The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-01-10
NsruIng Star and Catholic Messenger.
NEW ORLEANS. SUNDAY. JANUARY 10. 1875.
Two etatssmsu.
EpMuND BURKE AND WIN. e. GLADSTONE.
fLondon Tablet.

Edmund Burke was at least as imposing
. figure in the last century as William
Gladstone in this. If there is some resem-
blance between them in Auency of speeci.,
there is none whatever in the use which
they make of it. AS orators they may,
perhaps, be compared as statesmen they
have as little in common as Pitt and
Theirs. Burke would nave called Glad
stone as Capefgue called Theirs, see remu-
cur sterile" Tie fret professed no motive
OF action but principle the second prefers,
to use Burke's own expression, "the heresy
of contingencies" 1t was the fate of both
to discuss the same questions. Liberalism,
which Burke called Jacobinism, and the
relations of Catholics to the civil power,
were az ardently debated in 1874 as in
1874. In their views of both subjects no
two men ever differed omore widely than
Burke and Gladstone. ALI that the latter
has lately said was familiar to the former,
and secuted by him, with the lofty scorn
of o great mind, 40 ruinously false. Burke
suet predicted Dean Stanley and his school
and refuted him by anticipation.
Burke was Protestant, as Mr.. Gladstone
is, but he was also q philosopher and q
statesmau, which Mr.. Gladstone will never
be. To the end of his life he will be hum
bly, content to lead q faction, and canvass
for votes. His latest man4uve, of which
Burke was as incapable as of petty larceny,
will not even attain the poor recompense
to which he aspires. The Anglican Church
Herald only echoes the general sentiment
when it says that che has lost the conf
dence of the people of England, and no
newly-batched devotion to Oraugeism or
Bismarcki>ui will change their opinions"
Burke discussed the civil allegiance of Ca
tholics as Mr.. Gladstone has done, bnt with
q deeper insight and a nobler purpose.
The senseless anti i-Catholic mania was in his
day fercer and more universal than in ours,
but Burke, to whom the applause of fana-
tics and an ignoble party success were not
the highest aims of human ambition, re-
buked it with the disdain of q philosopher
and the indignation of patriot. Like
Pitt, who "spurned the bigoted auIy OF
Burke only ridIculed the fretful impotence
of persecutors, and reminded them of q
truth which Bismarck and Gladstone will
do we'll to ponder, that che who fears God
fears nothing else.n Letter to a member of
tho National -Assen'bly): The maxims of
both the Prussian and the English expos
tulator as to the supremacy of the State
and the allegiance of Catholics were, in
Burke's judgment, equally opposed "to any
sound principles of legislation, or any au-
thorized definition of Law" "The Popery
leading cause of the imbecility of the
country" Works, vol. tx. p. 325.l Our
readers may be glad to be reminded in
what terms the great Protestant orator of
the last century handled both the religious
and the political questions which absorb
of them will, perhaps, learn with surprise
:, .... he reviews all Mr.. Gladstone's allega-
tions, and rejects them all. -.
Aud first as to the Pagan doctrine c.
Bismarck and his English echo on the au-
thority of the State in spiritual matters,
and the right of coercing Catholics to obey
it, even when in direct antagonism to the
Al NF
Church. The very pretence, on the pars o.
aState which had changed its own religion
seemed to Burke an intolerable absurdity
~ssIf people once take religion on the WORD
of the State," az they did both in Prussia
.,,' England, ''they cannot in common
sS1'v sST vonr @ 40. a,led Reformation( "that you
&oy ySe Sean wrope. Why should 1 prefer
no..v @"sS oninion of to-day to your persuasiol
yS.a y.starSev ~ If the State has any righ
"a S;otate in such matters, Burke saw very
siaarIv that there was an end both
Soentsl freedom and of human conscience
Perhaps he had read, as we nave, IL, .
a certain German priucipality III wnlc
a. whaia nopnlation were forced to chang
tbe;r rel;rion ak times in fourteen year:
S.;tb tbjs an pleasant result, that atter tne'
raI;gioua IDEAS had been passed 80 oite
tbronph an ecclesiastical sieve, Ghey ma na
been sifted into such lmpaipao.e US ~ SrS
r.,
that principality any religions IDEAS t;nm' %na
Sf o0tiS1ssy iSs sgs0 e0n1o mio
1nlHe, 1Gh, nncisnt Establishment begins
nerSecpte rsS n an inmovation, it has all the pr
udces and pFssGmpiiCOs on It iss asss s0e oo.h
mt thnt of which it sets an example lCse
But @ I an opinion at once new and Perseii Hars
ting is monster because 'Sapt1 in tSs of S9ns ehSn1
- Snes not leave to you (CathOlicsl ever
liberty Of perseverance," (1r"o's Re'o'
to the Lars Against Popery } ...;nsd
Annl;can sect as "the Church that
Matted in the blood of her moSne
RnrLe knew with what fendish oaroar
the new Anglican Church prosecuted o.
EngIish aud Irish Catholics, as long as
State suffered il to Do $pG%as snS UbserSes was aS'
Honses of Convocation urged Enzao1''
mt Mary to death, being an idolator, ,,
would have asked, IS Nth NE, thas hsoxy, vas bT %
SssL- oc x-asterday, q Church that was