Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-20
GIBBONS ON FRENCH CRIS1
The Cardinal Asks America to prot
ARninat Omtrnge "a Church.

Against Outrage TO Church.
THE American public does not u
derstand the present crisis in Framed
said Cardinal Gibbons Of Baltimore. NJ
when asked for his opinion on the Frei
situation. He continues
u am getting to be an old man n
and ! think know my countryn
They love fair play; they love llber
they love to see humane dealings of n
with man. And tho late years hi
shown how cordially they hate INF |
ticc, tyranny end humanity. And
France has treated hor noblest citiz
with injustice and inhumanity, and Am
lea. which has sympathy for tho oppi/
ed Of all nations, has raised no prot
nor uttered n word Of sympathy.
'1f / believed that my countryr
would willingly sec n great and beN
flcient organization unjustly deprived
is property and the means of contin
usefulness, would knowingly see tens
thousands Of honest men and noble. W.
en- robbed of their just income and me
of support would knowingly see
dreds of thousands and even several
lions Of people brutally wounded in "
they hold dearest and most sacred. VIC
knowingly sec n Majority In the ch.
bers utterly disregard and trample u
inc rights of the minority and the rid
or millions Of their countrymen-in
namo Of ry-would knowingly
tons cf thousands of men and We
who happened to be priests and n
turned uut az their homes for no cr
! I,t nc
ne'Rhbor-1 say. If my countrymen
sec and recognize all this injustice
! tyranny and cruelty and refuse gen
| sympathy to those who suffer by
because of their religious belief. the
will leave life without that faith in Al
lean love Of Justice and liberty and
| mainly which has been my follower
support and hope during a long caroei
But the American people have
had these things put fairly before Il
Our own press has been to n consider
extent the reflex of the Partisan
clerical press. Most people over
have little conception of the French
clcrlcals. They look on the leader
this party as enlightened states
seeking to preserve the public from
attacks Of an aggressive clergy. r
have been honest and sincere lover
republican government among anti-d
calls, | admit: but the majority OF
have far less love of the republic
| they have hatred of religion. I
weighing my words and say with d
crate conviction that the leaders od
present French government are act,
i.,- Z.
We have no spirit akin 10 theirs in
country. We have here much ind
ence to religion. but we have no bod
men, no great party that makes it a
aim to weaken the power of religion
If possible utterly destroy It out OF
land
at Is easy to show that I am not
representing the spirit of anti-cler
They make no secret Of their hatrt
Christianity. They avow It in the
and in the chambers. Let me give
few examples Of the language Of
men and YOU can judge if the Anne
people have ever heard anything 81
from their own leaders. or If any a
can statesman would dare TO utter
statements. In the course of n
speech in the chamber Of deputies
well known socialist lender Jacques
If God himself appeared befor
multitudes in palpable form, the
duty Of man would be to refuse Hin
dierco. and to consider Him not
master TO whom men should submit
as an equal with whom men ma
que
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