, 1880-05-08

political suicide by drawing back. 1t 10
thus a mistake to suppose that M. de Frey
ciuet will be embarrassed. He may be
embarrassed, if asked why he agreed to
these illiberal and tyrannical DEGREES, but
apart from this his position is easy enough.
IT only a portion of the orders apply for
it from the Chambers, and will then say
to others, "Why do not you also place
yourselves under the law 7 Do as the
others have done, or you will be
dissolved" If not a single order
applies, he will say, 81 was ready
to defend you before the Chambers and
secure you o legal status, but you have
defed me to act, and I cannot, without
failing in my duty to the Republic, avoid
enforcing my own edict." The statement
that M. de Freycinet had written to the
Pope is incorrect. He has not written to
Cardinal Nina either, but he has written to
NJ. Desprez, the French Ambassador to
the Vatican, who will be able to commu-
nicate it, but has not yet, | believe, done
so, unless he did it yesterday or to-day.
This letter, it is said, dwells on the posi-
ton in which the passive resistance of the
orders will place him. 1t may be supposed,
therefore, that Immediately on the expira.
ton of the three months grace, M. de
Freycinet will enforce the DEGREES. Being
free, however, as to the degree OF enforce
ment, be is not likely to dispense hundreds
of communities at once. Possibly he will
begin with one, and if this submits, will
take q second in another part of the coun-
try, until he encounters a legal resistance.
1t is useless to consider whether the case
will go before the ordinary tribunals, before
the Appellate Courts, or before the Coun-
Gil of State. What is certain is that the
orders, whether Jesuits or not, will defend
themselves at the proper moment, on the
ground of individual liberty and rights of
property, and that the legal proceedings
cannot last less than a year. This will
bring us on TO the time of the general
election, which would thus be fought out
on the question OF the legal resistance Of
the religious orders. The present Cham
Der is not likely. therefore, to see the
outbreak of the threatened cOnlag ration,
and. despite the difficulty existing, the
De Freycinet Cabinet may hold its ground
until the elections, the issue of which may
alter the destlnies both of the Cabinet
itself and of the religious orders engaged
in the present conflict.
Cardinal Guilbert. Archbishop of Paris,
has add ressed to President Gr6vy q protest
against the anti-Jesuit DEGREES. He argues
that the Royal and judicial DEGREES anteri-
or to the Revolution are utterly inapplica-
BILE to the present. time ; that the silence
of the Concordat is due to the impossible
ty Of foreseeiDg the form and means by
which monssticism would resume It's place
in society that the teaching orders have
been at work ~undisturbed for half..a century
that the persons threatened with rigour
have renowned worldly and domestic
advantages for the sake of religion and
philanthropy; that the required authori-
cation would probably be refused by the
Chamber /; and that the Jesuits have
always combined zeal with prudence, and
avoided politics. Half the nation is sad
dened, and imaginary perils are conjured
up, In order to .~ill.treat those who might
help to ward off real ones. If the Repub-
lie wishes to strengthen its hold, it clearly
ought to take other means A Govern
ment does itself honour by Withdrawing
measures shown to be dangerous; and the
Archbishop appeals for the withdrawal of
a step likely to create painful conflicts