THE TABLET

A Weekly Newspaper and Review

DUM VOBIS GRATULAMUR, ANIMOS ETIAM ADDIMUS UT IN INCCEPTIS VESTRIS CONSTANTER MANEATIS.

F rom the B r i e f o f H is Holiness P iu s I X . to T he T ablet, Ju n e 4, 1870.'

Vol. 54. No. 2024. L ondon, J anuary 25, 1879.

P rice 5d. By Post

(R egistered a t the General P ost O ffice as a N ewspaper.

Chr onicle o f t h e W eek —

Page

The Programme of the French Government.—The Vote of Confidence.—Radica. Opinion on the Vote.—Mr. Forster on Reciprocity —Election Speeches.—The Italian Chamber.—The Russian Budget. —Progress of Canada.—Destination of Emigrants.—The NorthEast Passage.—Trial of the Glasgow Bank Directors. — Shopkeepers and Co-operative Stores. —A Daring Attempt.—Statue to Berryer.—The Plague in Russia. 97

C 0 N T

Page

P e t e r 's P e n c e ................................. L e a d e r s :

M. Gambetta and the Future of

France . . . . . . . . 101 The Reichstag Repression Bill . . 102 Catholic Dangers in the United

States ................................... 103 Our Climate.. . . . . . . 104 Pauperism in lreland, 1878 . . 105 Father Secchi and the Stars . . 106 R eviews :

Catholic Eschatology and Uni-

versalism . . . . . . .. 107 A History of Egypt under the

Pharaohs . . ........................ 108

E N T S .

R ev iew s (Continued):

The “ Dublin Review” . . S hort N o t ic e s ;

Page . 109

Withered Leaves . . . . Mgr. Gay on the Christian Life . . n o S a c r ed M usic ........................... C o r r e s p o n d e n c e :

Life of St. Martin of Tours . h i The “ Dublin Review ” and the

Seminary at Olton .. . . n r Catholic Church, Aberdare, Moun­

tain-Ash School-Chapel.. . . i n The Prayer “ Anima Christi.” . . i n R ome : — Letter from our own

Correspondent .........................1 13

D iocesan N ews Westminster.. . . ,

P a se

Southwark .. Birmingham.. Hexham and Newcastle . Nottingham .. I reland :—

Letter from our own spondent ....................... . - 1X7 Foreign N ews

France United States Annual Meeting of the League of

St. Sebastian G e n e r a l N ew s :

CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK.

OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT. T

THE PROGRAMME

H E Dufaure Ministry has gained a signal victory, which is rendered all the more effective by the prognostications o f defeat which were so rife until the very day o f the debate. On the previous Friday the Ministerial programme was read in both Chambers. I t began with referring to “ the great national a c t ” by which “ the political temper of one of the public powers was modified,” and a tribute to the new Senators, whose names, antecedents, and electoral addresses had given to this election “ a character o f firmness and moderation honourable to our time, and justifying our confidence in the future of the Republic.” The Government then claimed credit for “ a policy of concord,” and declared the attitude of France at the Berlin Congress to have been “ prudent and becoming.” A s reregaids domestic policy, the acts o f the Communists in 18 7 1 had left in men’s minds a strong indignation, without excluding commiseration. Many pardons had been accorded, and a new law would allow them to be extended. The statement then touched upon the point o f real danger to the Ministry, the grievance which had been so bitterly felt. “ As regards functionaries, the Government would show itself inexorable against those who attack or calumniate the Republic which they are called on to serve.” The Ministers then mention the urgency o f passing the General Customs T a r iff Bills as soon as possible, in order that the commerc ia l policy of France may be settled for the future. The treaties with Belgium and England having been denounced, will cease with the others, and France will recover her freedom o f action, which it is satisfactory to be told she will use ■“ without deviating from the principles which for some years have given so great an extension to business.” The intention to establish a professional institute in the Champ de Mars, the proposed great works, the improvement of the financial situation— the surplus of the last few years amount ing to 170,000,000 francs— the reduction of traders’ licence duties, and the flourishing state o f public confidence in spite of the commercial crisis, are mentioned, and proposed measures for the reorganisation o f the Army and the Colonial administration, a Municipal Bill, and one on trades unions are promised. Then comes an announcement which will be painful to all who, with ourselves, have been rejoicing at the emancipation of Catholic University education in France from the trammels o f State control. “ The Minister o f Public Instruction,” the Chambers are informed, “ will ask that the conferring o f degrees be exclusively intrusted

New S e r i e s , V oií XXI. No. 533.

to the State and that elementary education be compulsory The time has come to require equality in certificates of capacity, but an interval may be allowed for teachers to comply with this condition.” This means o f course that the new Catholic Universities are to be deprived of the power o f granting degrees, and, we suppose, that all teachers in elementary schools, if not already certified, will have to pass a government examination. I t was the Senate alone which saved the new Universities last year, and their enemies have been eagerly waiting for the change in that body, that they might return to the attack. They are, it seems, to have their own way, but we must wait for the B ill before we can say much about the exact amount of damage which will be done.

No sooner had this Ministerial programme TBE been made public before there was a loud outc o n f i d e n c e . CI7 - I 1 was pronounced to be colourless, which meant that what its critics really most cared about was not to be found in it. They held that the Republicanisation o f the Senate ought to be followed up by a clear sweep of all functionaries who did not originally belong to the Republican party, and M. Gambetta’s paper has been especially furious in its denunciations o f the Ministry and confident in prophesying its downfall. I t was therefore almost taken for granted that M. Gambetta would himself attack and upset the Cabinet, and the only doubt which remained in many minds was whether he would accept the Premiership, or would adhere to his expressed opinion that his relations with the President were such that he could not become a Minister while the Marshal remained in office. But when Monday—the day fixed for the debate— arrived, M. Gambetta did not open his lips. Whether it was only that the great leader of the Left does not wish to take office, or that he saw he could not count on all his following it is useless to inquire. A t all events, if the last named apprehension did not influence him, it might have reasonably influenced him, for it was justified by the event, the vote of confidence itself being moved by one o f the genuine Left, M. Ju les Ferry. The interpellation on the Ministerial declaration was moved by M. Senard, who soon passed from general criticisms on its incompleteness, to the thorny question of the functionaries. There was great excitement, for the majority was burning with an ardent desire and resolve to get possession of the places which have been so long occupied by their adversaries, and it was seen that if M. Dufaure felt himself bound in honour not to sacrifice old public servants to party the days of his Ministery were numbered. That veteran politician, however, got out of the difficulty very cleverly. H e thanked M. Senard for his commendation of the conduct of the Ministry during the past year, acknowledged the importance of the Senatorial