New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-10-04
A REVIEW OF THE GUIBORD CASE.

CHURCH.
lFKoMAN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSRl
MONTREAL, Sept. 23.-l wonder if many
Americans are aware, If they rccOeci that Horace
erele, was once inierdicod by the Church Of Rome
In 1865 MIR Greeley Montreal to deliver public
lecture Ie was received with every demonstration OF
welcome 10y the whole city, and among the many lhSt-
trtions which gave him reception was the lnsutut
Canndicn poGcclitcrary club OF young French cana
dians IN response Hr Greeley delivered one of his
characteristic addresses In favor Of civil and religious
liberty and tolerance in matters of creed which,
being takon in shorthand. afterward published
along with a speech from the President. the Hon M.
Dessauues, in the Annuairo Of the Institute. This
uamhlet waJ at once consigned 10 the Under B$50d-
torts by the Roman Catholic Bishop Of Montreal aud
thus Mr. Greeley found himself undor the ecclesiastical
ban recall this curious Circumstance rs kind of con-
neong link between TIE TRIBUNE and the Guihord con
troycrsy winch OF present creating such stir through
out the country because Guibord was denied Christian
burial precisely on account 81 hS connection with the
Institute and s the institute which has steadily prose
euted Tire case up ~ its present stage
Iueed not 20 into the details OF this unfortunate atalf
a. they arc sufficiently VOL to tie majority of
American readers. think II will be better to enter upon
wider field. end review the relations OF Church and
State IN Lower Canada And first lot the reader look at
the Lower Canadian French Themselves II IA too much
the fashion in the United States and among the Enshsh
spcaking population of tho Dominion 10 regard these
people "a an inferior That title once gl' en- tny
a former colonial governor. Sir Edmund Head, has
ranked and produced great deal Of useless mischief
The French here the peasany Of Canada ana II as
peasants that they must be Judged They are the original
owners of the soil They chopped their villages out OF
the wilderness ht the rgOIs OF an Arctic climate Tor
centuries Injured themselves 60 the har,shpS o. pioneer
Hfe and made a scanty existence for exception
ally prolific families by dint Of the hard
est 81 toll In time, aad with something OF
the haugnncss OF conqucrcrs, the English and
Scotch came over and scttlcd in the cities There they
nd ada uOug viii
Frruch remained their farms always in direct contact
with mother EARTH and always earning their precao'is
livelihood by the sweat OF their bfows And thus they
arc oven this day Tic peasant tainf faint II may
be csl,-l-stin clings to them They are simple, Il
noia1 slow adopt ideas. aud economical even to
snrines- But they are particle Inferior to roo
DIE o. the same class in Great Britain, France, Or Ger
many Nay venture 60 Bay that any traveller who has
personal knowledge Of oil those would pronounce them
superior They very polite and hosptadlc AZ lu'e
they are strictly honest except those who reside near the
larec cities Altogether 10 IL injustice to depfcciGe
them Judge them ou ide Of Their oNly bat sim
normal standard.
The CLERGY rule these people the clergy rule the
peasantrv everywhere. To American or English eyes OF
course the French Canadian clergy are curiosity AID
81 anomaly They altogether different from Their
Catholic colleagues IN The United states With Us the
priest has learned ~ m'nd bis own business strictly In
Engaui aud the United States ne attends his church.
various rites visits the sick, but vs. crc-
fol moi 20 by much into family matters constitute
himself an arbtcr OF social questions Here the
trary hc absolute within his parish, and in the rural
districts more especially there is DO family aecroi lid
den from The rdIcnco, both good and evil, arising
out Of ts personal power ia immense In hundreds of
case - becomes nt0,elabe tyranny, GGd am told
that much Of the emigration OF young Canadians 20 the
United States T. induced by Irresistible desire TO be
freoa from this clerical restraint The priests IN the
country also the habit Of A" thceng" and thou
Inc" their rarsioncrs. even women ana old men, |
f4.fa MIA D. an "A
teaching Is narrow and intOcrant Of all forms
Of belief hcsie their own, bat in this respect they
are rot Whit than tae priests Of The continent
Contact with oicstsn has bad the effect o. liberal
zug them 20 haa he the United states A the llr:e
raaoriiy % tne Province II French and Catholic ne
whole ,ystem Of Legislation and politics is tine,d with
and actc upon the lawyers IL ia tEeir p!caduss
prinSpIc of this French the suborduatar OF The
stat 20 The Church or % put Joss ginsy an1 onen
syoy. the complete Independence OF the Church soye
IA ago an told. there strong traces 81 CALI
eaasIn IN seminaiies III tire Province, bHt that has
form az characterization Is now dominant The champion
10 thoroughly Roman. even IN tie winutest t1he OF dis
eplme, such the cat OF s priests dres ana On" pr
81 de eSnrcb in canada lie Is admitted 10 be great
man even 10y those who most bitterly oppose him Fral
OF build dropping with age, broken III health ana worn
with Tic unfCmittng lahors OF 10 years OF the cisco-
pale hc Is st bold unherimg, and uncoInpToidSins
IN the dsys of lis prime. lie Is not speser ms
voice buug feeble treble but ne Is Voiummoh' ana
population principles, sucl clergy,
and such iealcr u no wonder that The question oi
Church aud state should re interesting one Ia Lower
Canada. and that the GUi0ord affair should nave Risen 70
the mansions OF national conflict The conduct or the
clergy ia tins struggle has been thoroughly character
They fought their hattie to the bitter end having
two trials IN Montreal and third ono before the lryy
Council when That supreme tribunal decided AGAINST
them H generally expected that they would enter
protest and 2" through some other FORM OF resistance
TO ali the material requirements OF TIE royal man
dainus Tho decree of the Priyy Council explicitly or
derci that the remains OF CuibOrd should be buried
la that part Of the oC,netfy In which the
bodies OF Catholics aro usually inferred. Rcll-
gious ceremonies were commanded, the friends
OF GdibpTd willing enough 10 bury HIM without
bel or book Tho docree was Obeyed tine letter The
grave was allowed 10 be dug thc gates Of the cemetery
lei opon AID the guardian present 20 receive
the usual burial fees No one here seriously holds the
ccIgy responsible Or the acts OF violence perorgcd by
the mob In the howery avenues OF the beautiful cemc
ty by which the BODY o. the unio tuDa'e printer was
driven from the rates. The clergy were al work in !
another way retrieve themselves aud pres mt shadow
OF compcusston for what they deemed their Invaded
nights The Bishop proclaimed In "a circular that
Ouibord should DC buried the grave wherein be hes
would BIZ nterccd, eopaToied from the rest Of the Gem
called mis- ncek ~ sign petitions 10 the Queen re-
siociuliy demanding recognition Of the rights Of Can
4dian Clthocs. IN virtue Of the treaties OF 1868 The
question lies there AT present but must inevitably lead
atiil further complications.
Ia connection. with all these proceedings there IL one
fact winch must NOS onii 70 staIe because throws
much light upon the whole religious question IN Canada
II - hr-tbat BotythstanaGg ali tla has happened IN
times pist and all tbat 10 haD+hihH now, tue Naln.
hierarchy and clergy are looked upon with deal O
tolerance by the PrOiestsnts one reason, OF couTle
Ga the Province OF quebec TIC PiOeoants are mem
iiers Of a minority, and have enjoyed all their rights
educational and other. from the Catholic majority But
another and farreaJhing reason Is that Use Catholic
clergy have throughout been sturdiy true 70 Tue Crown
and have from the days Of the American INVASION IN
Ths is a salieDt faot i'm che history Of Canada which
cannot bS overlooked Many of the ffcneh To-Day
are republicans and IN favor OF annexation 10 the
United states, and II IL certain that y would
soqnne great strain at time TO make the whole
h.u "a II In TamN nat IA