The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-23
Private Conscience and War

Some daye ago Cardinal Vaughn, the
leading prelate of the Catholic Church in
England. caused prayers to be said in his
archdiocese for the success Of the British
arms in South Africa. declaring that the
nation WAS engaged in holy war for civ
ilization end human rights An interesting
protest against this action Of the Cardi-
nal has been published in the form of IN
open letter from Father Patrick o'Brien. a
priest in the Toledo. Ohio. diocese. The
Buckeye clergyman in question is most
pronounced friend OF the Beers. and re-
Gently presided at a pro-Boer local meet
ing He addresses his distinguished CO.
religionist rs follows:
''As an Engli,linsn you, no doubt. think that
yuu are bound To uphold your government. right
wrong. but this Is not Catholic doctrine. lod
are not bound to obey the Queen II fhe com
nandcd sou TO do wrong, nor are your priests
aIid people bound 20 obey you when you command
fheia 20 support government Wagins an unjust
war.
You say that justice is On tie side OF England.
The civilized world deny this. both PrOieStsuts
and Catholics. Christian nations look upon your
Wal with tue Beers the most unjust rgrr wagcd
by civilized government
Catholic Theology teaches that soldiers engaged
IL an unjust cannot lawfully kill cnerry
even IN srlf-defence. because they are the unjust
sgzres~ors II follows from t'is teaching that all
who engage ~ an unius; iaT, knowing IL 10 &c
such, are in a state Of mortal sII- and if lhey die
in impeHiteHcc suffer the los Of thcir souls
Quite aside from any intrinsic merits Of
the contest between England and the Beers.
it is well that such doctrine as the Toledo
objector breaches to Cardinal Vaughn can
not have the sanction of the American
Catholic hierarchy. Otherwise, if it were
admitted as true. IL would strongly support
uukiud and as We have always believed.
unfounded charges against the Roman
Catholic Church in the United States OF
disposition to interfere in the political az
fairs Of nations. Father o'Brien's letter.
il must be said. is, on the contrary. a most
striking proof Of the liberty Of opinion
which apparently is allowed to the Roman
clergy. We are rather gratihed than
Otherwise TO see that illustrated and do
rot object to its result in public expression.
What is less worthy of praise is the doc
trine Itself.
Certainly neither Cardinal Vaughn nor
another is compelled to do a wrong at the
command OF his Queen, Prince, President,
20 Parliament. lie is not bound to engage
in an unjust war" We grant. But who
is TO decide what is a wrong" and what
is an unjust war;" 1t is the chief essen
tial OF the social compact that in return
for the protection and other blessings
guaranteed by the community TO the in
diyid: al citizen In self-gove-ning states
the latter is bound IL military service to
the State, and his obligation Is not q
matter to be fulfilled or rejected. as indi-
yidual interest, prejudice. or conscience
may dictate; but in accordance with the
will and DEGREES OF the public view and
conscience as represented by the State
While question of national policy or con
duct remains within the domain OF free
discussion, and open, the citizen has a
right TO adopt and advocate whatever
opinion and policy he may consider expe-
dent or just. But when the nation of
which he is a unit has decided upon a
given line of action he is bound in honor
and conscience by that action. The will
and conscience of the whole is OF higher
authority than the same of part.
This principle was thoroughly exempli-
fed In hundred ways in connection with
the American civil war. In the South
there were numbers OF intense. oonscien-
tious unionists who believed that the idea
of secession was false. unconstitutional,
and criminal. They fought IT vigorously
and fearlessly until the end, which came
when the whole community TO which they
belonged took the Anal and irrevocable
step Then they surrendered their private
judgment TO that OF the mass and fought
few people at the North who honestly be-
lieved that the privilege OF secession was
a constitutional State right. Many such
citizens opposed the coercion Of the South,