The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-21

Montreal, who had been appointed spec
tally TO watch the interests OF the order in
the negotiations
TuE -FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND AWARD.
Then began the correspondence which
ended IN the now celebrated award of
100000 to the Society OF Jesus. From
the beginning the Government laid down
the stipulation that in consenting to treat
respecting the property they did not rccog-
nlz' any civil obligation, but merely a
moral obligation; that il could not be Il
question OF restitution in kind, rs this had
been abandoned in former years, but only
rs compensation in money; that the
amount granted must be spent within the
province, and that the society grant the
Government complete concession Of all
property that ever belonged to them in
Canada under any title, aud rcnouncc all
rights as well in the name OF the Old Order
OF Ju,uits, OF the present corporation, in
the name Of the Pope, of the Sacred Cot.
lcgc OF the Propaganda and OF the Romun
Catholic Church in general. There were
two other clauses, and they were the most
significant in the whole agreement. They
We're:
THAT any agreement made between
the government Of the province and the
Society Of Jesus will be- binding only in 80
far rs IL shall be- ratified 10y the Pope and
the Legislature Of the province.
That the amount Ut compensation shall
remain in the possession of the govern.
ment Of the province as n special deposit
until the Pope has ratified the said settle.
ment and madt known his wishes respect.
ing the distribution OF such money in this
country, the JcsuIts 30 receive per cent.
interest on the amount until the Popc's
approval is signlicd.'
A Protestant soP.
Then followed u sop TO the Protestant
minority IN the province. II was pro.
vldcd that in any such settlement the
Protcslants should be granted sum in
proportion 10 their population Tor cducl.
tional purposes. 50 the negotiations pro.
ccedcd. The next thing 30 be
done was TO agree upon the amount
OF the Compensation The Rev.
Father Turgcon, rs representative of
the Jcsuits, estimated the value Of the
cschcatcd property at -, OOO,0 600, Of which
the grcatcr part was for property Ia the
very heart of Montreal. Tho society,
through him asked Tot the sum OF 81 900.
0DO, the ccsson Of the common Of La
prairie, on which TO erect u monument
IN the Catholic act OF the government, -
and the right of the Jcsuits TO share in
the regular educational grants Of tho pro.
vince. These terms Premier Mcrcicr 10.
gnrdcd as too OnerOus, aud he proposed
the payment Of the sum Of 100000, an
amount which had been previously named
by the authorities nc Rome rs proper
award, the remainder Ut Father Turgcon's
proposal 10 stand. These terms were
finally agreed upon, aud accordingly uu
the 81 of July last wear the Legislature
passed a bill granting this Sl00,OUJ cons
pcnsaiion 10 the Jcsuits, at the same time
making a grant Of $4,000 toward the Pro.
tCstant educational fund. The act at once
received the assent Of the Lieutenant
Governor, In itself very extraordinary
piece ui procedure. aud ~ became Law IN
~ far ~ the Legislature OF Quebec Wa
concerned.
uErE's rnE Ruh
Now comes In the critical side Of III,
case. All provincial acts under the con-
stiluiion OF Canada nrr NJ no effect until
they have been passed upon by the i"d.
cal Government and the time within
which provisional law can bc dIsllloNci Is
placed nc twelve months The twelve
months from the passing Of this Jcsuit,'
Grant act will not expire until july, but
after mature consideration ~ the pros and
cons oi the ease, Sir John Macdonald
Government few weeks since declared
that IL would not interfere with the meas.
urc, aud that accordingly Il would gu
into effect at once. Instantly there arose
throughout Protestant Canada q cry ui
disgust aud despair" They did not sn
much object 30 the voting ol the sou, ulu
a. the Icsuils. though that in itself WIS htd
enough Ia their eyes, but they did most
decidedly object IN the clause Ia the meas
urc Quoted aboycD. In which the power
ol the Pope Is civilly recognized ~ above
that oi the Legislature Of British colony.
uni the distribution Of the money b. lett
In his hands. sir John Mucloni.d aud
his colleagues claim that the bill Is
purely provincial one, relating 30 the dis.
p1lal OF money within the province itself,
with which the Dominion aud the people
Of the other provinces have nothing to do.
The opponents Of the Law, ON the other
hand, contend that ii ever there WIS ctsI
| Tor the exercise Of the veto power this b
one. The power ol disallUWaurc WI.
placed In the Federal Government pnnri
pally 10 protect the religious minoriiirs in
/ the provinces from aggression on the par
II the majority, and us nIno.iunihs VI tht
revenue in Quebec province b. derived
/ from pfbtDsiuuis IN thr cities ul MYuirHu
aud Quebec, Il h they Who will have 9,
pas lgf this endowment Ui "a branch OF tht
Catholic Church.
pUrs ~ VIOLATE Tur CuNsruuuoR
The Jcsuits act j. thus held lo be- a ~
| rect moral violation ul the Constitution, DO
! which Church aud State nru not frcDg
/ nilrd anl reconsideration Of the de-
| cision not to interfere with the bin b. No.
| gently demanded Tho ball was sut roll
/ Ing some while since by the Dominion
| Evangelical Alliance In this city, aud hI
now been taken mp throughout the lgn-il
| and breadth Ul tho Dominion, until Do o,
| Is not hamlet In which the matter is nD
bitterly and even mguly discussed 10y
rrolc-nnls and Catholics.
un Iouy uAcuD,AlD CouyruEp.
What will sir John do under the cir
cumsunccl
llo Is crafty old politician and hl
/ Wc1ihcrod many 70 storm which thrairnr,
10 dash bis political ship fuiust the rock
oi destruction. bat b looks very much nos
ns " ho had bron placed boz corner u
last from which there BE- 40 escape cNrDp
| retirement and thc handing ui tup r"luH 10
his beloved government tO someone else
llc dare not dlsullDW the bill, lur u Doc ai'
he would incur the wrath ui Che Who'll,
/ Catholic population ul tln country, Evnrl
/ aud lrsi, aud would wipe out lutUNr
what little yo.tigc Of conservatism there ]