New-York tribune., 1897-01-18
THE CHURCH IN QUEBEC.
POWERFUL INFLUENCE OF cATHoLl-
90 y
c1sM IN THE cANApIAN. PROVINCE.
A ,rA1ousLr GUARDED iSzERrrxScr FROM THE

A ,rA1ousrr GUARDED iSHERrrxScr FROM THE
rerxcu pAys-pRovIsIoNs OF THE LAW.
>sor,rs., ouebec Jsn l7.--with bishops striking
down a political newspaper by threatening 70
communicate its readers; with memoe'S VI -.
poenf being unseated by the courts because VI -
telling electors from the pulpit tnat "o"
sin 10 vote for the candidates OF certa'" ~ po.s"
marty: with these things happening IN 'he rro,'.s
:, o,.hec a Canadian from another pro''nce' "
,,oh roors a citizen OF the United states mus
naturally ask himself what Is the pos''o'' -
Roman Catholic Church In the French "''''@' "
the Canadian confederation. .... ,,o
vo ,ssitor TO this province can ran 70 ooseiNe '
position and strength OF that church as res". w.,
,rrh.r NJ i,s adherents and the extent OF i's 'e"
roral possessions Sx-sevenths OF the pop"
are Roman Catholic or rui'y i'|"'V" .n
he,nx majority In every city e~eep' w
ANAL one of Sherbrooke. and In every count! "
80, corbans half q dozen along the American
frontier In large sections the popu'a''on "as ~
ore creed: for example. in the county Oh Na"'o
sska there Is a population OF Hcoo an o"' 'o "
.hor, ore members of the Church OF Rome BE-
sides numbers the Church has another great @ r,e
mon. Of strength-extensive possessions me
s,reets Of every city and town are aoo'"e" D' ~
stately cathedrals. churches and chapes' suos.' ,
,a, and for the most part beautiful structures o'
stone And from every hamlet WIN '' ' ~
shops its wayside tavern and humo'e oo'"s
towers the parish church. sohu' ric' anu i.. i
the centre OF the parish life and the dom"a,'"s
object Of the generally monotonous landscape ~
49, ora tho converts the colleges the sehiiha'o''
,ns morasterie.. sprinkled all over the province
large well-cons:ructed buildings ana al o""o" ~
ecclesiastical bodies. - o,,ohao
I-non looking over a map OF montreal VI S
CITY one finds It fairly hcneycomoeu ny N
rrorertv Nor IS II all devoted TO religious OF eou
cational uses For example. the Suipiciahs VIM
came to Montreal when the city was ioun"'' 80
,sxa and were the original segniors OF iaio,o
the island own to-day much OF their ors''i'i e'
which has become some OF the most '"'""o' s
.r,v IN the city Outside the officers OF 'he o'uei
- ona Lnows the extent OF their revenue. for re-
,urr. ara made only to their headquarters ~
France The Gray Nuns. as they are oo'','
called are also large property owners anu Wv"
reptroll must show handsome annual 'eN"
And the list might be continued VII"
similar bodies but only an approximate es"'a'e
o,d h. given of the extent Of their possessions
o. M nuh,,c report is made. and 1t Is only uPo"
nroperty not exclusively used for rengious U, .
cational purposes that taxes are pa'o' ,
hrrs can all be seen and judged Of by any vsi.or'
,or ,hav are on the surface Of the case; Dut 'hes
do not fully represent the position OF tne ho'",'
Catholic Church in the Province of Quebec M"ch
remains that forms the foundation OF the hd''ei
THE CHURCHs ADVANTAGES
The Church in Quebec certainly has time on her
side for ever since there was a settlement on '"e
banks Of the ST. Lawrence she has oeeh po"e''
and often dominant one, In the 'ahau'" '
munity. The intense religious fervor and the
. s,anch LOYALTY TO Rome of those who founded ana
a,rec,ea the fortunes OF Nex-France have been
arcurately and graphically set forth In the WITT
ines of Parkman. This aspect OF early Canaoiaii
history is we'll known. Under French RUE 'he
Church was, in fact. established by law ana 'he
colony knew but one religion The Church J" 'cl'-
poral affairs was almost equal TO the STATE. Inc
u af he
and the Intendant the priest collected MS times
by sanction of law. and every school In the coion!
was in the hands Of the clergy. And strange 10
say conquest and century and a third OF bri''sh
possession have made but little change iE the es-
sental features OF these privileges The guarantees
4 given the French Canad!ans have been more than
observed TO the letter; they have received WIDER
applicatio, than was intended by those VINO grant
ed them. BY the treaty of Paris OF 1865 Canada
was ceded TO the British Crown. and In that treaty
the religious practices Of the Inhabitants were pro-
tected by clause as follows
His Britannia Majesty. on his side. agrees 70
grant the liberty OF the Gatnoc reg,Um no sne give
the most precise and effectua orders that his new
~ their religion according to the rites of the Rom
ish Church far the laws OF Great Britain
permit.
Such was the treaty IN regard to religion. but It
remained for the British Parliament greatly TO ex
tend the privileges of the conquered colonies The
early British Governors set out TO introduce into
Canada English law and practice as prevailing IN
the other British colonies of North America At
that time the population Of Canada numbered but
Soooo and west of Montreal there was not settle
ment worth speaking OF. To this people English
was unknown tongue and English law sealed
book. The people chung to their own customs and
practices, and petitioned that they be formally re-
stored In I774 the British Parliament passed what
Is known the Quebec Act. which Is the great bull
wark Of French and Roman Catholic privileges in
the Province Of Quebec. This measure reafirmed
the free exercise Of the religion of the Church of
Rome. but II went much further. II restored to
the clergy the right to hold receive and enjoy
their accustomed dues and rights with respect to
such persons only shall profess the said re-
lIgion." French civil law in all that related to
civil rights. property and succession restored
but at the same time English criminal law was
introduced
Firmly intrenched the church has since year by
year added TO the strength of her position. Po-
litica Institutions have changed since then. but
she adapted herself to the new conditions, always
the teacher and director of her people In 1871
parliamentary government was given TO Canada
in lsn responsible government. through Cabinet.
and in 1867 came the confederation Of the British
provinces. and old Canada became the Province of
Quebec with perfect selfgovernment in local or
provincial affairs Her Legislature. like her popu-
lation. Is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. and for
years It has been recognized that in all matters
that concerned herself the Church was the power
behind the throne. Such legislation as the Church
desired has never been refused at Quebec. and
much OF It does not relate to purely ecclesiastical
matters but to the Church as great social and
political body. Strengthened every hand by
acts scattered through the provincial statutes she
stands to-day. not where she stood at the conquest
or In 1774 the Church that was tolerated, that was
permitted by virtue of exceptional circumstances
and exceptional arrangements. but practically the
Church of the State the religion Of the people be-
fore which all others In the province excep-
tional-onfy tolerated.
THE TITHEs AND RATES
The effect Of the exercise Of these privileges and
the system that has grown up around them. II de-
scribed in detail. would carry one beyond The scope
of an ordinary letter; but a few general incidents
will illustrate the condition OF affairs Take the
tithes and rates one Of the most jealousy guarded