New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-11
POPE LEO ON THE SCHOOLS.
PLEASED WITH THE ELECTION OF
FATHER MALONE TO THE REGENCY.
HE TALKS FREELY WITH GENERAL BATCHEL-
TEN ROMAN CATHOLICS SHOULD

r
[rRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIPuNE'I
Albany March l0-A State official has just re-
ceved a letter from General George 5. Batcheler
NJ Saratoga former United States Minister TO
Portugal. containing some interesting particulars
of a visit he recently made to Pope Leo Kill
and n talk he had with the Pope. In the course OF
which His Holiness spoke freely about American
affairs General Batcheler was in Rome the DAY
the Pope issued his American Encyclcai anu
naturally a good deal Of their chat was ABOUT
that important document
General Batche.er is a Protestant out as "
distinguished diplomatist and American ne was
received most graciously by His Holiness. lheS
used the French language in their conversation
One notable circumstance OF their talk was '"'
Pope's praise Of the Republican party OF 'hiS
Estate "as a liberal party for eIectihe inc NV
Sylvester Malone Of Brooklyn, as a Regent OF
the University This election OF Father Maiohe
"a Regent. II will be remembered, was not peas
ing to Archbishop Corrgan, of New-1orK' VINO
had a candidate in the person of Bishop NC
Quad OF Rochester; but Bishop McQuaid had
manifested such opposition to the publc-schooi
system that ne could not possibly be elected.
Father Malones candidacy, II Is said was
favored by Archbishop Ireland. Of St Paul. THIS
was not pleasing to Bishop McQuaid Inc Arch-
bishop few days before the November elecuoh
of 1894 while visiting in New-York, ADDED 10
Bishop McQuad's feeling against him by saying
in a widely published interview that he ala not
believe the Roman Catholic Church should inter
fere in politics in the United States THESE re-
marks of Archbishop Ireland were due to his
recognition of the fact that certain Democratic
politicians were attempting to array meinoers
of the Roman Catholic communion against the
Republican party. subsequently, Bishop Nc
Quad in an address to the congregation OF one
OF the churches Of his diocese at Rochester bit
terly attacked Archbishop Ireland, and there mas
been a general suspicion since that Bishop Nc
QUAD thus expressed his disappointment over
the failure of the intrigue Of Democratic poll
1ic,ans 10 array the Roman Catholic voters
against the Republican party in this state, ana
his personal disappointment over the fact tha'
he Bishop McQuaid) was rejected as cahol-
date for Regent and Father Malone was selected
1t may be stated without fear or CONTRADICTION
that the result Of the election in New-Iork state
last fall disclosed the fact that Archbishop Ire
land was much more of statesman IMAM biShop
McQuaid And now comes Pope Leo Nil ana
approves Of the election of Father Malone as
Regent These will be sad days for the Roch-
ester Bishop
General Batcheller in opening the letter ue-
scribes the apartment in the Vatican IN Which ne
was received by the Pope and then says:
His Holiness was seated upon throne, a large
armchair upholstered in crimson VeiVe' aiu
his feet rested on velvet cushion o0roereu WIN
gold and he wore gOld-embroidered red VeiVet
Slippers. He was dressed in white with white
skullcap. with a crimson mantle hanging ron
his shoulder He spoke in the French iahsuase'
and Immediately made me feel quite AT ID! ease
His Holiness at once led the conversation 10
America and informed me that his Enc!chCa1
was then ready. and would on that same Gay De
given TO the public. 1t written in Latin Dut
he said he himself had carefully revised the Eng
lish translation. And then ne gave me many
points Of his letter to his people. as ne styleu
them The Pope expressed regret that certain
newspapers and public men in America had Cd
1ected to his sending a legate 70 Washhe.oon,,
or sending out an encyCliCal as tending TO meddle
with the affairs of foreign Government or win
institutions with which he had no sympathy.
This is an error" said His Holiness. Il DO not
seek TO NEEDLE with Governments except 10 au-
monish my people to obey the civil law ana 20
conform to the authority Of the Land In which
they dwell. l sent legate to America IN
order that I might be better Informed as 70 the
character of American institutions ana the
peculiarities Of the National and State govern
ments, and. above all, to reconcile any connect
there should be any, between the government OF
my Church and the Government OF the land.
consider America essentially Christian country;
Religion is free. The Government does not ala
nor does 1t oppose the labOrs OF the Churcn.
am free to say that the further study the CON
d!tions Of this country the more II commences
itself to my judgment. If a religion cannot
thrive on its own merits then II must stagnate or
fall | tell my people TO convert Americans 10
the faith by proving to them by plou Ia , 4nt
orderly living. ana by precept and example. that
g. Is the true religion. and not To seek converts
except through means recognized by the laws OF
the country and the principles OF humane ana
divine economy
then spoke to the Pope upon our educational
system and assured him that the common-schoo
system was one of the founds tion-stones. and not
the superstructure OF the Repubhc' ana tha'
interference with that would never be tolerated
In a country where the lawmakers were CHOSEN
by universal suffrage. | said. the voter must he
Int
elements of an education.
His Holiness replied that he was quite OF my
views He had no criticism to make on our
school system. 1t wise and hitting that the
population should be good citizens, and 1t was
wise in that it left all religions and creeds free 10
work out their course on their own merits:
He spoke Of sectaran or parocn1al schools' ana
assured him that these schools. presbyterian.
Methodist, EpiscOpal:an Baptist and all denom-
nations had their denOminational schools, and
the Catholics had their share OF them, but all
must be sustained by private means ,,The pubhc
funds raised by taxation were only TOT the UNI
versaI education and without creed. His Holt
!, ness said he was satisfied with the progress OF
Catholicism in America.
when | was nuncio In Brussels nifty years
ago" he said, Il had a conversation with
young priest named Hughes. who came TO see
me. He bright young man. maze speeches
on religious questions in secular halls, which we
thought quite extraordinary, but Whlch ne sara
were 10 familiarze the people with the Catnohc
reIieion At that time there were only three
Bishops In the United States, and now there are
e,ghty-three and Cardinal We had only one
college and now we have many. and have Just
founded great university in Washington and
have given orders that in all their teachings my
nriests and professors shall inculcate love OF
country patriotism and obedience TO law as one
of it's cardinal doctrines. In your Civh war
catholics fought and died side by side win
Protestants. Patriotism has. no creed. and am
Informed that the liberal party controlling the
state of New-Yorl chose one Of my priests as
Regent OF the University and am told that the
two Senators from the great state represent the
two creeds: that one is Protestant Of Puritan
ancestry and one a Catholic Of foreign origin
How then can l complain Of the institutions OF
America The more | study them the more they
b. pIease me Have | not conformed my cardinals
! In he form OF Govern