iovernmeiil . prinled HJuireii in hy all those u ho an- not in its In its orders, and dist iihiiled to all tin fold, hut they eominaiiil the respect of all nciiilicvs of t he legislature and to many those who dwell in splnrcs hiyh enough others, .\lter tlii.s some endeavor to (luj to soar ahove vulnar prejudiees. It. set'ins ,|,,. ijj;,,,»ianee of the puhlie and e.\eite thf that all reverend doilois do not dwell fnnat icism of t he populace, saying: : "LoL in tfio»e spheres; at le.isi, one ol them has prfived it hy the way he treats and appreciates t he ("athnlie (•onscience : "I'hose so-called scruples of con-cieiiee, said he, are hut the jj,ii(d' experienced hv a farmer when one ot his horses is slain hecause Iroiihled with L'landers." 1 1 Is with .such distinct ion of lannuaue and such elevation ot mind that this man comes forward as the relormer of Catholic .schools, whose promoters and supporters he calls "uncirciimcised I'hilist ines. ' The pagans covcned with tloweis and (Miia meiits the victims of the saiiilice; here some cover with dirt those who tiyto proti^ct the victim tha,t is to he immolat- ed. Besides such indiup'ties. some foniiii lated other accusations, vhich. alihoiiuh less i?ross, are not the less dangerous, nor less proper to excite popular jirejudices. Here are a few points which some have dealt with : SIICIU'.CV. It has been allirnied that Cai.!">!ic schools were private institutions, escip- iuK ivll control and acting in secrecy. The.se false a.ssertions found tlieir echo and carried suspicion even among men from whom something better should be expected. Besides, here is tlie epitome of a few dispositions of the law. Each Catholic school, like the others, was under the administration of at least three trustees, elected hy the ratepayers of the district; each school received, .several times a year, the visit of us aholisli (laiholic schools, they are private institutions, my>ti'i ioiisly con diicicil, closed to public inspection, with- lait aii> control bin that of the clergy, who Use tliein for "'tin il beiielit." It is e\ idenr that inste.ul ot being too secret we may s.iy that our schools were too public, and I know more than one who would allirm that t he Catholics of .Mani- toba would feel hajipy to be freed from those exigencies (.'' the law. J do not blame those >v»hj th iik thiil woy ; tlieoielii ally -ipeaking they ha.ve a hundred rimes ieason. On the otiuji' hand, however jus! and true may be the theories, one must also recognize, their ada))tability to the exigeiu'cs imjio.sed by the slate of society in which we live. The church possesses that wisdom of adapta- tion like her wisdom in other things, and she piesci ibes it soiiiel imes to her child- icii and lo their pastois, as long as there is no sacrilice of piinciple. NATUKK Of (AI'HOl.R' SCHOOLS. IJut, had you a practical education^ As this (|uestion is agitated in a manner a little too indetinite, I will restrict my an- swer to giving the practice ot teaching followefl in the Catholic schools of Mani toba. I'ndoubtedlv, free thinkeis and secrtarian error will say that our schools were inferior; this is one of the assertions of tho.se who do not know them. For an answer J oiler to the examination of those who know something about elementary education the proerammes prescribed and foil itol illll th U). II IJ. II. 1.). vverl tet Jtpei wa.- in tl folh mui tiie tale pie litl X It' liDiud ot I'dii <<»\t;inriiiiif, hiid of (litii' rt'.Npcc; itN i»l till' pllt'liu |»l'', till' jiid^t'N !• nil visitors, i>\ ic» \\(.|,. >; II spcriHi hook kviili llic ru»|iit'Hi )t)M. , I «0 |Mll)lic «'X- lace rvfi'v .Vfiir. Im' trustees to iiiliiiiiijstiiitioii till. ll.V III*' lii'.v, 1 >«'clioii liail to the Mciiteniiiit, is rt'jMiit WHS to loiiceriiitiK 'lu' •uid I'Vpciises, 1)1 IN of file l;uv |>1.V followed, iiniiUHlly, tliey iimt'iil. piiiited •■'i t|Kis. and ) her ehild- iiK fis there IMOOLS. Iieatioii;' As manner a |iiet niy an- )t teueliiiig Jills of Mani- linkers and }ur schools assertions [1. For an |on of those elementary Jcribed and followed in the Citholic m hools of Man iloha in IHNI. iha' they may jiidv(e of liie In.iii^liie of the leproueli .Idre^-ed to them. rUOUIiAMMI. Ill I l>l I \ I Iti.N. I, I l< 11' II r ll lUlil KimlMi. iii('ii<4iirHl inn aiiil ItrllKKIII" ill-lriK'liiill Itl llle rhllll- KiiiiWe. J. ItemliiiK. I :t. .S|H'lliii<. I t. liriiiiunai ami aiiiil\ ^i-> i ,'). ( llllllKI.-llillll I li. I'i'IIIIIIIIInIiIIi. 7< li'ticar ilravN iiiK, S. ('al( ulalioii, ariliiiiietU ai^eluii. 1). lliiokkeeiiiiiK, >iiiKl<' anil diinhli' iiilry. 10. I iri)Xi*ii|ili.v of all pari ''< (if I lie \s(ii'lil.' 11. S:ieied lii-.lnt\, hNtiiry uC CiMiailii. HiiK- land and KiMiice. I'J. (iiioil li<'liii\ luur, polit.eiier-M and bi.l'l)lllil)^ IIDSS. I'X Voeal niiisli . II. UHetiil knowledge, dmn ili< iiutHt nidi- Ilietltal'V In I he flclileiit- ul' pli.V-.i<'N, t'.lieln- iclry, a;;t'i<'uli.ure and .i-l inhinny. ]■'). H'or I III' K'il'l'-'. diilili;''! K' t'('nlinln,\ , oDNN illKi (■nilii'iiid'M N . I'll.'., elf. I'lii.s prii^iaiiiine and lis . I do not pn-teiid to. say that it, WHS fullv (allied out in >ina[l loitalil ie.s or in the inosi tJeincnlHiy si liools, lail it was followed ill M'hooi.s iiiori- numerous and more re;^iilar).\ allendid: for all il was the oliject III lie ainii'd ai. I do not hcsi- taliMosfiN that I. Ills pillar imiiie is coin- piele enough tor elemental > sehools; very little i-.\peiienef Mitlii I's to com ineo one of the fact that it is perliaiis a lillle Lim> loaded, specially on aeeiiunf of the two hiiiKuaKes. The country was not sulli eiently se( tied to pel mil any one to e.x- pect the full dev elnpuu-nl of our institu- tions, but I unhesnal iiijil) alliriii that if the pri);iressi\ e inareh of our schunls had not been delay»(l by the persecutions a^.;ainst us we \\er«! on the eve of seeiiijj; the wliole of the Cath olie children of Manilobn freiiueiitinjj: school.s able to lival with advuutaL;i' the best schools in other Canadian provinies. We were alumt to harvest the fruits of enorin:)Us labors and s.urilices, when hostili! laws came to darken the horizon, create iiesv dilliculties and delay the lull reali/ation of our work. I have .just spoken of injuries and cal- umny hcivped upon us, I should be un just did I not spi-ak of what was done to the contrary, I mu-.t say it and say it honestly a great number of the first citi- zens of Manitoba liave shown tlieir most hearty and f.ceneious symijathit.'s. Those outward events have unfoitunattdy brok- en our relations with iiien wluuii we had always ie-pei:ted and esteemed, but on the other liand tliey have st lenjithened the agreeable bonds which unite us to others of our separated brethren. Testi- monies from p 'ople of high position have consoled and encouraged u.n. The most important newspaper of tlie country took, on the school question, an attitude tlmt was not understood by those >> ho ^eem to think that in man att must be venal. We have not been able to reward t lie edit or«. ot the .Manitoba Free Press f»)i the altitude >.o generous, so frank and su sincere thev inainlained in our favnr: may 1. at least, be allov\ed to teiuier to them the expression of a gratitude, vlvi nod.s ot other deiioiiiinations. An ap- peal svas made to the Christian sentiment of populations; the dantzcr> ot scIiooIh w It hoiit religious instruction and exer- cises \> ere stated. The. thesis of the ne- cessity of jirayer and the Ibble in the schools was sustaiiu'd as indispensable, The teacher must lie a Christian, lie must pra> wiih his scluilais, leach the eoiii' miiinlmi'nis, make instructive spcieehes; the almospliere of the school must be (hristiaii. the moral taught in them must bi' founded on the word of (iod, etc., etc. Alter this we could naturally liope lliat those gentlemen would say; "' licave the schools ati they are; we have .)ur I'rolestant schools, we have made them siidi as we wished, t«> be c insi>Ntent with onisel\e.> and just toothers we are forced to say, let the I alholics have their own schools also." The sent iiiieiu of .just ice and logic has not been strong enough to enloic.e such con- clusions and we had the strange e.vperi- erne (d' men of iiigh standing showing rln-mstdves siillicienlly inconsistent and unjust to say : '■|,cn\(' ii-i our ri'otestiint scIkmiIs with the aiiiiiuiil III i'('ligi(ai> iii.-licd Us in till.' |)a-.t and will .satisfy lis in the fuliire. J.eave in our ^.IkuiIs t lie Hihie, the li'^H'iiiiig (if till' Coniinaii'liiients, etcetc. It i- ciiDii^,')). if >ciii iire 111 lea\e the inanaKeiiient .'iiiil t lie di^ri|iline of oui' s<'li()ols in I'rotostrtiU liaiids, and it all the hniiks are to he choHeii ac- coi'iliiig Ul (iiir own \ iews. Kiit by all invtiiis, iii'-li-'>_\ the sciiool- of ilie Ivoniisli church and if yiiii .ire not iihle to do tliat.at least, dear u'ov ri'iior and -^lale, siiiroMiid those Udinlsh in-ti! lit ion-; u itii -ucli dilllrid ties tliat.at least, a few of the noM-iirael ieal I 'at holicrt will nhject 111 ilicir siiii|i()i'l at their private (.'Xpeiiso, aial then we w dl iia \ c ( 'at Imlic cliildreii under our mriiieiicf. Mf>i'eo\ er heciuit ioiis.lieiieeforth call our dear institutions, '['ul)lic nc:- sectarian schools.' The nunie yon know goes for every- thing at a di-taiice. and that name will sound etfei'tively ill Ontario and across the waterrt. ■Some of us will seiiil our declaration to the Iji'isy council aiul it will liii\e an iinpnrtaiil cll'ect on 1. '11! decision,' The name will do our work, and \'. c shall havcoiir Protestant schools exactly iis we had thcin." They could have ailded that the Papists will liave the lilierty to meclitate on the progress of modern ideas and be convinced liy themselves that the spirit that dictat- ed the old penal laws is not dead but that it has been modified by the light of our times, but has become more' astute and ingenious while remaining the same. No surrender I 36 U DKMANI* OK SEC'l'l-AKl/.ATION. Other vi'jws were manifested by the claim of complete .secularization. Some said : "But the Catholics have as much right as others to the application of their ideas in matters of education; the Protes- tants are but a sect or an aglomeration of sects. Any school becomes sec- tarian the moment any form of religious exercise or teaching is introduced therein ; the moment the Old or the New Testament is taught in it. The Jews reject the Gospel and the J^ord's prayer, the Bible and prayer do not suit agnostics. The Christians themselves do not a«j;ree upon the division of the com- mandments. Instructive speeches, in- teresting anecdotes falling from the lips of a Protestant teacher run the risk of not being pleasant to the earsof all the pupils; if, for an instance, he relates some of those ridiculous fictions attributed to Papists ; their authorized books may con- tain many things disagreeable to the parents of the pupils. The word sectarian schov ' u ;s not simply mean a Catholic school, y^aXj also a school is which a system is followed in harmony with the ideas of a sect or different sects. If you wish Public schools to be really non-sectarian Li ' ■ that this word may not be a derision, J ua must choose secularization pure and hi'-^jle, otherwise your schools are odious- ly sectarian. In the present case they are d.' jbly unjust towards Catholics, for not only 'io you deprive them of their rights, but, moreover, you want to impose upon them your ideas; you thus show your- selves more sectarian and less sincere than they. At least the Catholics grant you as much hs they claim for themselves, they do not hide under false pretences the teaching and spirit they desire to see pre- vailing in their schools, while you want the teaching that suits you, but that un- der a borrowed name." The legislator's opinion was not ripe for the logic of the apostles of secularization; they preferred the unrsasonable and false poi ■cion invoked by the partisans of a realfanaticism although mitigated in its form aud simulated under a false name and pre. ext, and this brought about the actual law. LAWS OF 1890, IN DEFIANCE ISES. OF l>KOM- The third session of the seventh parlia- ment opened on the iiOth January, 18!K). Although it wa^ d'^^ided to revolutionize the Ij^ws of educati ju, it was not thought proper to name a committee to study this ouestion though of such vital importance. Cn the 12th of February, the attorney- general introduced a measure intituled a bill concerning the departnjent of edu- cation and a bill for public schools. The two bills taken together contained 227 clauses of which 171 had been borrowed from the co nsolida ted statutes of Ontario, thirty-one (JtHWS were relics of former school acts of Manitoba, the twenty-five other clauses were something new. All those different elements had to be con- nected together. We must, therefore; be not too much astonished if the cut and sewing of all those heterogeneous patches necessitated remodelling and and mend- ing, which I will indicate further on. The second reading of these important acts had been fixed for the i:ith of Febru- ary but it was not taken up by the house until the 4th of March. Then began tho debates. At the very outset it was easy to see that the govern- ment had enchained the will of its partiz- ans and conse(iuently the five ministers and their twenty faithful supporters formed always and for every vote a body that nothing could move nor affect, during eight days and many nights. The Catholic representatives, who num- bered but six, had had the misfortune af- ter the election, of being divided into three parties, at the moment of danger they forgot those disi-;ensions and united in a common effort. Messrs. Gelley, Je- rome, Lagimodiere, Marion multiplied their attacks by numerous amendments; they tried in vain to make impression on their political friends or adversaries of former days; they were always answered by a vote of 25. Mr. Alphonse Martin at- tacked the leaders, he did so with incred- ible persistence and vigor, being himself deceived so much the more crueltv that formerly he had given his heartiest sup- port to those who to-day forced him to battle against them. Mr. Prendergast placed himself in the foremost position, being endowed with a superior order of literary, historical, polit- ical and social knowledge. Nothing was neglected to defend the Catholics. The five Protestant members of the opposition joined them in the very heart of the battle, but numbers, that ultimate resou>'ce of constitutional regime, crushed every effort. During this fight the parliament repeat- ed the echo of unbecoming statements that had been published before the session. Many members of the as.sembly proved that their education needed retouching. Mr. Sifton, now attorney-general, did not fear to state that "he knew from a well informed friend in Montreal that the de- puties of the province of Quebec were .seated in their legislature only to give force of law to the decrees of the Pope." Those on the door and gallery heard all sorts of statements. Not only were the Cathohcs attacked and despised-^this was expected— but something that sur- prised everyone was to see an old Grit applauded by the government party, when he pronounced insulting words re- ferring to the Hon. McKenzie, Blake, Mils, because some had (luoted words of these rejected chiefs, and which were not in accord with the sentiments then prevailing. On the 12th Mr. Prendergast spoke for three hours ; not only did he make the 37 lew. All } be con- refore; be cut and •s patches 1(1 mend- •ther on. mportant of Febru- ;he house the very e go vera - its parti/- niinisters upporters ite a body 3t, during vho num- »rtune af- ided into )f danger !id united elley, Je- nultiplied indments; ression on rsaries of answered Vlartin at- th incred- g himself leltv that ■tiest sup- iid him to slf in the id with a ical, polit- hing was ics. The opposition the battle, esou''ce of ed every mt repeat- tatements he session, ly proved ^touching, il, did not m a well it the de- jbec were V to give e Pope." sry heard only were (ised— this that sur- n old Grit it party, words re- ie, Blake, words of lich were ents then , spoke for make the best speech of the session, hut lu- iiuide it admirably in every respect. All was useless; speeches, reason and .justice had no more ertect than the numerous peti- tions sent to the legislative assembly. The second reading of the i>ill was de- cided by a vote of ^f) to II ami the mat ter referred to a general committee. KXAMIXATION OF THE HCHOOI, LAWS. The committee's examination revealed all the imperfections of the bills. The committee made 1!);> amendments, 112 other corrections, put aside '21 sections. Amendments do not prove that a law has been rendered perfect or defect- ive, but a bill that is submitt- ed by the consent of its promoters, to more than .'iOO changes or corrections, proves that it had been prepared with more than ordinary negligence and care lessness. As I have already spoken of those school acts, I will only call the attention of the reader to a sub-title at the beginning of the most voluminous ; that sub title reads : Religious exercises, and occupies the three clauses H, 7. and s of the act. Clause says : "Religicjus exercises in the public schools shall be conducted ac- cording to the regulations of the advisory board." This debut, strange enough in non-sectarian schools gives anxiety to the legislators ; they search a protection for conscience thereby alarmed and the clause continues : "In case the parent or guard- ian of any pupil notifies the teacher that he does not wish such pupil to attend such religious exercises, then such pupil shall be dismissed before such religious exer- cises take place." But why mind the con- science of the children if really, in those public schools, there is nothing that can affect the conscience of any one. If, on the contrary, there is anything in your religious exer- cises that can cause anxiety, why be sur- prised if the Catholics have scruples of conscience? The law itself foresees that the regulations provided may give rise to scruples. Clause 7 says that the school trustees will themselves decide if there shall or shall not be any religioos exercises in public schools, biit it is always the advis- ory board that decides what those relig- ious exercises shall be. The teacher himself must do what the trustees decide. Here is an example illustrating the 'n- justice of these two clauses. In Winnipeg there are 4,0(X) Protestant children attend- ing school, there are also o(M) L^atholic- children; let us suppose for a moment that the Catholics would accept the public school system, their .")(H) children will have to mix with their 4,00(1 little companions; the advisory board will not change on that account; religious exercises will be the same as now; the irus- tees will not modify their ideas, they will continue, like to dav, to pre- (jCribe the religious exercises prepared by the advisory board. Then the Protestant bible will continue to be in use, prajer.s having nothing of the Catholic character will be the same or replaced by others of the .same kind. But the ."j^H) Catholic chil dren who would be there, what would they do i If the parents had taken the precaution of telling the teachers the children will go away I One must be extremely blind not to see the inconvenience of all sorts that will be the result of such a state of affairs, tor the di.scipline of the schools as well as 'or the formation of the character of the children, and for that famous assimilation and homogenity which is said to he the oljject of tlu- schools from which all that is Catholic is banished, and in which is kept with scrupulous care all that is ac cepted l)y Protestants and their clergy. The 8th clause as tirst drawn reads as follows: " The public schools shall be non sectariiiTS and no religious instruc- tion or exercises shall be allowed therein except as above pro\id- ed." This clause was modified radi- cally, I may say. The word instruc- tion (religious instruction* was erased. That IS to say that the Anglicans, Presby- terians or others exercised upon the gov- ernment so much influence that it stiuck out from the law the following words : "No religious instruction shall be allowed in public schools." A people calling itself Christian is opposed to such prohibition. The obstinate will of the author of the law had to be tempered anew and acquire elasticity enough to heud back and cause the disappearance of the prohibition of giving religious instruction. He left in claues .S only the disjiositions indicated in the preceeding clauses, adding simply an affirmation altogether insignificant." I say that these woids are altogether insignificant, unless they signify simply the exclusion of what is Catholic. Many are ignorant on this change of front of the government although it is expressed in black and white and although it is easily found by the comparison between the bill as drawn and the law itself. To outsiders the big word " non-sectarian" has the effect of the magic lantern, noth ing is seen in the true light. The hundreds of modifications of whicfi I have already spoken were adopted. The third reading occasioned other debates, a nev.- amendment was put aside by the inexorable vote of 2.1 to 11. and the law definitely voted on the l!(th March. The lieutenaiitgoverr or assented to it in the name of her majesty on the Mist and we were disiip))ointed in the hope we had entertaiiifd that this cruel and un.iust law would be reserved for the significa- tion of the pleasure of his excellency the governor general. Abolition of the use of the French lan- guage. On the 18th March, the attorney-general introduced a measure reading as follows: ■'I. Any statute or law to the contrary notwithstanding, the Kiiglish language 38 owly shall be iisurl in the records and jour nalH of the house of afssembly for the pro- vince of Manitoba and in any pieadini^s or process in or issuing from any court in the province of Manitoba. The acts of the legislature of the proviniic of Manitoba need only be printed and published in the English ianguage." "2. This act sliall only apply so far as this legislature has Jurisdiction so to enact and shall come into force on the day it is assented to." The second reading was asked foronthe 19(,h March. Some memlters moved its rejection by the following amendment: "Whereas, it is not within the power of this legislature to repeal or amend section 23 of the Manitoba act, and "Whereas the bill intituled a bill to provide that the English language shall be the otlicial language of the Province of Manitoba, amends, and in fact repeals said section 23, in so far as the F' ;uch language is concerned, "Therefore be it resolved, that the bill (No. ()1) be not now read a second time, but that it. bi' lead a second time this day ::ix months." Such ainemlment was surely in accord- ance with ail tlie notions of our constitu- tional rights, ncvi-ri, bless, as anything; is possible to a vote of 2.i in an assembly of ;{() voters (Mr. P'isher was absent) the <)ill was read a second time, referred lo a general commit tee Lbat reported without anMMiding i^ and on the 22ad of March the third reading was voted by the 2."). On the 13th of the same mt)nth i;he Lieutenant- Governor gave the royal sanction to the measure, although that pecu- liar law was in diiect, formal, explicit and very clear op|iosition to general law that had received and still posses.^es the assent of the Imperial parliament. That law, which has but two clauses, the second throwing great doubt on the lirst, is another attempt against a number of our schools; not precisely on account of its dispositions, but on account of the conse(|uences it may bring about in our midst. LK(iAL HOLIIIAVS. There was another point in which the Catholic populat i m and schools could be atl'ected; care was taken that it should not be overlooked. In the Archdiocese of St. Boniface there were six feasts of obligation : Christmas, (Circumcision. Epiphany, Ascension, .\ll Saints day .md Inniiacuiate Conception. Those six days are legal holiday^ by the statutes of Mani- toba, but that was too much. On the ISth of March, immediately after having introduced his bill against tiie use of the French languau'c, the attorney general introduced another bill "lo aunui certaiti acts." The tiistclause of t his new law. does away vNilh Epiphany, Ascensicjn, All Saints Day and Immaculate CDncep tion as legal holidays. As the Protestant.^ observe Christmas and Circumcision (New Year's dav> the facilitv was given them to fiijoy those as legal holidavs. The four other feasts lieing observed only l)y Catholics, the law cast them aside, !>nd hat always to arive at assimila'ion and homogeneity. Thi re is however, an in- convenience t)ased on a .-cruple of conscience, even as to the s(!hools. Supposing the Catholics would decide to frequent public schools. The four feasts above mentioned are feasts of obligation lor Catholics, who ujust sanc- tify them like .Sundays. That obligation is not acknowledged by the advisory board chat wants tho.se days to be school (lays. .Supposing it is Epiptiany or Ascen- sion Day, the church bell will ring for the divine office the school bell will ring for class ; what will the Catholic teacnens and pupils do? If they tio to church they will miss class and will be liable to incur the inconvenience of that infraction of school regulations. If they go to school they must have well grounded scruples of conscience as they violate a vei\v positive law of tlieir religion, and by so doing fail in an important ol)ligation. This signities peihaps nothing for our separated breth- ren, who may say. " the .school al)ove all." But this signities a great deal for the con- science of the Catholic who answers, " Religion above a'l, and it is better to obey (jod than njan. ' The legislation against Carbolics having prevailed, not only has it liri'ii put into vigor, but in Winnipeg and a few other localities the U'tferof the law was out dune, because the attorneygeiieral had givcMi an iiiierpretation, which, in open parliament, his successor in o(1i(Hi, stated was not the true one. The most rigorous interfiret ition, although false, still pre- vails; this is why the Catholics of many localities are forced to pay their taxes to schools called puhli(- schools, even if not frequented by Citholic children. .Such is the fouith phase of the Manitoba schools ; no more than two years were re- quired to make this evolution from whose history 1 tlraw the folk. wing conclusions. The school revolution ellected by the law of ll^itO is simpl> the putting aside of the practice that always jirevailed in th" colony of Assinjlioia ; the violation of th^ pact cmicluded at i he time (jf the entry of this colony into coiifcrlerat ion ; and the destruction of the se))aiM,Ii' school system established l)y the legislature after the union. These conclusions are necessarily deriv- ed from the above mentioned facts and which can be resumed as follows : 1. .lames Fisher, M. P. P , affirmed in the legislative assembly on Match 4, 1803, that he was prcsideiii of the Provincial .\ssociation of Liberals when Mr. Jos. Maitin Miaile, in his presence, to the vot- ers of .St. P'raiicois Xaviei-, and in the name of the Liberal party, the positive prmnise that if fhe party came into olfice it would respect the rights of the Catho- lics to their schools and the rights of the Fn'iK.h population to the ollicial use of its 0( ;••) fanitoba \\ ere re- 11 whotse iusions. It he liiw of the in th«» II of thd : II try of liuid the Isystem fter the deriv- es and lined in 14, l.S<«, Uinciai |r. .los. le vot- in the ftositive It office 1 Catho- of the le of its Ian}4Ufit;e. and that this promise was declaied as oliliuatoiy in tlie federal statute called the .Manitoba Act, •iiid that this act had been ratified by the Ii.iperial tioveinment. The province has been at leisure to enjoy the ridiculous sp» ctacle of a pretended royal sanction given to an iicl which is a formal challenge made to i^he Parliament of Her Majesty, all this foeml)iiriassour schools the more. .s. The ('atholic population had received the assurance that its religious riglits woiikl lie respected. The government erased irom i he statutes of the jtrovince the legal recognition given to four feasts that are o' olil'g.at ion for Catholics. This latter -ire to assimilate all cl.i'-ses of the po- pulation and giant eijual rights to call. -in THE FIFTH PHASE. The Catholics of Manitoba Ask a Remedy for Thelp Trouble and Ag-alnst the Injustice of Which They Are the Victims. The i)haM' I have just written .^liows the real izat ion of the anxieties I i)eKan to experience in \H'u; anxieties which 1 ex- pressed to Mr. Daw.soii, in answering his letter in liS5S; anxieties which, by I)ecom- in^i more seiirtus, caused the mistrust I expressed in 1S()S. Those anxieties be- coming general provoked the hostile attitude taken bv the population of the Red }{iver, IStiUttt. Assurances aTid promises were given to restore conlidence and peace; negotiations initiated an advantageous solution; a law was enacted l)y the Canadian parliament in 1870 (it was ratified by the Imperial parliament in l.'sTl); the most satisfactory explanations were given b; the represent- atives of the crown and of the Dominion to convince the Red river delegates that the most ample and complete protection would be granted to their people, who, knowing their numerical weakness, fear- ed aggression by numbers. Calm was restored l)y the proclanuition of the constitution of the province of Manitoba and tty the frank and honest application of the same, during what I have called the third phase of the history of our schools. But all this, all the traditions of a social existence of more than seventy years liad to give way, because thiM'e were among the new comers in Manitoba, some men bold enough to challenge the Im- perial authorities and destroy their work of pacitication and .justice. I add that all this threatens to prevail in the Northwest. Here also is an ordin- ance or law concealing the dangers it creates, left to parties who interpret it and apply it as they like. The proceed ings are less violent, but the same object is aimed at, and will be attained, if superior authorities are not on their guard and have not the necessary energy to apply a remedy. Things have .trone so far in Manitoba that it is easy to perceive the dangers threatening the Northwest. However far things may have gone, the minority of the province cannot be fatally doomed to injustice by violation of the promises given. Injured in what they iiave most at heart, that minority have tried and try still to tind a remedy to the evils they sutler. These etl'orts to obtain justice form the fifth phase, in whi(!h our schools have been placed, nnd in which thev will remain as long as the faults comiv.itted are not repaired. Ilosvever painful may have l)een the at- tack against our schools and the French language, I was not surprised as long as they came from the traditional enemies of our faith and race. As lo those who threaten us with the rigorous judgments of historv, I beg to say that I have not been the" first to discover that history is oft en i)u t "a consjjiraey against the truth." The history with which we are threatened being that" kind of conspiracy, I do not envy the fate of those who will furnish it with references. Instead of being moved by their threats I may assure them that I [)recisely invoke history, on condition that it be true and honest. It does not sutMce to have a pen thatissupple, elegant, :'harming ond incisive to be an historian, one may have all that and be only a teller of stories made for pleasure, while all the.se qualities of style may not be had and one may say things that are true and deduct from them consequences that are logical and useful. The grave has just closed over one of those men of incontestable talent as narrator but who lacked honesty, logic anfl the inspiration that constitute a true ' storian. If the history of our lux is to be written by another irk man. I declare beforehand that I ■spise the intentions and motives i lat may be attributed to me. Pending this literary production I invite the sin- cere reader to be condescending enough to read mv humble prose; it is not neces- ary to add that knowing myself better than anyone else, what I have said, done thought or felt, I am in a better position than those who accuse me, to say the real |)art I have taken in the matter. Let us then study the Ti, fifth phase of the history of our .schools to know the remedies which the minority of Manitoba and its first pastor have tried to employ for the evil suffered. In the interest of truth and of the cause, I will speak of myself more than I would have if un- founded and dangerous assertions had not forced me to do so. The constitution indicates four reme- dies for the evils of which we complain. They are : Tlie reserve of the royal sanction. The disallowance of the law. The resort to tribunals. The appeal to the governor-general-in- council. Isr.— RKSKltVK OK THK HOVAL SANCTION. I may call the first remedy a preventive whose ellect is to stop or at least delay the putting into force of a provincial statute. This remedy may be resorted to only at a certain moment; at the moment a royal sanction is asked for a measure that has just b>'en voted by the legisla- ture. It was in the beginning of August that lion. .Joseph Martin announced his new- policy concerning the schools and the complete secularization of education. Among other things, the attorney-general invoked the historical knowledge of his hearers by his surprising assertion : "It ai d ir of tl g 8 41 st delay was, he had thouRht, firmly established in the Hritish constitution, that, dmrch and state were entirely separate." This al)surd assertion was accepted without demur and threatened to produce a deep impression. Such is the reason why I im- mediately made researches which I published in the iVIanitoba P>ee Press of the l(»th AuKust, ISSll. I gave the analysis of the labors of the royal commission named on the 1.5th January. 1SS(). "to enuuire into the working of tlie elementary working education acts in Eiif^iand and Wales," I tried to give the conclusion of this com- mission. At the beginning I said: "The gigantic work of that commission is shown by the reports contained in nine large ((uarto volumes, forming nearly 5,000 pages. The report of that commis- mission is the most complete possible re- futation of the affirmation of those who say that the schools, such as asked for by Catholics, are in some way contrary to the spirit of the British constitution, to the practice followed in England and to the convictions of the English peoftle. The principal conclusions of the commis- sion are nearly what they would be, had their framing been left to a committee of Catholic theologians. My letter consisting chiefly of quota- tions of the report of the commission sur- prise!^ many, e-Jeedless to sav that the school tilled my thoughts as well as my heart. I saw .some of the ministers in Ottawa and many friends everywhere; all I met showed sympathy, but said "the time has not yet come Lo give our opinion; who knows. wi.ser councils may prevail and, at all events, everyone will do his duty; your rights are too clearly defined by the con- stitution to allow anyone to doubt of the final triumph of your cause." These few words are the faithful abridgment of what was said to me by men occupying differ- et\t positions and differing in politics. These words increased my fears, so much so that in Quebec and Montreal I re- proached myself with .judging tooseverely the aj)pareht indifference, 1 thought I remarked in persons, on whose support we could rely. A rumor coming from Quebec caused me to hope for a change; I do not mention i;, because it was too vague and uncertain, but, if it be "true that then the government of Quebec made some efforts to help us, I profit of this occasion to express my heartfelt and sincere gratitude. I returned to St. Boniface on the 21st November. T was heartily welcomed; everyone knew I had dent all in mv power to protect the schools;the Catholics reiterated the assurance that I could rely on them, and that in every family, even the little children joined their parents in praying. Emotion brought tears to my eyes. On the 22nd December the Free Press placed again at my disposition a few of its closest columns for the insertion of a memorandum concerning the negotia- tions that had taken place in Ottawa in 1870, and in the course of which assur- ances were given relative to denomina- tional .schools. Some of the assertions I then published are reproduced in the second phase of the study. My assertions caused a controversy which I sustained in a letter to Mr. Taylor, published on the i:}th January, 1890, and in another to Mr. Hay on the 24th of the same month. Un- fortunately I had not at that time, the ofticial documents which I have since ob- tained; my assertions were called in question notwithstan'^ing their veracity. The fatal end was too near, it was import- ant to prevent the effect thac should have been the consequence of the exact knowl- edge of the negotiations at Ottawa. Things contained in parliamentary annals were denied, others discussed and decided in public conventions, all that was favorable to our schools was deiued. The iniquity was to bejconsummatedandforthis.untrue and lying assertions were resorted to. During that time the Catholic popula- tion, more and more alarmed, united in large assemblies, everywhere petitions were signed, and were addressed to the legislature, but without effect; not even that of les.sening odious foi ms or give a re- semblance of propriety in the arbitrary conduct that had been contemplated. Wanting to be free from reproach on the part of my conscience, I asked for an in- terview with Mr. (ireenway. He received me and called in two of his colleagues; Rev. Father Cloutier accompanied me. I did not wish to remind the premier of the 12 promises he had Riven n»e tlirouKh my vicar-Keneral two years before. I hml promised to l^eep the secret, I did not wish to divdltrtt it before three witnesses-. I spoke of all tiie rest. I am not a piiysi- ORnamist, nevertheless I eoulfi read in mv interlocutor'sface,"Youare ri^ht.ltutl will not do so." lie, howeviM-. did something; disreKarding my delicacy for him, in nor causintrh'm ilie confusi' .; ..c would have felt had I reminded him of his promises; he denied the promises themselves, so much so that it became necessary to ask the solemn declarations of the two wit- nesses to contradict his denials. The lejjcislative assembly opened on .Ian. lH), and with the results mentioned in the fourtli phase of this work. During thai, session I had a little hope that the lirst remedy contained in the constitution would he employed. That preventive would have had for ellocl to delay and perhaps stop the evil at its very outset. Among those who accuse us of not having done our duty in Manitoba, I would like to know those who thought or tried to apply the remedy I mention .md of the eflbrts they have made in that tiirection. Ignoring what was done eUse whore on the subject, I must speak only of what was (ione here. The ooth article of the British North America act, lf^*)7. explained i)y the UOth article and applied to Manitoba may read a^5 follows : "U'liero a bill passed l)y tlii' houses of the )tiifliaiii(;iit is ijrcisentcd to tlic Ijicuiciiaiit- (iovcriior for tlu^ (Queen's as-ciit. lie shall de- clare, accordiiiK to his (Uscretioii, hut subject to the iirovisions of this act (as well as to the provisions of the Manitoba acti and to tluMIox - eruor-Cicneral's instructions, either thai he assent.-' thorotoin the l^ueons name, or IhcJ he withhoMs Iho (Queen's assent, or that he reser- ves the bill for Ihc si^niticat ion of the Go\cr- nor-Generars pleasure ' It is then evident that the lieutenant- goveraor has the choice between three alternatives and this choice is left to his di.scretion, subject nevertheless to the in- structions oi' the governor-general. What are those instructions^ Are they the same for every lieutenant governor, or are they special, secret and jtarticular in- structions to alieutenantgovernorof such or such provirce^ The law does not mention it, but it is hardly to be believed that the law^ bad in view special instructions for then the lieutenant-governor would not be left to his discretion, and this is explicitly ex- pressed in the law. By this we see that the law meant general instruction. I do not know them, but it seems to me that they must be for the general welfare of the country, for the authority of the (jueen and of her parliament, also f r the author ity of the Federal parliauient and for the constitution governing each province. The least that can be said is that, on the 31st of March, 18!t(), there was a doubt on the constitutionality of the acts that de piived the minority of the rights and privileges it enjoyed for its .schools and to the oflicial use of the French language. As far as 1 was concerne,'c'iicral-iii-(.'ouni'il that said last mentioned acts he disallowod to all intents and purposes," The petition was signed bj- the arch- bishop of St. Boniface, president, ;v \ 'ny Mr. T. A. Bernier, superintendent. The petition was sent to the lieutenant Kover nor, who otticially transmitted it to Otta- wa as shown by the documents of the session. On the L4tli April Hon. .las. E. P. Pn-n- dergast sent to the hon. secretary of state a petition signed by eight members of the loyal opposition of Her Majesty :i\ the Manitoba parliament, complaining of the acts to abolish the old educational system and replace it by a new system, depriving the Catholics of the vested and guaran- teed rights. The petitioners afHrmed their reasons in a lengthy appendix mark- ed I), sent with the petition, they looked upon such acts as ultra vires and prayed that "His (jxci'lU'iicy may ho pleased to tako such action anil grant snch rcliuf and remedy as to yoin'exfcllen(!y may seem riijlil and Just." Hon. Girarn, .senator, and LaKiviere, M.P., signed the petition. Remembering what had been told me in 1S70 by a governor-general, 1 thought it was my duty and right to recall those facts to his excellency, the fourth suc- cessor to FiOrd Lisgar. On the I2th April I addressed a memorandum to Lord Stan- ley to remind hi.s excellency of some of the promises made, not only in the name of (-anada, but also in the name of Her Majesty and that by her inimediate repre- sentative who had fissured me that he not only acted as governor-general, but also was honored by Her Majesty with a special mission ad hoc. My memorandum, accompanied by vouchc <, ended by a prayer addressed, not to the governor-gen- eral incouncil, but the representative of the Queen, hoping that his excellency could perhaps help us in a special waj jn account of the special promises that had been made to me a ad to the population in the name of the Queen and of her Im- perial government and I said , "I there- fore most respectfully and earnestly pray your excellency, as the representative of our beloved Queen to take such measures, which in your wisdom would seem to be the best remedy against the evils above mentioned and again.st those which the new laws mav cause in this part of Her Majesty's domain." This memorandum and the vouchers A, B, C, D, accompany- ing it are in the public records. My ven- erable friend, Mgr. Lalleche gave us the help of his sympathetic voic*^ in a petition addressed to the secretary of state. The demands already mentioned covered all that <.:ouU\ be asked ; the disallowance or all proper and just remedies. Petitions addressed to the trovernor- ceneralincouncil are in fact addressed to the whole Canadian legislature. Tlie gov ernment is but the executive committee of the house, to which it is responsible, and the government has to answer for its acts as well as for its onussions. Kvery member of parliament has the right to knovv the jietitions addres.sed to the privy council; not only has the right to know them, but even that of juduring them, to urge their acceptance or refusal according to his personal convictions. Thus, when petitions are addressed to the governor- general-in council, they are addre.ssed to the representatives of the people, not only collectively but also individually. Is it then a parliamentary error • > say that demands addressed to the vecutive do not concern the chief of the Opposition or his supporters ? The opposite would be true. If anyone by his position must, more than any other, have the scrutiny of the recjuests addres.sed to the government and of the manner in whi(!h they are re- ceived by it, it is surely the chief or .some of the members of the Opposition. This is .so true that, in the present ca.se, our petitions had hardly reached Ottawa when the attention of the commons to those petitions was called by HON. KDWARI) MI.AKE. I pray those who busy themselves about the di.sallowance of the school laws of Manitoba to pay special attention to what follows; in it there is something that de- serves so much the more to be known that not being aware of it has prevented j even sincei-e m^a from fairly judging the I (piestion. To express myself more plain- I ly and explicitly to those who ignore or j forget what was done in parliament I say: "It is not the minority of Manitoba nor ! Archbishop Tache that have abandoned j the claim for disallowance." The grant- I ing of this amount was made impossible I by the unanimous vote of the Commons ' of Ottawa on Mr. Blake's re.solution. I I want to be well tinderstood, my words are j not a reproach addressed to one of oi r public men, one of the most distinguished j and the most generally esteemed; Hon. Ed- ward Blake does not need my testimony in I order that his superior intelligence" be I known and appreciated; on the other hand I will not depreciate him by .saving that he has on the constitutionality of the act, of which we complain, notions not dill'erent from mine. I have no doubt of Mr. Blake's honesty,so that I 'im convinced that when he got up in the house it was not to add another difficulty to the solu- tion of the question no more than to di- minish the responsibility of Sir .John A. Macdonald and his government. In other words Mr. Blake works neither against 44 our schooh nor in fH'or of lii.s political adver-sarir.s. Nevertheless he was the first to take in hand the question vve now consider. Petitions asking for the disallowance and every possihie remedy to the legislation of which the Catholics complained, were hardly arrived at Ottawa than Hon. Mr. Ulake rose in the Commons to move the follow- ink> resolutions : KKSOLITTIONS. "That it is tsxpcdiont to provide nu'iiiis whoroby on hoIoiiiii ofcaHioiis tnuchiuK the exorcise of tlic p(»wt',rof disallowance or the api»oliato power as to educational IcKlslatioii. Important (iiiestions of law or of fact maybe referred by I he (sxecutive to a hij^h jtulicial tribunal for hearing and coii>.ideration, in such mode that the authorities and parties interest- ed uwiy bo represented ajid that a reasoned opinion maybe obtained for the information of the executive." 1 pray those who accuse us of the re- sponsibility of not having obtained the disallowance to ponder over this resolu- tion and to read carefully the speech by which Mr. Blake supported it. That speech is in Hansard, IS'.K). As all my readers have not the facility of getting this document. I will make a few short quotations. Mr. Hlake says : "It is now generally aijreed that void acts sbould not be disallowed, but should be left to the action of the court. . . . My own opinion U that wherever in opposition to the continued view of a provincial executive and legislature it is contemplated to disallow a provincial act as ulkra vires there ought to boa rc^ferencc. and also that there ought to be •> reference in certain eases where the condition of publi(! opinion renders expedient the solution of legal problem, dissociated from these eltunents of passion and expediency which are rightly or wrongly often attributed to the actions of political bodies. And again I will recommend such a reference in all cases of educational appeal.cas(;s which necessarily in\oke the feel- ings to which I have alluded, and to one of which I am frank to say my present motion is due. When you act of the appellate educational clauses, as for example, in the case of IVIani- toba It is important that the Eoiitical executive should not more than can e avoided, arrogate to itself judicial powers. . . . . It ought to have the power to call in aid the judicial department in order to arrive at a correct solution. . . The absolute union of the oxociitive legislative and judicial departments is absolute despotism. I do not say that they can be absolutely and alwavs separated. I by no means propose to withdraw from the executive its duty. My object is . . to facilitate the better working of them." All this is perfectly clear. Hon. Mr. Blake naoved tbatin matters of education, as in the Manitoba case, the government should not use the power of disallowi'ig provincial acts, nor even of hearinj.; * he appeal against those laws, without having beforehand suhnatted the matter to a high judicial tribunal to receivv> light and direction that, although it leaves a re sponsiblity upon the executive, may per- mit it to act more safely, with lesspassion and thus make less victims of political expediency. It was then a new procedure that was set before the administiatJon. Sir .lolin A. Mac(ionald thanked Mr. Blake and insisted on two points: 1. That the recourse to the tribunals, such as move(l, be supported on a law whose dis. positions would be such as to permit, in any case, an appeal to the privy council. 2. That the opinion asked and received from the high tribunals would be but an advice, in no way lessening the govern- ment's responsibility. Again, I pray the reader to consider attentively those im- portant declarations; they had a value in the past and may be useful in the future. After those explanations of the premier, the motion of Mr. Blake was unanimously voted by both sides of the House, by the right as well as by the left, Ity the Liberals as well as by the Conservatives, by those who today place upon me the responsi- bility they then assumed, as well as by those who are loyal enough to recognize that the question of disallowance was thus killed in the Commons. I do not know the thoughts of those " who voted without speaking, but I know what I thought; what sufl'er- ed, in learning that, a fortnight after its arrival at Ottawa, our jietition asking for disallowance was paralyzed by the unanimous vote of the Commons of Canada. I do not know the ideas of the government, but it might have naturally thought : "Blake and opposition relieve us of a great anxiety; that resolution can not be law nor be applied before twelve months ; the time llxed by the constitution for tlisallowaiice will have expired, we will not need to meddle with ; this suits us so much the more that the rights of the Oatholics are so clear that they cannot be sacriflced." I do not know either the thought of the opposition, but I see its chief looking com- placently and intelligentlyonhis partisans and saying to them silently, "What a fine adair ! If the elections bring us into power before a year, we will not be called up to consider this terrible question of disallow- ance, and you know that this would be my night-mare, but the Conservatives have voted with us on the Blake proposi- tion rendering disallowance virtually im- possible in this case." In Manitoba, both among the Liberals and among the Conservatives, the disal- lowance was the most unpopular measure, on account of that employed against rail- roads. As to the schools themselves, it was feared that the disallowance would cause agitation, but the Blake proposition having been unanimously voted it was hoped that an advantageous and different solution would be arrived at. Ev ry one here knows that I did not share ntirely such views more than anyone w .s given by that obstacle to disallowance, but I yet hoped that it would be removed. the possible refusal of disallowance prompted new petitions that could not be affected by that refusal At once a petition was sent arouiKl the country and signed by four thousand some hundred people. \r> jrals lisal- Bure, Irail- ;s, it lould Ition was Irent one [rely iven vet the )te(i Jted I was by On the 24th .lune, 1S)H», the nationo, con Kre.sM held its tlrnt session in St. Hoiiiface. The object of tliat coiitfress was to show that the hiy elenu-nt felt, as well as its clergy, the injury and injustice perpe- trated. The priests were the rlrst to ask that they lie dispensed from taking: part in such as.seinhly, precisely to Kive a denial to those who allirtned tiiat the claims to our most sacred ri^lits were simply onaccountof theelergy. Numerous delegates came from every parisd : the ardor of those sincere patriots, of those convinced (Jatholics, otFered a thrilling sight that left no pl.ice for doul>L as to their unanimity and determination. The Catholic population having given its opinions, its first pastor was happy to congratulate it, and on the 15th August he published a pastoral letter in which he expres.ses himself with love and con- fidence, iiidicating. however, the dangers that are to he avoided and i !ie means to be employed. The death of Bishop I-'arand fore 'd the Archbishop of St. Boniface to go to .Mont- real, in the interests of the missions of Athabaska McKenzie. lie arrived there on the loth of January, 1S!»I, and on the same day vvas attacked by a sickness that put his life in danger. He felt l)etter in February, precisely at the time of the electoral campaign. This circumstance V)rings me face to face with certain ac- cusations made against me ; the most un- reasonable is perhaps the one that throws upon me the terrible responsiV)ility of having sacrificed the Manitoba schools, becau.se 1 did not obtain the disallowance of the laws of 1S!)(». Among those who made that accusation there are many who voted in favor of Mr. Blak<''s proposition. By this unanimous vote the parliament had rendered, the disallowance morally impossible, and sotne want me to bear the responsibility of that impossibility created by our legislators. I am forced to say that they do not know the first word of the situation or that they con- strue it in a strange manner. To be absolutely and candinly sincere I must add that i do not think that there is in Canada an educated man so small minded as to believe that it was possible for me to obtain the disallowance against the vote of the whole legislature. Enough for such unlawful and unjust accusations and insinuations. It is evidentthat many of those who speak of the disallowance of the Manitoi)a school laws are not the ones who desire it. It is not even necessary to be very cunning to read between the lines on this subject. Here is simply what was wanted; elect/ions were taking place and thej"^ were warmly contested; if only Archbishop Tache lieUied the opposition; if, for an instance iie blamed the govern- ment on account of his deceptions; if he urged disallowance per fas et nefas, if he excite the Catholic populations, the result would manifest itself in electoral voting boxes. So little would be needed to upset the political scale. I could not and would not take part in such strategy, and could not t)e more al)useini/er of tlie Red liiver schools, .' believed, do I say that such a protest, accompanied by a humble re(iuest to the governor geneialin-council wo\ild not be out of place. There are analogies even in contrasts, and in this matter I found a very striking one. The reader probabl> remembers that the bishop of t^uebec had obtained from Sir John Sheriirooke, gov- ernor-general of Canada, some letters of recommendation in favor of the two missionaries and of the teacher whom his lordship sent to establish missions and schools in the Red Hiver .settlement, and that in the course of this letter the king's representative said : "I do hereby call oi. all his majesty's subjects not only to permit the said niissioniiries to i)ass with' ut himlriince or iiiolc^tatioti, l)ut render them all f imagiiuition of the one who sutfers, so much as that in spite of all, I had hoped against hope. I experienced a cruel de- ception wlien the decision of the privy council forced ui>on me the conviction that there was no more expectation of disallowance; the government had re- fused it. ;il{|).— THE SCHOOL ylTKSTION UKI'OHI'; Till': TKimrNAi.s. Hon. Mr. HIake's resolution voted un animously in parhament rendered virtu- ally impossible the disallowance of the school act, but did not in any way inter- fere with another mode of protecticn, the recourse \o the court is a very conunon privilege, but alas! it is is very uncertain and in many instances causes deception. It v,as first decided that a test case should be tried before the court in Win- nipeg. I do not know where, when or by whom this was decided. A good Catholic was persuaded to s)ie the Catholic trus- tees of the city of Winnipeg because they allowed the catechism to be taught in their schools. Naturally the case was dismissed, it could not bear the most superficial examination. It was decided to institute a more seri ous suit. This was the one which be- came so famous as tlie case of Marrett versus the city of Winnipeg. According to tlie letter of the school act of ISlJd the board of Catholic trustees of Winnipeg should have been recognized and the actual attorney-general (Hon. Mr. Sifton) has since expressed that opinion ; but his predecessor, Hon. .Jos. Martin, decided that the board of Cath- olic trustees had ceased to exist, and the municipal authorities of the city of Win- nipeg were instructed accordingly. In levying the school taxes, the rights of the Catholics were ignored and they had to payl their school taxes for Protestant schools. Mr. J. K. Marrett, a ratepayer of Winnipeg, objected to this and sued the city in the courts to ((uash the by-law by which he was forced to pay his taxes for Protestant schools, whih^ the Catholic schools for which he was trustee received nothing. The ultimate object was to ob- tain a «t in Winnipeg. Tfic f^ovt-rn- Mienr huvinu dt'ciriiMl to «<> further tlu- (•asc- was up(i"alt'd lo tlu' supnMiic court in ('ana''a, it was ;il»'(i(h'd on the liTtli and 211th May and Judi^utt'iil u as n-nflcri'd on tlio 2sili ()<'tolitT. Thf honorahlf jucU.'x, Sir \V. .1. Hifcliif, Strong, Fonrnicr, TasoJiereaii and ratt»'rson, r««nd('rfd an unanimous dfcision and one favoralde to Mr. Harietr. Thcordcrs of the courr of (^lU'tMi's iuMicli, as well as tlic on»' f>f lion. .Fud;;«' Kiilam wcro put aside nnd rcvi-rst-d. tlic Ity law de(;larfd iiU'j^al and the city of Wii'-dpc^^ was con denincd in coHts. Th«' decision surprised no one, it l)eiim K<"i»''''vlly expectiMl. The friends of the provinnial govern- ment in \rinitol)a resorted to theii' itnai^- ination to llnd out a way of w»'akenin>j the cause of the Cailiolics, lliey then im Hurined the case of Lo^an versus Winni- ppj?. This vvjis not a test case, hut a sham case; it was u sc'\eme of lawyers resort- ed to merely to prejudice the Harrett case; it was all it wus intended to do, without of the part taken hy his lordship under the new school laws of Manitoba, as well as under the old refiime. The judges thought proper to de cide in conformity with the .judg- ment recently pronounced by the supretne cnuit. The government of Manitoba beintr at the same time appli- cant and respoiulent lost and gained its own (sase of Logan versus Winnipeg. It was a new source of embarrassment and is all what was expected from it. The {'ity of Winnipeg appealed from the decision 1 1 the privy council. .\n ex- cess of (jontidence brought about an un- favorable issue and the Fiarrett case was lost i)efore the .judicial committee of the privy cotmcil. This was a surprise for everybody both winners and losers. The surprise may be diminished by ihe stndy of the manner in which the case was argued. The research of the lawyers on this point has been facilitated as the whole of the trial has been published in a partial report of the l*Y'deral sessior .i: 1S98. It would appear rasli on y part to venture an opinion on as>i' ]octin which I cannot claitn to be competent. I have, however, the right to say that I would have liked better that the .\ttorney (leneral of England should have been replaced by some eminent Canadian lawyer who would have known Canada better as well in the details of the unior. jf its provinces and also the con- dition of the entry of Manitoba into con federation. Whatsoever may have been the cause.s of the result the dicision of the privy council wa.s unfavorable on the one poiiit : does it follow that we accept this as a Hnal solution i No, and I repeat what I have asserted on the llrst page of th'.s historical comnilation ; ".\ <|uestion is solved only when it is settlefl with justice and e(|uity, " and that In spite of all .sub filties and errors of lanuuaue. Kight, is above law and eijuity ahose legality. 1 not desire that the laws be resisted nor the decision of the court. I condemn such resistance in all ca.ses l)Ut I claim the libertv of the children of ( Jiid and that liberty allows us to rj'sent what is contrary to. justice. The marlyrs of the |)rimilive church ollered their bodies to the tortun' and theii' heads (o the block, but (hey were never heard pro- cl.iiming the laws of their persecutors as .just and ccptitable, human autlwn'ity is merely borrowed from Divine power and must harmonize with it. I wield but a weak pen in the services of our schools, but I have seen them under all their pliases, and no human power, .judicial or executive, will convince methat the Citholics of .Mani toba and the Northwest are just ly or honoiably treateiinic liiiiii|iirl is Jicinn \i*-\i\ to ••Kill. 'I'oiliivs rMiil-. arc ill! rpnili in lint liiHiory of (.riiiciilioii mill Miisoniy in Vlnli-ii.' The linroriMiivs hcKri n'pivited hIiic«'. A • liK'iT wuv irMlcfil to provi' thut tin hlj^li- fst. t I'ihiiiiiil ol tlui iMiipirc, was cdrri-ct wlifii stiitiim rliiii till! piililic; schools are iioii sectarian and that, it is l»ut uiopor that the ("atholics should contriliutt* to thtdr const ruction and support. lift it \n>. rciiH'inlMfrcd that Mr. 1). .1. (inif^iu was tlu'ii principal of the .Normal school in whicliOarhoiics, as well asotherN, must he traimvl if they want to secure cerlitlcates or diplomas for teaching in the schools of the province; the same Mr. (ioKK'" was also at the time a meinher of the a«lvisoi'y hoard, tliat board which is Ww only power in the country allowed to make or choose the prayers an>tleman had acted at \'ird«'n in either of these two capacities the f,u!t would have escaped notice, but it was not so; Mr. 1). .f Go^'^in leaves Win nipej;, Koes to Virden, M) miles, as a (iraiui Master in Masonry and there in his Masonic capacity, olllciates after the rites of his sect and performs ceremonies pre scribed by that .sect so hostile to the ('atholic church. The hon. the minister of education would very nut iirally assist at the layinj.? of the corner stone of a school house in his district; tliis is very proper, but that tlu! same minister of '•'ate should take an inferior place unilerhisown subaltern and employe, because the latter is ^rand master and that the school is to be dedi- cated acconliim to Masonic rites, is enough to point our the sectarian character of the whole proceedings. Hoth the minister <»f education and the member of tile advisory lK)ar, state edticition and Protestant- ism are in accord on the question of non- sectarian .schools and that the triple alliance isaiiti Catholic. The said Mi. 1). .1. (Jogain is now in the Northwest Territories, his ability was called in that part of the noniinion to perfect a systeii. of education vvhi(;h would undoubtedly be in accordance with the requirements of his .sect. At his debut in the task, a regulation has been passed to force all those who wish to teach in the schools of the Northwest, even in those recoy,nized as Catliolic schools, all with out exception must go to llegiiia and there, during several months, be under liie direction of Mr. I). .J. Goggin. Imagine that, the ladies of the dilferent religious communities, even those who have graduated elsewhere and have taught successfully for many years should be refused certificates of competency un- less they go to Recina, even from the remotest points of the Northwest, and there mix with young men and young giris lo be taught the art of t«'aching grammar, reading, etc., and that by i'. grand master of I''ree Masonry. Theie is in all this a sectarian (tynii ism, which cannot hut be inspired by the deep haired of the church, "It is alllrmcd that the people of the North west will be wiser than those of Manitoba. In the latter province the school question has been dealt with t •o openly and with too much noise. The wise ones of the Northwest will do other- wise, they will lie. more cunning and more regardful of foiiiis, and thereby ob tain their ends with more facility and certainty." Kt nunc reges intelligite, erdiinini (|ui Judicatis terrain. 4TII. — AIM'KAl (U)VKRNOR-IN' T(t TIIK ( i»i;n» II,. The preventive remedy of reserve for the good pleasure of the governor general had not been applied ; disallowance had been refused ; recourse to tribunals had tlnally given an unfavorable decision in the scihool (iase. What was to lie done { Before such refusals and mishaps, were the Citholic.s to abandon their claim lor their rights i They were too well con- vinced of the, justice of their cau.se, not to have recourse to every legitimate means of protecting them. The a|)peal was to be made on points d'Herenl from those invoked till then. 'I'he law had been as- sented to and by this assent the idea of ''reserve" had vanished. Two years had elapsed, so that disal'owance was, by the very fact, an impossibility. The highest tribunal of the empire hfid declared such acts intra vires, the minority could not, at least for the moinent, invoki^ the rights anil privileges guaranteed l)y "practice" at the time of the union. Let it lie well- known, all tlie (iillicultiesexperienced had not inspired those interested with ^any conviction unfavorable to the merit of the (luestioii itself. I'hey were and are yet convinced that they are victims to an injustice and will be satisfied onlv when an e(Hcaci(»us remedy shall be applied to the evils they suH'er, when .so- ever may come the remtdv. The news of the privy council's decision caused :i great and energetic explosion of rtie sentiments of the population. Hon. Senator Girarrt convoked a se.ssion of the national (tongress, held in St. Boniface on tlie Ifith and Kkh August, 1H!)2. Delegates from all important points of the province were uresent. All were men belonging to the elite of our people, without distinc- tion as to political parties or of anything that could be a subject of division. Speeches of great oratorical, social and Christian value were delivered, llcsolu tioas full of dignity and force were adopted with that calm and solemn unanimity showing that great interests were at stake and the feelings of thase who treated them. At a distance some r.» lUl iiiHV ilfspist this litllo |u'i»pl«', suttfiin^t for ilii'ir tuitli hikI iitilioiiiility : ii** to my Mi'lf, I folluvM'd tlicM' movt'iiicnts with utriicf ioimtc iinxifty ; I was proud of my (lock Hiul hlTC I K'lH'VV Id tlu'll) fllCCX- pres.sioii (if the iii()->t sinccn' iippiol»(it iot>. U would Ih' loo loiijjr to lolut*' ill full whiit WH.s siiid mid done tlifii ; should tho ie(i(l«T wish to Im! more fully iiifoniifd he will tirul iiiiiititfs of the pro('«>t>din^s in \m iMiiiiitoliji Hiid tin- .Miuitoh/i Fret' I'resH, piililislH'd (ifttT those eiitliusiiistit IOC(!tillKH. riidt-r puraKiiiphs 2 and :( of cliiusf 22 (»f the Miiiiitolia Ar-I, •I's nm-II hh Iiv pirn K^ipli ;; of clausf !t:j of I lit" Miilisli'Xoitii Amorict Act, I.siiT, tin- iiiiiiority lutd the rlKiif of appeal to the Koveriior ireiieral iiicomicil, and this liKlit, was used. The executive council of the national coiitrress rts.seintiled and framed a iiieinorandutn that was addressed to iiis excellency, ami in wliirli it leHpt'ctfiilly reminded I lie governor general tliat in pet itions, already received at Ottawa, the minority liad ap peah'fl to his c )uii(il auainst certain uro- vincial leyislal ion, and that the hoti. min ister of Justice iiad said in a report, dated 21st March, isitl, that if the legal contro- versy then iiendinv; hcfon' the trihunals should result in a decision contrary to the views of Catliolics, the time would come for his excellency to examitie tlie petitions presented in the name of these same Catholics. The petitioners added : " That a roeoiit derision of Uie Judiiial com- mil tec of tile I'rivyCon .cil of KiiKland Iikvuik siishiiiicil tlic.iiKlmneiit of the court of (^lecn's lichcli of Miiiiitoliii, nplidldiriK llii' \aiidit>(if 1 lie iict^ iiforc-iiiid, iiiusi r(>spi!et fully rcprcsoni tiiat.as inliiiiatcil in siiiil rciiorl iif the lion, tlio iiiinislcr of Jii-^ticc. tlit; time liii> now come to eoiisiiler Itu! pctilimis wliicli lm\f liei^ii pre- senteiniy iuid on Itoliulf of tiie liomaii Catho- licis of Miiiilolia for ((mItcss, uiultM'suli-sections 2 and '.\ of sect ion 22 of tiic Maiiitoliii Act. " And >ouf iiclitioiKTH will vAvr pray." Saint Hoiiifaco, 20tli .Scptc nilicr. I8i)2. Members of Die executive coininitt(>o of the natidiiiil cuiivfrjss. T. A. Mcrnier. Acting I'resideiit, A. .\. (". La Kiviore. .Joseph I/H'omte. .him(;s K. T*. I'ren , aH'cctjiiK' any 'right or pri\ ilegc iif aii.v -iich iiiliiiinl.N In relation lo cducal inn." The petitioners pr/<}e(l : "1, Th il the g.ixcrnor general ill-council may entertain the appeal nf the jtomaii Cat holies of Miiiiitoli.i. and iiiii) coiioidcr the same and nia.N make ^iich pre isiniis and givt^ such direct inns for the heurliig and cniisjilcnu|oii of the said appeal a- may he thought prnper. 2. Thai such direct lon^ may bi giM'ii and provisions made for the relief of the Koinan (Catholics of the I'rnvi'.ice of Maiiiloba as to your excellciic.v in council may stem III." On the 21st Oclotier, IHi»2, .lohnS. Kwart. Es(|..t^C., wrote as follows to the honorable the secretary of state : "I h.i V e the honor In enclose aiinlher |>etitinii niibchalfnf ilic ('a'hnlic niiiiorily ol Maiii- tulia, with I'i'fcrciice to t he position ill which they Iind thenisehes in referc ice lo education in this prov iiice. 1 do mil desire that this peti- tion should he substiliited fnr lh(^ others : icady presented, but Ihat it should rather lii'l'ilien as suppleincnlary to Ihose others. May I a?', that the matter hi' brought la-fori- Ids exceliciu'.v the gov <;rnoi'-geiieral-iii-council at the earliest po-;{ Vic, chajis. ,S7 and .'W lio prejudicially atrecl the rights and privileges w 1th re, ard lo deiioniiiiatiniial sehn ils which koiiiMii «^'alho- lies liad by law or practice in th" province at the \ininn, '.i. 'I hat it may be declared that the said last mentioned acts do affect the rights and privi- leges of the Uoman Catholic minority of the yiieen's subjects in relation to edurjilion. 4, 'I'hat it may b(' declared that i • your ex- cellency the goveriior-general-iii (oiiiieil. it seems reiiuisite that tlie provisions of the stat • ntes in force in the province of Manitoba jirior to the ))assageof the said acts, should be re- enacted in so far at least as may bo necessary to secure to Uoman (.'atholies in the said pro\ - ince the right to builtl, maintain, equip, man- age, conduct and support these schools ill th«' manner provided for by the said statutes, to secure to them their proportionate share of any grant made out of the public funds for ihc pur- Eoses of education, and to relieve such niein- ers of the Uoman Catholic church who con- 50 tribute; to Huch Uoniaii Catholic, schools from all payment or contribution to the svipport of any other i-chools; or that the said acts of 18!Kt «houl(l be ni(»(lilied or anunidcd as to etfcct such purposes.' Another voic spoke in favor of the mi- norily of Manitoba; that voice came from Montieal, it was that of the "Conservative league "coming on the ',',d November, 1S1)2, "to aHii'ii its principles, and defend the privilegts and inimiuutiesof_the minority in Mauit^i>a. ' We also read in that docu nient : "Nooiieciii lioiiestly dcii.N the treaty passed in 1S7() b(;t\v '(11 thogovefnnient of Canada and the populatioii of .Manitoba and by which it was foi-nially deiided and axi'ccd thai denoi',- inationul schools shoidd be safeguarded. No one can now deny that the school laws of ^Manitobaof lISTl.iiasscd and adoi)ted by nu •! who liad been parties to the treaty of tiic jirc- ceeding year, have not maintained se|)arat(,' schools both for Catholics and Protestants. "For ihesi! reasons, the 'Conservatixe league' irotests againsi the school laws now in \ igor .n Manitoba, and they hope that our Ijolitical men will try to remed.N such condition of things without weakness or cai)itulation." Besides tho.se solicitations in favor of the minority of Manitoba, fnany friends of the cause defended it l)y writings re- markable as constitutional and legal stu- dies, and which were published in the newspapers of the different provinces. It is itnpoasible for me to mention them •^.ll, but CO their authors I can olfer the ex- pression of our gratitude and say that their attitude, in compensating us for the warfare made against us by the hostile press, was also a counterpart to the in- credible apathy of other organs of publi- city, whose readers are as much interest- ed as ourselves in combatting with us. How blind ai'd those who do not see the trap in which .some wish to catch us, the abyss in which they desire to bury our faith and our most legitimate aspira- tions. Among those who have consoled us the most in present difllculties I am happy to mention the Hon. William McDougall. More than other he might have been tempted to say: But why should I care about the minority of Manitoba and about defending it after all I suffered in that country? No ! Hon. Mr. McDougall overlooked such consideiations notuncommon among ordinary men ; he openly and often times spoke in favor of that minority and said : "The French speaking Catholic inhabitants had by law. viz :"33rd Vic. Chap. 3. called the Manitoba act a constitutional guarantee against any prejudicial legislation ett'ecting any right or privilege with respect to denom- inational schools which any class of persons had by law or practice at the union. More over, the dcnominatioiuvl schools in Manitoba are protected by provisions for appeal to the governor general-in-council and remedial laws to be passed by parliament if necessary." Hon. Mr. McDougall is neither French nor Catholic ; moreover, I repeat it with regret, he had to suffer during the troubles of 1869-70 ; he has generously forgotten those circumstances, and frankly spoke the language of Justice and truth. Mr. McDougall was member of parliament at Ottawa when the Manitoba act was introduced, discussed and voted. Per- haps more than any one else he had personal reasons to study the constitu- tional cliaracter of the new province. He heard the promoters of the bill give the most ample and clear explanation; lie himself fought against the bill and had every chance to understand its wright and sii£niflcal ion. His legal knowledge, his e.xperience in constitutional matters and the courage of his convictions inspir- ed him with the attitude he took; an attitude for which we thank him so much the more willingly, as it strengthens the convictions of the miiority and persuade it more and more that e^very irian know- ing the origin and objeit of the Manitoba act thinks what I have oftentimes .said in the course or" this work. The demands addressed to the execn- tive council determined them to take into consideration the appeal that was made. Hon. Sir John S. D. Thompson, Mr. Powell, J. A. Chapleau, T. W. Daly were named to form a sub committee to pro- ceed to the preliminary examination of the question. The petitioners' lawyer pleaded before them the right to be heard on the appeal. The sub-committee reported on the 29th De- cember, 1892, and after numerous explan- ations, restrictions, delays, etc., etc., it recommended that a day should be fixed, on which the petitioners or their lawyer could be heard on the appeal. The report having been approved of by the governor-general, the latter issued an ordinance fixing the 21st January, 1893, as the day on which the parties could be heard, in the hall of the privy council at Ottawa on the appeal demanded. The ordinance also stated that a copy of the ordinance should be sent to the lieuten- ant-governor of Manitoba. On the 4th January Mr. Catellier, assistant secretary of state, sent those papers to Hia Honor Governor Schultz, who three days later informed Ottawa that he had received the documents and passed them over to his ministers. On the 18th of the same month the lieutenant governor wrote to Ottawa that his government had, that same day advised as follows : "Your honor's government has decided that they do not think it necessary to be repres- ented for the hearing of the appeal which is to take place on the 21st instant,before they privy council" and the government of Manitoba was not represented while Mr. Ewart was heard in the interests of the petitioners. After these preliminaries and others (which I spare the reader) a decision of the council dated 3l8t July, 1893, stating that "a case touching certain statutes of the province of Manitoba relating to edu- cation, and the memorials oi certain fietitioners complaining thereof was re- erred to the supreme court of Canada for 51 hearing and consideration to be heard on the third day October next, or so soon therfdfter as may be." On the recom- mendation of the minister of justice, and in conformity with the act 'A—ivi Victoria, chapter L'5, the commit- tee of the hon. council recommended on the 15th August, 18J)3, that the attor- ney-general of the province of Manitoba tie informed of that decision of the coun- cil, and that a similar notice be sent to Mr. John S. Ewart, Q. C, in Winnipeg, lawyer for the petitioners. On the lyth a certified copy was sent to the Governor of Manitoba by Hon, W. B. Ives, president of the council, ancf on the same day two certified copies were sent by Mr. John J. McGee, clerk of the coun- cil, one to the attorney-general of Mani- toba, and the other to Mr. P^wart. On the ;kd October the case was intro- duced before the supreme court of Can- ada. The incidents therewith connected 80 far are of too recent date and too well known to be necessary to mention them. I will merely state the reflection they naturally suggest. ONCK MOKK BKFOllK THE T.HIHUNALS. The cause of the Catholics of Manitoba had passed through a maze of judiciary proceedings to arrive at a very extraordi- nary and regretable result.' This time the same cause is driven through a laby- rinth of legal interpretations that will bring it no one knows where. It is so much the more difficult to foresee the re- sult thct two points of the Manitoba law will be submitted to the interpretation of the two tribunals, which have already pronounced so differently on another point of the same law. "Moreover, this uncertainty as to the decision of the judges is increased by the uncertainty of what the government will do after having received the opinion of the tribunals. Hon. Mr. Blake, in supportinghis resolu- tion, and Sir John A. Macdonald in accept- ing it, both declared that the expression of the opinion of the tribunals cuuld not do away with the executive's responsi- bility, and that such opinion could be con- sidered only as an advice. That our cause be again before the tribunals, we owe this Inconvenience (or its advaniage, if any result from it) to the lesolution of 1890, or if one likes better to say so, to the law enacted in 1891 in accordance with said resolutions. Very likely, some would say that the minority of Manitoba and its archbishop are the authors of this new de lay, of this new uncertainty, and perhaps, aJas, of a new mishap. The law, which is now applied to our case, has received the unanimous vote of the legislature of Ottawa. Should its provisions turn against us, we shall be tne victims ; but the members of parliani?nt must have the responsibility of what we may have to suffer. Here is the text of the law 54 and 55 Vic, chap 25, which regards the actual proceedings : ■ Iiiiport^mt (iiiOHtioiis of law or fact touchiiiK provincial legislation, or khc appellate juriH- dictioH an (o educational matters, veslod in the governor-in-founcil, by the British North American act, 1867, or any other act ni- ,aw may be referred by the governor general-in-couiicil to the s\ipreme court for Hearing or (Consideration; and the court shall thei-eupoii hoar and considwr the same. (>. The opinion of tlie court- ujton any such reference, althotigli advisory only, sliall r'or all purposes of appeal tn Her Ma.j(!sty in council, be ti"e-«ted as a llnal.judgnu^nt of the said coMrl. between the i)iirties." What is the meaning of this last para- graph ? It means clearly that the opin- ion of the .supreiiu- court is only advi sory. But if such an advice be sent across the Atlantic for reconsideration, it will be accepted, modified or rejected there. Will it then come back with its primitive char- acter? Will the executive, after appeal- ing to the highest tribunal of the Empire, retain its full liberty of action, its full official I'esponsibility, or will it i>e depriv- ed of the one and relieved of the other { On this the law is not explicit and our legislators have voted it notwithstanding its obscurity. There is experience enough to show the necessity of unfiuestionable clearness in the formation of statutes, in order to easily discover the mind of the legislators. It is evident that an inter- pretation against the intention of the legislators.especially from the highest tri- bunal of the Empire, may be the crushing of the rights which the law intended to protect. What will be the ultimate result of what is now going on? Are such delays imposed upon us merely to weaken our position in preparing the ultimate ruin; or are we surrounded by wise and bene- volent combinations resorting to the best and most efficacious means of protection? lam entirely ignorant. I know but one thing, that here, in Manitoba, we have nothing to do with such delays. On the contrary we suffer by them both morally and pecuniarily. We seek a remedy which is simply our right and obligation. I resume this fifth phase of the ijiiitory of our schools: 1. The constitution offers four remedies to the injustice perpetrated against the Catholics of Manitoba regarding their schools, and the official use of the French language. 2. Those interested have triad the first means to remedy the evil, or at least to delay its action; they have prayed the lieutenant governor to use the discre- tional power intrusted to him by the con- stitution, and to reserve said obnoxious laws for the signification of the good pleasure of the governor-general. In this they failed. ;i. The minority has demanded that the l^ws complained of should be disal- lowed. 4. Hon. Edward Blake's resolution, un- animously voted l)y the Commons at Otta- wa, and perhaps some political considera- tion, raised as an obstacle that the gov- 52 eminent thou(i;ht insurmountable and disallowance was refused. 5. The pcovernment brought the cause of our schools before the courts. After two years of anxiety and embarrassment, the Catholics have' received an unfavorable decision on the point submitted. 6. Having failed in the above mention- ed means, the minoritv, unwilling to abandon their rights had recourse to a provision of the constitution, which gives a right of appeal to the governor-general in council. 7. By provision of the law 54-55 vie. chap. 25 (a consequence of Mr. Blake's re- solution) unanimously voted by the feder- al legislature, the government of Ottawa submits the case of our schools to the highest tribunals of the country to ask for an opinion on the matter. 8. Hon. Mr. Blake, while supporting his proposition. Sir John A. Macdon aid, while accepting it, have affirmed positively that this new procedure, that this new mode of obtaining information will not restrain the liberty nor the responsibility of the executive. Naturally the parliament in voting the law, which is the consequence of the resolution, must have had in view the same object. t Alex., Arch, of St. Boniface, O.M.I. St. Bortlface, 22nd November, 1893. u ^ « ■h eS M-l