, 1875-09-19

The New York Times editorialy thinks that
the people Of Montreal hare before them very
unpleasant task in attempting to carry out the
orders aa to Guibord's burial It Says:
The, Montreal municipal authorities have beon &c
verey criticised, both st homo and abroad, for their
law. So far this criticism bears upon their neglect
to arrest any OF the rioters it ia probably just but it
must be conceded that they a1e in rery difficult r 70:
Pr1vy Council is concerned. To merely bury Gni-
boEds bones in tho Roman Catholic cemetery is nut q
task beyond the resources Of the authorities
Two or three regiments Of volunteers could
escort the coffin to tho cemetery put It underground,
and then garrison the Cemetery until the< gradual de-
creasc Of tho French population in Canada, and the
calming influence Of time, shoud render any attempt
to disiuter the bones quite imIeobable. But this
has been ordered not only that Guibord shall be bur-
led In the Roman Catholic cemetery, but that he shall
te buried with the usual Roman Catholic service Here
Lies the difficulty which troubles the Montreal authcri
ties. They may lead unwilling priest to tho grave,
but they cannot make him read the SERVICE OF courso,
his refusal would be defiance of the law aud would
render him liable arrtYt, Other priests might then
be dragged to the cemetery but they would only ni-
tate the silence Of The rst- The result Of perseyer-
ance in this Of action would be that in time all
IT, Roman Catholic priests In Canada would he n jail,
aud G1ibord would be nearer decent end than rs
Is today.
There is really no way in which the Priry Councils
decree can be carried out il the priests remain defiant
except by a sort Of strategy to which no honorable
matters to import an Old Catholic priest from Ger
many, or Greek priest from Russia. or course.
e.e-gymen Of either Of these varieties could bury
Guibord in workmaniike way, but so for that mat
ter, could an Anglican clergyman. None OF thexe,
however, would meet the requirements Of tho aw, for
the simple that it is Roman Catholic bur1al
which Gubord has been declared to be entitled It is
true that Gubord bones might be secretly reduced to
ashes; priest might be induced by false represents
tion to read tho burial service The jar containing
them, and the ashes might subsequently, under mill
tary protection, ne thoroughly Plowed into the entire
cemetery ground. It is doubtful, however, II this
would entirely satisfy the wishes Of Guibords friends
and 1t would certainly be : device which would be
very far from rejecting credit upon those concerned
in 1t.
What, then, can the Montreal authoritios do They
arrest persons who attack tho prote.t1ut cerne
terry and they punish those who doggeJiy refuse
to comply with the law. It is beyond their power,
however, to give Roman Catholic burial to Gnibord
il the presta refuse their assistance and far, the
hitter have shown no Sign Of yielding. Even il
priest should consent to be present at attempted
funeral, he would probably prove sort Of reversed
Baaa, and instead Of blessing tho bones, Accord
ance with the order Of the civil authorities, would
curse them with great he7rtiness and aki It La easy
to aEk why the authorities do not compel the burta Of
Gibord and thus vindicate the Inv. That is precise
ly what they cannot do without the consen: OF tne
Roman Catholic Bishop aud his subordinases