Page:Church and State.djvu/35

27 It may be argued that all these points relate to Roman Catholics only; but I contend that they have a most important influence on every British subject in Quebec, and cannot be lightly passed over. To those who may believe that this course of action is ephemeral, and will pass away with the lives of one or two very aged men, I recommend the careful perusal of Abbé Paquet's Lectures on "Liberalism," delivered at the Laval University in 1874, and approved by the Archbishop. It will there be seen that the course of teaching in the first Roman Catholic University in Quebec is of the most extreme description, and inculcates obedience to the Church of Rome in respect to every condemnation of civil rights and civil government contained in the Syllabus.

Therefore; with the history of the excitement now prevailing in Europe, and the course of events in our Province before us, my first question must be answered in the affirmative. "The attitude of the Roman Catholic Church towards civil society has changed since Confederation, and such change has been signalized in Lower Canada by overt action."

2

The reply must necessarily be argumentative, and addressed rather to those Protestant politicians, now basking in the sunshine of Episcopal favor, who say: all this concerns Roman Catholics only; both political parties are alike in professed submission to the Church; it does not affect us so long as we are unassailed, and meantime we should act with those who in the past were our friends and allies. I answer that the past has