Document Information

Date: 1865-11-11
By: Montreal Witness
Citation: “The Position in Lower Canada”, Montreal Witness (11 November, 1865)
Other formats: TBA

THE POSITION IN LOWER CANADA.

(From the Presbyterian for November.)

In the resolutions of the Quebec Conference on Confederation, of October, 1864, was one defining the powers of the Local Legislatures. Among the subjects coming within their control was the very important one of Education. The exact words are to be found on the fourth page of the official report of the debates, and they are these: “The Local Legislatures shall have power to make laws respecting the following subjects:

…… 6. Education; saving the rights and privileges which the Protestant or Catholic Minority in both Canadas may possess as to their denominational schools at the time when the Union goes into operation.” In the course of the debate, the Hon. Mr. Rose, in compliance with a request by the Hon. Mr. Holton (debates, page 410), asked an explanation of the meaning of this clause, but no explicit answer was returned by Attorney-General Cartier to that part of the question which related to the schools themselves. A bill was promised, which should satisfy all parties, as to the distribution of the moneys arising from Commercial Companies, and such control by Protestants in Lower Canada over their own schools as would satisfy them; but that was all.

Now we contend, as we have hitherto maintained, that Protestants have no denominational schools in Lower Canada. They have no necessity for them. With the conflicting religious elements which exist in the country, with so many different branches of the Protestant Church, most of them differing more in name, however, than in reality, they have never for one moment entertained the thought of establishing denominational schools, being fully assured that such a purpose would inevitably defeat the object they have in view, that of the proper education of their children. They have, therefore, borne uncomplainingly the injuries which they have had to suffer; overcome, as far as possible, the obstacles thrown in their way; and submitted to acts of injustice to which they have been exposed. We are told by Mr. Cartier (Debates, page 411), that we will not find that there is any such thing as Catholic or Protestant Schools mentioned in the laws of Lower Canada, a fact well known to all who have studied the subject, and Protestants have scrupulously adhered to the law. Have the Roman Catholics done so? Have they not day by day, and year by year, been gradually circumscribing the privileges belonging to the people of this country of having their children educated as they would desire them to be? Not Protestants alone, but their own people are subjected to the depotism, which is exercised by the Educational Office; for many Roman Catholics, desirous of sending their children to the Common Schools, have been compelled to send them to inferior Sectarian Schools, so as to prevent them from receiving the benefits of a more enlarged education than these afford. And it is probably well that the constantly increasing aggressions of this Office should go on without delay, that, the mask being thrown off, no room may longer be left for doubt as to the ultimate designs of the Romish Priesthood working through their obedient tool, [illegible] [the?] [superintendent?] of education.

With a fixed and settled purpose before them under complete organization, and having at their command the whole power which the complete control of the Education Office gives them, the priesthood occupy a most advantageous position in this country in carrying on the contest in which they are now engaged. They see clearly, if we do not, that the higher the advantages they possess before the Union of the Provinces is proclaimed, the stronger will be their position after it is accomplished. They are now, therefore, bringing about changes rapidly, to their advantage if there should be a union, to remain as substantial gains should there not. Among these changes one has been managed quietly and apparently unnoticed, that, namely, of dividing up the districts of the School Inspectors in the Protestant parts of Lower Canada, and making new districts for Roman Catholic Inspectors, although we are told authoritatively that in the school law no such thing as Roman Catholic or Protestant is named.

R. C. INSPECTORS OVER PROTESTANT SCHOOLS. Why should this be done at this particular time? Have any complaints been made of unfairness on the part of the original superintendents? Was there even the pretext made that the size of the districts was too large for effectual supervision? There have been no such complaints, there has been no such pretext, but boldly, openly, and undisguisedly Roman Catholic Inspectors have been appointed to inspect Roman Catholic schools, although “no such thing as Catholic or Protestant schools is mentioned” in the School Act. Already four of these new appointments have been made. On the death or the removal of the present Common School Inspectors, will their places be filled up, or will the Superintendent, seized with an access of economy, not decide it to be expedient to fall back upon the old divisions, and, there being no mention in the act of Catholic or Protestant, retain in their office the new men who have been appointed as exclusively Roman Catholic Inspectors? Even in Catholic countries this state of things has been put an end to. France has taken away from the clergy the power which they arrogated; and Italy, in her contest for freedom, passed in 1848 a law which still exists, by which public instruction was placed under the Secretary of State, assisted by an administrative council, religious interests being otherwise provided for. It is well, perhaps, that we should feel the full extent of the power of the priesthood, which has been allowed to grow up unchecked. Then only can we hope to see united action. At present, the priesthood are gliding smoothly on, like the Alpine travellers carried onward by the wreath of snow, amused at the apparently harmless turmoil going on around them. But let a check come, sufficient to arrest the onward progress, and the continued pressure, forcing into one solid mass, the hitherto loose and unconnected fragments, will, with irresistible pressure, crush to atoms those who had hitherto laughed at its yielding softness.

GROWING POWER OF THE PRIESTHOOD CAUSING EMIGRATION.

For this question is but one branch of the much larger and wider question of the ever growing power of the Romish priesthood in Canada, and the political domination which it aspires to obtain. It is not among non-Catholics alone that the pressure is being felt. The French Canadian Catholics themselves are flying from the oppression which they are suffering, and there is not a French Canadian paper published which does not lament over the continued emigration from Lower Canada of thousands of her sons. Yet they appear blind to the reason of this emigration. The emigrants themselves can tell and make no hesitation in stating their reasons for abandoning a country to which they are, or rather to which they would be attached, but for the utter impossibility of earning enough for themselves, satisfying the rapacity of the priesthood, and, in new settlements, paying the instalments on their land. The flight is not confined to one part of the country. From the old settled farming districts, from the new settlements, the same accounts come. The parochial system, really and truly making the Romish Church the Established Church of Canada, has been extended in all directions throughout what was once the Protestant portion of Lower Canada, and not a session of Parliament passes without fresh parochial divisions being made. Protestants look on and ask: Why should we interfere? Have we any right to place any restriction on the ecclesiastical arrangements of that church with its own people? If they have any reason to complain, they will doubtless do so. It is entirely a question of religion, and here, at least, all religions are free. But is it, indeed, a religious question? Are there not the most important civil rights involved, rights affecting the whole country, and every individual in it, Protestant and Catholic. The property of Protestants is systematically confiscated to support this monstrous foreign corporation, not in name, but as directly as if it were openly stated. By the parochial system, under the present law, so soon as a new parish has been created, it is competent to provide for the building of a Church, Rectory, &c. The building being determined upon, with the approval of the Commissioners, a process of repartition is entered, the effect of which is to tax every proprietor in the parish belonging to the Roman Catholic persuasion. That tax becomes a first mortgage on the property, taking precedence of all other mortgages, or of any burden of whatever nature. If not paid, all costs incurred in suing, often doubling the amount, are added, and are placed on the same footing as the original tax. Should the property be brought to sheriff’s sale, the whole expenses are deducted before any other creditor can receive a farthing, and although the total amount of the tax may only be payable at the expiry of eight, ten, or twelve years, yet on such sale being effected the total amount must be paid at once. In addition to this there are priests’ dues, tithes, and other charges, which can all be collected by a peremptory process.— The effect of this upon the prosperity of the country has been ruinous in the extreme. With the one hand the extreme party have been trying to build up a French Canadian nationality, to extend the Roman Catholic religion, and to claim Lower Canada as belonging of right to them as sons of the soil: while with the other they have by their exactions driven them out to seek in some other land the enjoyment of their labors denied to them here. And well do the French Canadians know that this is so. When removed beyond the power of the priesthood, they do not scruple to throw off the yoke under [illegible] is to be feared, become godless and regardless of any religion; many of them, it is to be hoped, find a joy and a consolation in a true and undefiled religion—that of Christ himself. “When a French Canadian learns to speak English,” say the priests, “he becomes an infidel: we wish to see no such man amongst us.” We have seen letters from priests in the Western States of America, warning and entreating that every effort should be made to stop them from coming there. They become infidels, say they, and, worse still, they become Protestants. Not by ones or twos are the French Canadians quitting the country, not single men to seek temporary employment, intending to return bringing with them the results of their labor, but now whole families are leaving in a body, and there is no question but that a decrease has taken place in the population. How can it be otherwise? We know that immigration from abroad has been to a very limited extent, while emigration has been on a large scale. Wherever you turn in the United States, there may be found large bodies of French Canadians, and it is a fact that at the last census families were returned as living in Lower Canada the greater part of whom had long since left it. The “Little Maid” of Wordsworth, slightly altered, exactly describes how the census was in many cases made. “You say that two are in the West, “And three are in New Haven, “Then there are only two,” I said. But still the father old replied, “Nay, nay, Sir, I have seven.” And accordingly seven go down in the schedule of the census taken.

PROPERTY OF PROTESTANTS SEIZED TO BUILD R. C. CHURCHES.

But not only are the Roman Catholics driven out of the country, but Protestants have their property confiscated to support this Established Church of Canada. As we have pointed out, the Church tax takes precedence of every mortgage, or of any burden whatever, no matter whether that mortgage formed part of the burdens on the land at the time it was acquired by the Roman Catholics or not. And we may briefly describe the process of spoliation. In many of the new settlements lands are held by Protestants. A lot is sold to a Roman Catholic, who pays a small instalment, the other instalments being payable at intervals, and extending several years, the annual payment being, probably, twenty or thirty dollars a year. A Church rate is subsequently laid on. In one case no less than twenty thousand dollars were expended for a new church in a parish where, by a liberal allowance, the whole wealth of the Roman Catholic population would scarcely have amounted to that sum. When the time for payment comes what can the poor man do? As an honest man he feels that he has his instalment to pay; he has wrought hard to earn a little money to do so; but the priest steps in and says that the Church claims the right to his money, and the law allows it. In this strait he abandons the land, with any little improvement he may have made upon it, leaves the country, and his labor is lost to us, and goes to enrich another land. But the church will not be baulked of her prey. The land belongs to a Protestant, never did belong to a Roman Catholic save nominally, but in spite of that the death grasp of Rome has been laid upon it, not to be relaxed till every penny of the claim is paid. The tax is a first mortgage, a preferable claim over that of any other; and the land is seized and sold by sheriff’s sale, the real owner having no redress. Another instance may show how the law works: A country storekeeper runs in debt to the city merchant, and gives security upon his land. He subsequently fails, his assets bearing no proportion to the amount of his liabilities. Without the security of the land the merchant would not have given him credit, no other mortgage was registered when his was granted; but, nevertheless, on trying to realize, he finds a prior claim, which sweeps the whole proceeds of the sheriff’s sale, and he, a Protestant, finds that he has been obliged to pay out of his own pocket a large sum to maintain a Church his very soul abhors.

These are no ideal cases. They are real. The time is coming, has already come, when these abuses must be inquired into. We enter at this time into no theological discussions of the right or wrong of the religious system thus drawing away the very life-blood of the country, but looking at the matter as one appertaining to our civil liberties, we would earnestly call attention to the question. It is one which cannot be avoided. It will force itself upon us whether we will hear or whether we will forbear, and the sooner men are prepared to consider it, the more speedy will be the remedy. Those who would wish to see the law on the subject may find it by turning to the Consolidated Statutes of Canada, page 111 and onwards; those who would see the practice can only do so on the spot.

THE REMEDY.

But there are hopes, even in this state of things, that a better day will arise, that a new light will shine into the hearts of our French Canadian brethren. Losing confidence in the priesthood, to whom can they turn? Shall they be suffered to fall into infidelity, as too many have already done? Is there no work for us, as Christians, to do at this time? Why do our efforts languish, and why is our French mission, allowed to exist almost without life? We pray you, brethren, to look to it. We have a deep responsibility, and be assured that God will one day require from us an account of our stewardship.