Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-07
WICKED QUEBEC.
A Priest Scores the Province
for Its Sins.
WHISKY THE CAUSE OF THE EVILS,

Aided by Extravaganza in Dress and
Luxurious Living A Few Statis-
tics of Terrible Import from the
Founding and Maternity Hospitals
French Vice of the Worst Forms Prev
aIent-Three Instances of Crime.
QUEBEC, Oct REV. Father De Cary,
cure of the French Canadian parish of st.
Henri, near Montreal. has created a sensa-
ton throughout the province by his ex-
posture of the alleged immortality of its
people. A newspaper, politician, or
lecturer who would have dared to launch
the accusations against the Canadian peo-
pie that have been published from the
pulpit of the church of st. Henri would
have been branded as a public traducer.
The cnre instanced the partial failure of
the crops throughout the province as
justly merited chastisement Of the Al
mighty, TO be put down to the siTss of the
people, and dwelt particularly upon bias
phemy, intemperance. extravaganza in
dress. and carnsl lusts as among the most
baneful sins of the period, which he said
were calling down the wrath of God upon
the people of this province and genera
ton. He particularly denounced the
drinking habit.
What the People Drink.
In the French Canadian country par
ishes, where the spirituOus liquor most
extensively used is whisky blanc" or
highwines slightly reduced by water,
drunkenness prevails to an alarming ex-
tent, even among young men still in their
teens. An immense amount of villainous-
ly bad liquor, illicitly distilled, in con-
cealed shanties in the backwoods, despite
the precautions of the officials of the in
land revenue department, is constantly
upon the market. and the customs author
tiles are unable to exercise a sufficient
vigilance to prevent smuggling of the
stuff from abroad.
Other Sorts of Immoralty.
The extent of the nations immortality
cannot in any wise be measured by the
number of the frequenters of disorderly
houses. The many hospitals for women
and institutions for the reception of chill
dren of questionable parentage tell but a
portion Of the story. One maternity hos
ptal in Montreal had between 300 and
400 patients last year, and the
hospital of the Sscre Coeur at
St Sauvier, near Quebec, which is in
charge of nuns, has recently had to be
enlarged, though a large five story insti-
tuition. 1t is a home for foundlings. who
are received nightly in a basket placed at
the door. where those who bring them de-
post them without fear of discovery, and
leave them to the care of the sisters after
ringing bell to announce the advent of
a new arrival.
Three Terrible Cases.
Three cases may be given as illustra-
lions of the depths of depravity TO which
| the people have fallen. A lrunkard, liv-
ing in College street. MSntreal. is accused
by his wife and little daughter OF having
delivered up the latter, child of years
of age, for the sum OF 81, TO an individual
named Donais % years of age, who shame
fully used her. A servant girl named
Alice Ausei accuses three cavalrymen of
Quebec of having taken her to shed in
the rear of their barracks, and there forci-
bly, detained her One Leda Lamontague,
young woman % years of age. is accused
| of having been party to the murder of
| her husband by her own brother, with
whom the deceased suspected her TO have
had improper relations.
The Sins of Society.
1t Is probable that the immortality that
! produced s1ch results, widespreading
| though it be, is remarkably limited in
| comparison with that which escapes de-
| lection. In the upper circles of Canadian
! society there is, to say the least An i'm
mense amount OF indiscretion on the part
| of wives and mothers of families and 1t is
| becoming noticeable, both in Montreal
and Quebec, that there are married ladies
who receive larger share of attention
| from youthful admirers than their
| younger and unmarried sisters and
| friends.
| The French Oath Is Common.
| Blasphemy goes hand in hand with in
! temperance. hut is the more marked
among French than English Canadians.
| French oaths that translated into Eng
| lish would not be tolerated in any decent
society. are freely used by both men and
women in the highest circles of French
| Canada In view of such terrible instances
| of debauchery and immortality, and of the
! prevalence of the worst forms of French
vice among the professedly lower orders
of the people. it is small wonder that the
faithful of the national priesthood should
speak loudly in denunciation of national
| vice