Page 99 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

was not discouraged by this relusal. Pointing out the potential damage
of aueh a stand in a letter to ihe Pope, he blamed it on an obduracy to
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preerve ill-contractcd political alliances," and entreated the Pontiff
tbat he alone eonld break those tie~.(~~) the other hand, in order to
On
expedite a solntion, De Freycinet entered into direct negotia tion with
Rome through his own diplomatic channels.
The silenee coneerning lhe remaining orders was hroken on August
10, when Leo XII1 wrole to Cardinal Bonnechose saying that he had
ben persuaded by epicopal letters of a possible way out of the dilemma.
At the Haine the certain assurances he had received from the French
government confirmcd his hope of being able to Bave the congregations
froni cornplete dissolntion. Thie could be done by an aet which was not
ai aU oppoeed to the maxims of lhe Chureh or the constitutions and rules
of each congregation.''!'' The Pontiff obviously had in mind a eom-
promise solution - the impending Declaration.
Only after considerable persua~ion, and after being confronted
with authentic documents and the papal letter, did the Superiors relent.
With heavy hearts, they agreed IO sign the Dechnation. Wilhin a lew
weeks, declarations from fifty-two male and 280 fernale orders arrived
at the Archbishoprie of Paris.c3*i
Al1 negoliations connecled with he Declaration were eonducted in
utrnost secrecy. The first hints that somethjng might be under wa): came
from De Freyeinet in a specch at Montauban on Angust 20, 1880. He
stated khat the recent expulsion of the Jesuits had demoneirated the
power of the government, which might allow the remaining congregatione
to take advantage of a law then being prepared to regulate al1 lay and
eccleeiastieal associa~ions.
Thinking that the time for discretion was past, the Catholic paper
La Guyenne on August 30 pnblished the text of the Declaration, thereby
divulging the whole process. A stonn of indignation and protest was
raised on both sides. De Freycinet clumsily attempted to weather it by
iesuing a formal denial of any government engagement with the Pope,
bnt it was of no avail. The ensuing Cabinet crisis exaeted its of
flesh for the radicals in the forrn of De Freycinet's resignation. On
Septernber 19 Junes Ferry, perhaps ac! a vindication, was called on to
iorm a new Mini~try.'~~) An honest attempt to bring about a truce
betiveen ~he Chur& and the Repulilic had disin~e~rated.

rasi Scc eatract from the leiter in Barbier, II, 56.
(293 Ilid.
(30) Lecanuet, II, 74.
(91) Cf. Harm~nua, IV, 5331. From S~ptember 13 to 18, lm, the Grand Orieut
Lodge held iis annual meeting, . . . which my have helped bring about the
Iall of the Freyciuel cahinet and the deciaion to execute the decrees agaimt
the uuauthorized order&". Acomb, 117. On ihat occasion Jules Ferry wu
houoared. Lecanuet, II, 78.