Page 103 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

iact that they were ". . . obnoxious to French Radicalism simply becnuee
they were . . . 'Les serviteurs d'un nommé Dieu' ". (4"
The resolute defence of the Jesuita waa conatant md extenaive in
the Tabkt. Oiie passage wiU sufice as an illustration : the editarial of
March 20, 1880, stated : "French Radicalisni . . . demands the proscrip-
tion of the Church in France, the destructioii of Chriatianity, the efface
ment of the idea of God; and following the prccedent of ~he last century,
it begiiis wilh those who bear the sacred name oi Him who ia the supreme
object of its hatred."
The Tablet was interested in reaction elaewbere, and endeavoured
to tranamit iniormation about it to its readers. It reported solemn
protests made by the Catholics of Montreal against governmental
measures in France. Over 7,000 inhabitanta had demonstrated by making
a procession to ~he Church of Gésu, where Senator Trudel had read the
pr~teat.('~)

While the attitude expressed by the Catholics in England is dib
cernible, that of the non-Catholic press is more difficult to define with
precisjon. But the emerging pattern ia auficiently rich a9 to indicate
their reaciion. The pervasive prûiciple of these publications was esote-
rically Liberal.'40'

It rnay be said that The Times reported on France regiilarly and
wiih fair detail; while the Soturday Rmieiu commented prolificaIly,
although it~ attention was more diffuse. The Nineteenth Century contains
much valuable maierial, but requires a great amount of discretion and
aifting in order to penetrate the trnth. [t bad no diatinct attitude to
events at homc or abroad.
With particular reference to this period in France, the h'ineteenih
Ceniury waa a tribune from which French defendera of the parties in
the conflict over educalioii sought to pr-ent to the English public the
pleas and explanations of lheir respective group~.'~~) Therefore, witb
the exception of hospitality offered to the penmanship of opposing French
debalers, it may be said ~hat tbe Ninei.eenth Century kept al001 from
the conflict in Fraiice. If it had a private opinion, it was not made
known witbin the covera of the publication during this period.

(471 Editorial "The French Dccrees of 301h March", Tabler, LV (April 3. 1W).
(4s) Table;, LV1 (July 24, lW), p. 97.
(48) Those consulted in ihis caiegory - four periodicds and one newepaper -
were : Church Q~rterly Review ; Edinburgh Review ; Nineteenth Crnlury;
Suturdy Review; and The Times. [Heredter cited thus : C.Q.R.; E.R.;
N.C.; and S.R.I.
(60) See Abhé Martin, "The Educatian Questiou in Frence"; and the nnriwrrr by
one of Ferry's sieunch supporters Edmond About "The Clericel Educaiian
in Fraiice", N.C., VI (luly and Septtmhrr 1879, respmlively). Tbrrrr wu
a camment on both of theme articles by the S.R., XLYIIT (JuIy 5 and Sept-
miber 6, 18791, pp. 14I and 2841, respectively.