Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-07-21
France and the JesnIts.

attracting the attention Of all Christendom.
A national decree suppressing the Jesuits,
decree passed more than century ago and
revived by the national assembly April I'd,
is being vigorously enforced The wisdom
of the course our sister republic has elected
to pursue against monastic order is rather
cautiously criticised by the entire English
press, and seriously questioned by many
American journals. The policy Of suppress
sion, it is maintained by Americans, smacks
of persecution, and is opposed to the spirit
of federation which is the basis of the
American idea of republicanism. But cir
cumstances alter cases, and nothing could be
more unreasonable than to Judge France
exclusively from an American standpoint, or
to insist that line of policy which would
be feasible in the United States would be
practicable in France. Had Columbia the
same problem TO encounter as that with
which her French sister is now struggling,
we apprehend that the methods of solving
the question would not vary materially.
Here is society, half religious half polit-
ical in its character. It is under the control
of head whose word is supreme law aud
whose authority is more absolute than that
of an Indian prince. 1t acknowledges su-
preme allegiance TO foreign ecclesiastical
power, that claims temporal sovereignty
ever kings and emperors. It is hoary with
the age of centuries, and embodies the in
herited craft and cunning of many genera
tions of men who have made the orgauiza-
ton famous as the most shrewd and design
been familiar agency for accomplishing its
ends. BY vast and intricate system of
schools and churches, it controls the educa-
ton of the youth of the nation, nstills into
their minds sentiments of hostility TO the
government, and laxity in morals. It's gen
eral is sole and final arbter for all his sub
jects the judge of good and evil, Of virtue
and vice. The subordinaton or all its
members in every land to the will of one
man is complete. The duty of blind and
implicit obedience to his mandates is para
mount Its Vaccinations as late as 1877
overthrow the republican ministry in
France. The continued existence of the or
ganization was a standing menace to the
perpetuity of the republic. In resolving to
suppress this power, close up its schools and
break up its organized existence throughout
the republic, France has but obeyed the
promptings of the painest duty of self
defense. The organization could not be
brought into subsection to French laws. 1t
was foreign in its allegiance, hostile to
civil liberty in spirit and purpose, venerable
in its existence, universal in its extent and
impregnable to ordinary legal or moral
forces. We went to war in 1861 to rid our
nation from the domination of a power
somewhat analogous to Jesuitism in its men
eto our free institutions. Slavery and the
power behind it was no lighter burden for
republican America to carry than Jesuitism
for republican France. Jesuitism, a century
monarchical France, and Louis XIV. ordered
its suppression; but though its head has been
frequently bruised by the heel of absolute
power, like wounded snake it has as often
crawled back to its strongholds, and under
the fostering care and in the congenial at
mosphere of Napoleon Ills reign it reared
its head in full established sway. The re-
publicans of France are now attempting for
once undertook for France, what the Swiss
accomplished for Switzerland in lSi7 and
what Bismarck achieved for Germany in
1873. The movement does not partake of
the character of religious persecution. 1t is
not an act conceived in passion and resolved
upon in haste by body of zealots. They
who have decreed the downfall of the
Jesuits are themselves devout Catholics. 1t
is not the act of religious fanaticism; no
more is it the work of political fanaticism.
The movers are among the coolest and
most moderate, as well as most enlightened
of French Catholic statesmen. We believe
they will be proven to be also among
the wisest, so far as this act is test
of their wisdom. BY this decree French
Jesuits are not expelled from their country.
Their schools are closed and their estab-
lishments shut up, because they are not only
not amenable to French laws but are hos
tile to them. Their rights as citizens and
their civil and religious freedom are not i'm
paired. The unpleasant task is being per-
formed by the government officials with all
the moderation and delicacy consistent with
a thorough discharge of their duty. Great
excitement has prevailed in some localities.
The clerical party, abetted, for political
effect by the imperial and monarchca fac
tions, have yielded under protest, and will
proceed against the government for alleged
violation of constitutional rights, but pop
ular sentiment stoutly supports the govern
ment. 1t is too early to judge as to the out
come of the movement, but it is well to re-
member that the France of to-day is not the
France of the revolution. Reason and states
manship have advanced nightly. France
justifies high expectations, and the republic
Lafayette helped to establish in America
may already recognize the promise of peer
of full rank in the republic carved out OF
the ruins of imperial France by such minds
as Guizot and Theirs.
WELL ENDORSED venerable Thur
low Weed, in the New York Tribune, speaks