The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-10-20
Letter of Mgr Charles Emile Freppel, Bishop of
Angers to Il. Leon Gambetta.

4dellyered speech at Romans, IN Which
you attacked the clergy with violence
beyond all limits. You will not be dis
&pleased if you are answered Immediately,
were it only to show those who may still
be deceived regarding your real sentiments
TO what extremes you propose to carry the
Religious affairs of France.
1t would seem as If it were to your
Sepeech that we are to seek the programme
for the future. However humiliating such
b thought must be to every Frenchman
$who has tho honor of his country at heart,
he must resign himself to reading you, 80
&as to be prepared to oppose yon. Now,
what you announce to us in the near fu-
Hture as a summary of your projects is, let
: us use the right word, persecution.
And what time do you select wherein
to declare war upon usf time when
hopes of peace are springing up all around
US; when governments, taught by expert
ence, are beginning to understand that all
moral forces united together did not suf-
&ice to preserve modern society from the
latest catastrophes. 1t is at q moment
Pike this that you try to revive campaign
that has nowhere succeeded, and to select
catholic France as the theatre of strug-
gle which Protestant States are themselves
anxious to avert. If you were true poll
Stfeian, you would understand how far
such language is opposed to the ideas and
sentiments of the present day.
1t is from You that we learn that there
Ia such thing as "clerical question, that
is to say, the question of the relations of
Church and State" With due respect for
you, Monsieur, there is no such question !;
ginning of this century by a Concordat
that all the governments have respected,
and which is, with us, the basis of public
peace. The day on which you violate this
fundamental compact, you will bring all
things into question. and you will let
loose upon the country horrors which
neither you nor 1, perhaps, will see the
end of.
You call up phantoms to lead your hear
ers into the belief that there is such
thing as 'clerical question" You speak
of the "making trafc of ignorance" on the
very morning after the Journal Ofciel
stated that we had inundated France with
,eeats of learning, that secondary education
had more students in our Colleges than in
those of the Stste.s However numerous
your occupations may be, you must have
pad time enough to find ont what every
body knows, that, from the Brothers
Schools up to the highest Government
Schools, the students trained nnder tho
care of the clergy and the Religious Orders
bold no inferior positions at public exsmi-
nations.
What kind of an audience was it that
listened to you at Romans ! to whom you
eould talk in this manner without there
cienty instr in the affairs of the day
TO meet such assertions as they deservad 7
Moreover, Monsieur, were you not educa-
ked in q little seminary Did you ever
know anyone there to attempt upon your
person what you are pleased to style
'making traffic Of ignorance"
1t eminently belongs to you to speak of
'general subjection," you, who in your
address, announce the formal intent tion of
4eprivipg all who do not think as you do
Rf exercising the functions Of the magis-
racy, the administration and the army
Behold the despotism You propose to
snaugurate in France! Aud you dare to
Ptter the word liberty! The word is
neaningless from your lips. As to the
elergy, where, pray, do you discover the
Phghtest tendency to any subsection on
heir part Are you not free, you and
Four followers, to go to Macs or not To
perform your Easter duty or not7 To
rom doing soP You will have to answer
Aor 1t to Almighty God; that is all. But
Hhere do you find the slightest inclination |
20 compel yoa to religious practices 2 Are
gou not playing on the public credulity by
eigning oppression, where no one even |
reams OF dlsputiDg the smallest atom of |
Four liberty7
1t is impossible, confess to you, for me |
% Imagine that you were in earnest when |
Iou pointed out "the unceasing usurpa-
etons OF ultramOntanism and the inroads |
ls making daily upon the realm of the |
bate" To hear you, one would imagine |
pat the members of the clergy filed the |
unicipal Councils, the Senate and the |
inamoer OF Deputies. The trnth is that
he ecclesiastical element is represented
eowhere, or very nearly so. There are |
hlrty priests in the German Parliament : |
here is but one bishop to protect religious
ateTests in the French Senate. Never. at
time, has the clergy ever participated |
Ss in State affairs; nowhere, in no coun- !
are they kept more sloof from public
airs. And you go before an audience, |
her prejudiced or inattentive, and hold |
70 them the clergy of France as ready |
invade all the domain of the State In |
a1 terms do you expect such extrava-
an aaG, language to be qualified
,ha ~ Always happens" you say, "thst
Steh .t tR the fortunes of the country are low
osG tna1 JesuItism RISES" This is an i'm |
attend gat re 0leeE of September u.s. 1875 1876 pups
risS noS estAblshments little Stmna.
NOiuoeai a 400 attend the State Colleges.