Page 153 - Transcriptions d'actes notariés - Tome 20 - 1682-1686

The Manitoba Sehools problem is one of the greatmt tragedicc: in
Cariadian politice. It was tragic in its consequencee, tragic in its
iniplicatioris. lt brought about a rift in Canadian natiunal unity,
embittered a whole generation and ivas, as Tarie so accurately rcmarked,
but the beginning of a series of constitutional denials and betrayals.
And al1 ihis because a rnajority had become a minurity, becauje unc
poliiicaI party was more intrrrsted in remaining in power than in doiiig
by
jnstice and because another part? was obse~~ed the political irnpli-
cations of the problem. The human elenierit only added to the tragedy.
Tbc prime ministers who snccecded one ariother afier the deaih of
Macdonald were irideei-sive. Fanatics reaseerted their hatred of any~biiip
Caiholic or French. Mini-sters hid under epitcopal mantles. aiid Liberal
leaders, hiding under the cloak of statesmanship. refused to assuinc any
position.
It is not within the scop of lhis paper to present a cai;e in iavonr of
or against the politiciaris of the day who plaged a significant role in the
tragedy. The question wiIl on1y be examincd in the light of the posiiion
Tarte assumed. While the hierarchy lost themselves in futile prii-
nouncements on obedience and ultimate justification, while the grea t
Conservative party cowered in indecision and impotence, and Laurier
stood by silently, Tarte proposed, argued and threateried. His voire \va5
firm and powerful and hi5 energy decisive. S1orvly nrider the barragr (il
his attacks French Canada rcgained hope, realizing that urider the leader.
ship of Laurier, thcir cause could be better served.
For six vears while ~arliaments arid 1eoisIatures. courts of instice
V
and privy couneils, eaucnses and assemblies, bishops and priests, politi-
ciaris arid jourrialists, judges and eitizeris, dehated the remedies, tiie
delaye of the governmerit, the prejridices, the racial war, the tactics of
the Opposjtiori, Tarte Ras bnsily engaged iri a war with the episcopacy.
He accused the bishops of betrayinp Frerich Canadian interests arid of
offering sheIter to the miriisters. The war really bepan in Marih 1893 when
Tattc operied the Manitoba Schoole debate iri the House of Cominons.
At that time he charged that prior to the electiori of 1891 Chapleau, then
Secretar). 01 State, had seeri, iri ~he riame of his colleapues, Archbishop
Taché of Manitoba wbo was then il1 at the Gray Nriris' Hospital iri
Mon treal. Chaplcau had given the Archbishop "both private and forma1
pledges" that, after the election, the governmerit would definitely acf in
this matter. His Excellency rvas prevailed upon not to agitate on thii
qucstion driring eleetiori time. To prove lhis point Tarte quoted from a
letter of the Archbishop to a nephew oi his dated August 20, 1592: "Sir
John Thompson has pledged himself olhcially and publicly, others hare
done the same privately but s~lcir~nly.''(~~)
Tarte repeatcd his eharges against the Archbishop both iri his news-
papers and at the Liberal convention of 1893. He accnsed the govemnient

(10) Canada, House of Cornrnons, Debotes, 1893, 1758 if. Chapleau himself spoke
of ihis in B lciipr IO TIiorripsori. Çee Public Archives of Canada, Thomp~ou
Papers, Chapleau io Thonipson, December 29, 1892