CURRENT EVENTS.

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N English doctor, who has hitherto de- , scraps from old newspapers and do not living animals, confessed with apparent non- sure, that if the dangers pointed out by Sir chalance that he had, in one day, tortured Alexander Galt should be allowed to pass twenty-nine dogs by administering various unheeded by the people of Ontario, as the poisons, endermically and otherwise, with a Globe desires, and if Mr. Brown ever finds the view of ascertaining the effect of these agents Quebec men at Ottawa a phalanx against his in stimulating the secretion of bile. It is party, the wrath and billingsgate of 1853-5 fortunate that in Toronto we can ascertain will be as the zephyr to the roar of a the effect of certain moral appliances on the blast furnace. In that event, his patron, party politician, without vivisection or dis- the Archbishop, will have found other prosection post mortem. The public addresses of tégés, and the game of scurrilous vituperation Sir Alexander Galt, delivered here about the will be the fashion of the hour. For the prebeginning of last month, have had a marked sent, the barometer is at “set fair" and the effect in deranging the functions of sensi- best thing the average “Reformer" can do tive party livers. They have, in fact, ren- is to nail it there ; for if left to atmospheric

. dered the hack politician jaundiced and influences alone it will soon veer about to atrabilious. It is, of course, to be deplored less agreeable quarters. that Sir Alexander did not keep himself to Party coquetry with religious denominahimself, or at least to the Province in which tions is, of all forms of intrigue, the most inhe ordinarily resides. As the Globe agoniz- tolerable and heinous. There is much talk ingly inquires, “ Let us ask him why he does about the evil of coalitions, and the sin of not take his counsels where they are most purchasing sectional or class support; but needed ?” Why indeed ? Everything is they are venial offences in comparison. At snug in Ontario between Archbishop Lynch this moment, both parties are vieing with and his organ ; why then throw the apple of each other in soliciting the favours of the discord amongst the celestials-Presbyterian hierarchy in Ontario and Quebec. Their and Catholic ?

high-flown Protestantism and even their It seems—that is to superficial observers boasted love of free institutions have oozed, -never to have occurred to the organ that like Bob Acres's courage, out at their fingers' the control of about sixty members of the ends. Dr. Abbott says that Bacon's moral House at Ottawa by the hierarchy is of some delinquencies were caused by his losing moment to the people of Toronto and of sight of everything but the great philosophiOntario altogether. "Is it not a serious pro- cal aim of his life ; but for them no such spect, looming up in the not very distant fu- apology can be proffered. To them country ture, that a little over forty time-servers may is as nothing, when weighed in the balances manage the entire Dominion, if they will only against party, place, and pelf. Henry of be subservient to the Bishops of Quebec? Navarre might have plausibly excused his Has this Province nothing to do with hier- apostasy on patriotic grounds ; no excuse of archical interference with freedom of election the kind can be seriously pleaded for them. in the Province only second to it in import- Whether we look at the complacency with ance? The Giobe is aware of the danger, which the“ Programme” was received by but is content to ignore it, so long as it can the Conservatives, or the shameless compact reap its paltry party advantage. There was made, and broken, with the Catholic League a time at which that journal indulged in the in Ontario, by the Reformers, there can be vilest language, when referring to the ec- nopleasure in the retrospect. In both cases, clesiastics and "religious” of the Roman the mancuvre was a bit of party strategyCatholic Church, and especially those of a mere matter of bargain and sale. Those Irish nationality. Its opinions have under- ! who were not ashamed to offer a quasi apgone no change; but its position and pro- ology for the Pilgrimage riots of last autumn, spects have. We are not fond of retailing are harking back, for obvious reasons; and

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does any one believe that John Knox would pected the Bishop to have condemned himtake the “scarlet woman" to his bosom, if self in advance "some months ago," or have there were nothing to be made by it? accepted the Roman interpretation as actu

Is it not a little remarkable that Mr. Hun- | ally being the “meaning” of the pastoral? tington occupies exactly the same platform It might be as well perhaps if the Globe, enhere as Sir Alexander Galt

, and yet that the tertaining as it does so much deferential Globe should defend the one and scold the respect for Dr. De Angelis, would send to other? Both advise the English-speaking pop- him both articles, so that people might ascerulation of Quebec to range themselves be- tain what their meaning was and is.” side the French Liberals of that Province, in Telegrams "on most reliable authority” are view of a threatening peril; and yetthe former not always the most trustworthy; but if it be is a saint and the latter an unpardonable sin- true, as we were told the other day, that ner. Had Sir Alexander consented to be the Bishop Bourget has resigned his see and been Reform nominee in Montreal West, against made an Archbishop unattached, that is to Mr. Thomas White, would the organ have ut say, in partibus infidelium, the organ's second tered a word against him? Certainly not. It is thought was better than its first. only because he declared himself a non-party Into the general subject, there is no need man, that his past career is raked up and to enter at length. Sir Alexander Galt stated travestied. Had he consented to trot quietly fully the whole case with singular clearness in harness, his old offences might have been and ability. It is said, however, that all the "rank and smelt to heaven,” but still he acts of which he complains were done by a could, like M. Cauchon, have been amongst local Government, "which has power to act the thoroughbreds of Ottawa to-day. When in such matters.” Indeed! We should have the organ asserts that it was only after the thought that some of them were of Dominion, delivery of Mr. Huntington's Argenteuil and even of Imperial, interest. Is the introspeech, dated 30th December, 1875, that Sir duction of the Canon Law a local matter? Alexander spoke out, it must surely have Or the restriction of the right of appeal to the forgotten the introduction to his letter. At Privy Council ? Or the declaration on the any rate, what advantage could “a Conser- statute-book of a British colony, that "the vative champion” hope to reap by breaking decrees of our Holy Father the Pope are from his party, and recommending an alliance binding ?" If these and other enactments are with the Globe's own political friends in Que-intra vires, matters have indeed come to a bec? As the Mail puts it, he has probably serious pass. They are, in fact, flagrant vioinjured no one but himself. The difference lations of the statute of Elizabeth, cited in between Mr. Huntington and Sir Alexander the Quebec Act of 1774—the same Act Galt is by no means in favour of the former : which concedes the tithes and all the other for the one only sought to strengthen his special privileges enjoyed by the Quebec Government and party, whilst the other clergy. In the absence of the Minister of snapt party ties asunder without regard to Justice, it may not be amiss to call Mr. Macconsequences.

kenzie's attention to them, and to ask wheThe organ attempts to wriggle out of its ther he does not intend to exercise the veto awkward attitude in the matter of Dr. De power without delay. Ifthis beavain resource, Angelis, but unless its readers have forgotten perhaps His Excellency may be advised to what it said on the former occasion, the send them to Lord Carnarvon, who would endeavour will be futile. What did it then make short work of them. In any casea future mean by expressing regret that Mgr. Bourget Guibord dispute will bring their Canon Law had not explained his real meaning earlier ? within the purview of the Judicial CommitWhat significance can we attach to these tee. It would be rather singular if the Prowords—“Unless we had been assured, on vincial Legislature of Quebec could do what authority to which we are inclined to attach the Dominion Parliament has not been pergreat weight, that such was and is Bishop mitted to do—bar the right of appeal to the Bourget's meaning, we should have adhered highest court in the Empire. &c. ? Now it has another story to tell. The These local statutes only give a faint idea opinion of the Roman theologian was “a of the imperious assumptions of the Quebec virtual repudiation" of the pastoral

, and it hierarchy. Dr. Newman, being in England is glad of it. If so, how could it have ex- | and but a faltering advocate of the Vatican

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decrees, declares that the Syllabus is not thinks of the Pope's violent language about a binding, because not an ex cathedrâ, utter- so small a matter ; but it is not well to be ance. But in the adjoining Province it has curious when one's curiosity will certainly been cited in Courts of Justice, as if it remain unsatisfied. were part and parcel of the law of the land. Archbishop Lynch, who was present at Judge Mondelet, who delivered the first Sir Alexander's address, hastened on the judgment in re Guibord, vehemently pro- following day to reply. There is nothing tested against it. “It only remains," he specially worthy of note in his Grace's stricsaid, “to express my astonishment that one tures. The old dish, to which our palates of the learned counsel for the defence should have grown accustomed, was again served have pushed their pretensions so far as to up with the inevitable Henry VIII. sauce. cite to the Court the Syllabus, in order to As a matter of policy, or rather as a dernier sustain a proposition that the competence of ressort, it is perhaps excusable when an ecthis tribunal in the present case is con- clesiastic, who cannot meet an opponent on demned by the Church. It is sufficient his own ground, drags or tempts him into the merely to note such an assumption to appre- quagmire of theology. No one knows better ciate its value.” Since that, the Syllabus the pitfalls of that treacherous region than the was quoted in a well-known case by Judge Archbishop ; but Sir Alexander Galt had Routhier, sitting on the bench, in loco Re- taken care to mark out his ground accurategina, as binding in Quebec. How often ly at the lecture, and therefore the remarks this has been done in the Courts of that of his critic on that head were but as the Province, in cases of less importance, we whistling of the wind through the gaping cannot pretend to say.

crevices of a ruined mansion. It is not The whole matter lies within very small true that the Bishops were abused, or that compass. The Quebec hierarchy look upon the Church was assailed as a religious instiQuebec as their peculiar American preserve, tution ; on the contrary, the speaker was in which they may do as they please. They studiedly suave and courteous in referring to have lost their power in all, or nearly ali, them. With the religious convictions of the vast region from Mexico to Cape Horn; Roman Catholics the politician, qua politician, Quebec, therefore, is to be pre-eminently the has nothing to do; but when the hierarchy paradise of the Ultramontanes. There they of an important Province systematically set hope to find, mutatis mutandis, a second about getting possession of the government, Spain, and, in fact, it stands now on a coercing the legislature and forcing it, by similar footing. The eleventh article of the sacerdotal pressure, to pass unconstitutional new Spanish Constitution is a very mild and laws, and then impairing freedom and purity ambiguous provision in favour of freedom of of election by ecclesiastical intimidation of worship. It will be observed that it does the grossest character, the battle becomes a not concede much in the way of toleration, constitutional and.. political one. On this, and yet it has been denounced by His which is the true casus belli, the Archbishop Holiness, the soi-disant "prisoner of the is discreetly silent, simply because he has Vatican," as “ violating every right of truth no effective argument to advance. That he and of the Catholic religion,” and as open- should take refuge in the old penal laws, or ing the door to error.” The article reads the wrongs of Ireland, is natural, for other thus : “ That the Roman Catholic religion shelter for him there is none ; but that his is the religion of the State ; that, within the Protestant allies should revamp these platibounds of Christian morality, freedom of reli- tudes, and even charge Sir Alexander with gious cultus shall be lawful, but no public initiating a repressive policy in regard to manifestations other than those of the Roman Catholics in Quebec or otherwhere, Church.” Now it is obvious that even this is something marvellous. limited concession might be rendered entirely No religious minority in any empire or nugatory in the hands of a Catholic Nero or kingdom under the sun has ever been treatDomitian, and, at the best, may be con-ed with more considerate liberality than the strued so as to prohibit burials, or anything million of Catholics in Quebec. They enjoy other than private family worship. We were rights and privileges denied to ever Protesabout to add that it would be curious to tant denomination; and that not, as is falsely learn what the liberal Archbishop of Toronto asserted, under any stipulation made on their He urges

behalf by France, when she surrendered sketch of his masterly survey of the present these miserable" arpents of snow," but by situation, nor is it necessary to attempt it at the free and generous goodwill of the Im- this late date. The main cause of commerperial Parliament. Their clergy were eman- cial depression he, in common with others cipated from the irksome control of Bourbon who have treated of the subject, believes to despotism, and now discharge their sacred be over-importation—"we have imported functions under the benignant sway of more than we can pay for.” And therefore, British constitutionalism. If Roman Cath- “ the true remedy for the general commerolics would bethink themselves of it, the cial distress is to put the brake on, and stop recent assaults on the State here and else- to a large extent the excessive importations where are only the outward signs of a re- which have taken place.” He does not connascent mediævalism. It is the Bull Unam sider that there has been any serious overSanctam, with its two swords and its absurd production in manufactures, and, therefore, exegesis of Scripture, which reappears, clad dismisses that as a cause of the depression. in modern guise, in the Syllabus, inspires The brake has already been applied, for the the bold speech of Cardinal Manning, and imports have fallen off considerably; but even lends a tone of discord to the soft, mel. this, of course, means a corresponding fallodious notes of Dr. Newman. It means des- ing off in the revenue. Sir Alexander bepotism in Church and State, with the supre- lieves that Mr. Cartwright has under-estimacy of the former over the latter. Our mated the probable decrease in importations, contention is that the cloven foot has ap. and, therefore, will be disappointed in his peared and left its unhallowed traces on the revenue estimate for 1876—7. statute-book and ballot-box in Quebec. The abstinence from borrowing and retrenchbest proof that all Sir Alexander Galt as. ment in expenditure. Believing that no serted is true appears in a sop for Cerberus effective reductions can be made elsewhere, just thrown by the Archbishop of Quebec. the speaker laid violent hands upon our The hierarchy find that they have been pre- great public works, especially the Pacific cipitating matters and propose to take in sail Railway and the canal enlargements. Here, for the present. The new Pastoral forbids as it appears to us, he has gone much too far, interference in elections, by the priests, and, and has failed to take into account the realthough there are one or two ambiguous cuperative power of the Dominion. In his phrases, it is ostensibly a reversal of the desponding vein, he seems to have forgotten policy hitherto pursued. And thus a cen- that the honour of the country is pledged, sure is virtually pronounced, not only on and further, that the fainéant policy he Mgr. Bourget, but upon the whole Provin- advocates would arrest the progress of the cial Council of Bishops, his Grace himself country, check immigration, and defer inincluded-a general peccavimus all round. definitely the settlement of the North-West. It affords a striking sequel to the late elec- On the tariff question, Sir Alexander tion at Charlevoix, at which each candidate Galt gives no uncertain sound. His policy appeared in the field backed by a Church is eminently a national policy-not retaliadignitary. Of course episcopal pastor- tory but defensive. “Supposing an overplus als may still trench upon the political do- of production here beyond home needs, our main, and the obnoxious laws remain manufacturers naturally look to the Ameriupon the statute-book, so that very little has can market, which they find closed by high yet been effected, if anything, of practical duties, while, at the same time, American importance. The claim to supremacy still manufacturers have, to a large extent, acremains; and, even although it be allowed cess to our markets. The position is not to lie dormant, it may be revived at any exactly a fair one." In order to adjust the favourable juncture. The best safeguard of balance, in some degree, he proposes the our constitutional liberties against ecclesias- adoption of what is termed incidental protical encroachments lies in the pluck and tection, or, as he prefers to call it,"modipower of a free people.

fied free trade.” For Sir Alexander is no

protectionist, in the strict sense of the word ; Sir Alexander Galt's first address had for on the contrary, he devotes a considerable its subject the financial condition of the portion of his address to demonstrating the Dominion. We have no space for even a mischief high duties have wrought in the

neighbouring Republic. His policy is per- appears that he was and is profoundly fectly intelligible to every one who has con- ashamed of it, and would leave it upon anysidered the subject, except perhaps Mr. Mills, body else's door-step, if he could safely do whose obtuseness is invincible. In his “bril. so. It is a matter of regret to us that Mr. liant speech " before the London Chamber Mills should have made himself “ quite ill,” of Commerce, the member for Bothwell ob- ransacking the Parliamentary library, but served, “ that of all systems of taxation there that is no reason why he should vent his is none more objectionable than incidental sick humours upon us. protection. It imposes the public burdens The objection that the Committee transupon a portion of the community, and many cended its instructions when it reported a of these are among the poorest.” This, of dissertation on the respective merits of free course, was uttered ad captandum vulgus; but | trade and protection comes next. Mr. Mills what does it really amount to? In the first replies that in 1847, Sir Chas. Wood (Lord place, it is directed against protection pur Halifax) did not confine himself to the et simple, and not against incidental protec- causes of distress, but also reported a remetion at all; and in the next, it makes against dy, although not instructed to do so. Sir all customs' duties whatever, when levied on Chas. Wood is not much of an authority, articles in general use. What he means by although he has been Chancellor of the Ex“a portion of the community," it is difficult chequer, but he certainly did not launch to conjecture. We presume that if the duty into an argument against something which on refined sugars were increased ad valorem appeared not to be a remedy. His report its pressure would be tolerably uniform over was positive and not negative, like our the entire community. The Dominion friend's. But Mr. Mills shall be condemned revenue is almost entirely derived from in- out of his own mouth : “I would have predirect taxation, and if the western philoso- ferred to have made the report a complete pher desires a complete change of system, he analysis of the evidence taken, but for this had better say so explicitly.

there was not time.” It is not surprising

that the hon. member is ashamed of his Mr. Mills would probably feel deeply in- report, when he is conscious of having negjured if we failed to refer to a letter of three lected, unavoidably we admit, the real work columns in length, embellished by an au- he was set to do, and of eking it out with sur. reola of sensational headings, which appeared perfluous and irrelevant padding. That Mr. in a western paper early last month. All Mills has no faith in patriotism, we knew bethe notoriety he desires it is out of our fore, and therefore he need not have wasted power to give him, but a slight propitiatory words on the matter. He is at heart a offering may be grateful. There is no cause foreigner, and has no sympathy with Canada of quarrel between us that we are aware of; or the Empire. but Mr. Mills seems determined to pick one Sir Alexander Galt's address may not in some way or other. In our May number have reached the hon. member when he we animadverted, in fair terms enough, upon penned his letter, and it contains all that the report of the Committee on the causes need be said on another point. A compariof prevailing depression, and by doing so son of that address, we shall not say with have drawn upon ourselves this brutum the report, because that is a sore point with fulmen. Intrinsically, the letter is undeserv- Mr. Mills, but with the “brilliant address" ing of notice ; still to gratify the irate mem- delivered at London, will serve to show the ber, we shall waste a little space upon it. difference in point of intellectual calibre beAn innocent remark of ours, which was tween the two men—the one a statesman, neither dogmatic, argumentative, nor cri- the other a sciolist. Mr. Mills supposes tical, although Mr. Mills stigmatizes it as that the same fiscal policy is good for ever, both the first and the last, ran as follows: without regard to time, place, or external “We presume the report is looked upon by circumstances ; Sir Alexander recognises the its author with all the pride of paternity.” fact that a tariff which may be appropriate Now how were we to know that the hon. at one period may not be even defensible member was ashamed of his literary off- after a lapse of years, and he is quite unconspring ? Common courtesy restrained us scious of inconsistency when he advocates from entertaining the supposition. Yet it a modification of it under altered condi