The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-27
A WAR ON THE JESUITS.
THE FIGHT WAXING HOTTER AND
HOTTER IN CANADA.

pense in It's Defense Against the
Libel Suit Brought BY the Order
The O'Brien Resolutions Called Up
at Ottawa.
TORONTO, ONT, March 26.--It is under
stood that the Mail Printing Company is
making preparations TO contest its libel suit
with the Jesuits wholly regardless of ex-
pense. The company will send commits
sion at once to France and Belgium for the
purpose OF arranging with prominent
statesmen there to come over and
give evidence touching the operations
of the Jesuit society in those countries. A
distinguished Paris advocate will also be
engaged to assist the Mails counsel in Mon
treal and Toronto in preparing the inter
rogatories to be put at the trial to the heads
Of the Jesuit order here.
A DEBATE AT OTTAWA.
OTTAWA, ONT, March 26.-When the
O'Brien resolutions were called up in the
House of Commons this afternoon Col.
O'Brien moved an amendment, declaring
that the Jesuit order is a secret organiza-
tion and is fraught with danger to Canada.
He said that he moved his amentment
owing to convictions of his constituents
and what he believed to be the senti-
ments of a majority of the people of
e dominion. Although he was elected as
a supporter of Sir JOIN Mcdonald, he bad
said on previous occasions, in anticipation
of such au act as the Jesuits estates act,
that he would, when the time came, oppose
any efforts to obtain rights not guaranteed
by treaty. The resolution was explicit and
required little explanation.
OUGHT TO OBTAIN SUPPORT.
In view of the past twenty years it ought
to obtain the support of the House. While
it might be true that the bill was within
the spirit OF the British Amer
lea act, yet parliament possessed
authority to deal with matters
inperiling Canada's national existence.
He reviewed what he termed a history Of
the Jesuit order, and asserted that there is
no legal, moral or equitable claim
for the restoration Of the estates,
and all contentious in that direction
are shallow and fimsy. Premier Mercier
himself admitted il correSp Judence that
the Jesuits possessed no legal claim upon the
government. The Jesuits' bill violates the
fundamental pri ciple of tho constitution
in so far as it endows a religious order.
The clergy reserves act settled once for all
that all denominations and scots were the
same before the law. These lands granted
to the province for educational purposes in
trust were accepted, aud this agreement
was ratified by parliament in 1881 and 1856.
EQUAL RIGHTS OF THE PROVINCES.
The united provinces of Ontario and
Quebec had equal rights in those days, and
these lands were mentioned in the British
North America act. Out of the $500 900
grant, 1000 was awarded to the Protestant
school fund of Quebec and was bribe of
money which equally belonged to the
Protestants. He ridiculed the idea of the
pope interfering in Canadian civil matters,
and drew attention to the reference
to the pope in the preamble
of Mercier's bill. 1t seemed childish to con-
tend that an act of the British legislature
should not become law wi hout the con-
sent of the pope Mr.. Mercier's correspond
ence with the holy see showed this. A
negative reply from the pope
would simply nulify the act
What if the province of Ontaric made
grant to the Anglican synod, and left the
distribution to the Archbishop of Canter-
bury. The people of Canada knew it was
unconstitutional to let the operation of an
act hinge upon tho negative or the affirmi-
tive of a foreigner.
WEAPONS OF THE ORDER.
The weapons of the Jesuits might have
changed since the time when they were
hated throughout the world. The Jesuit
was an abnormal creature, without home
or family. Submissive to their wants they
always had men to do their work, whether
good or bad. There had been men of great
attainment IN the order, but the time had
come when the world must know that
Canada, brooking no interference civil or
religious, desired to remain British. He
then moved that the following be submitted
to the governor general:
/. That the House regards the power of
dSallowing acts of the legislative Assem- bies of
the province, vested in his excellency in council,
as a prerogative essential to the national
existence of the dominion
2. That this great power, while it should
never be Wantonly exercised. should be fear
lessly used for the protection of the rights of
the minority, for the preservation of the fuuda-
mental principles of the constitution, and for
safeguarding the general interests of the
people.
g. That in the-opnion of this House the pas
sage of the act by the legislature of the prov
ince of Quebec en- tiled AN act respecting the
settlement Of the Jesuits' estates, " is beyond
the power OF that House; firstly. because it
endows from the public funds religious
organization, thereby violating the unwritten
but undoubted constitutional principle
of complete separation of church and
state, and Of absolute equality of all de-
nominations before the law; secondly because
it recognizes usurpation OF the right by foreign
authority-namely, the pope Of Rome-to claim
that his consent was necessary to empower the
provincial legislature to dispose of portion Of
the public domain, and also be-
cause the act is made to depend
upon the will, and the appropriation Of the
grant thereby made is subject to the control of
the same authority; and, third y, because the
endowng of the Society Of the Jesuits an
alien, secret and politico-relgious body, the ex.
pulsion OF which from every christian commu-
nifty wherein it has had a footing has been rem
do red necessary with the functions of civil gov
ernment is fraught with danger to the
civil and religious liberties Of the peo-
pie OF Canada, and this House, therefore, prays
that his excel.ncy will be graciously pleased to
disallow said act.
Mr.. Rykert, who spoke as a \ Orangeman,
opposed Mr.. O'Brien's resolution. He In
turn was followed by Mr.. Barron, who fol-
10 wed line Of argument Identical with Mr..
O'Brien.
The debate promises to be stubborn.
DIVIDING THE MONEY.
ROME, March 26--The pope acceding TO
the desire of the Canadian episcopacy, has
issued a brief in which he divides the
amount of the restitution to the Jesuirs by
the Canadian government as follows:
S160, 900 to the Jesuits, 100000 to the
Catholic bishops and $4,000 to Montreal
university.