Current Topics

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 18, 30 January 1891, Page 1

Current Topic s

AT HOME AND ABROAD.

Pabliamknt was opened «n Friday by commission. The event of tbe opening was the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives,— not only a very important matter in itself, but especially interesting as proving the strength of parties. The result left no doubt as to that, Mr. Rolleston, the candidate of the Conservative party, being defeated by a majority of seven in favoor of Mr. (Stewart, candidate of the Liberals or Radicals, or whatever we are to call them, — a matter not bb yet by any meanß certain. MrStewart, however, is a perfectly fit and proper person to fill the office, and t here is every reason to expect that he will perform its duties in a satisfactory manner. At the same time, as much might be said for Mr. Bolle9ton had he been elected. The state of the case, meantime, had evidently been anticipated, and on the termination of ihe election Mr. Mitchelson announced that the Government had Bent in their resignation, and only held office until their places could be filled. Mr. Ballance, oq the other hand, announced that the Governor had requested him to form a Ministry — a tank which he undertook to perform by Tuesday, tbe 27th inst. Sir Harry Atkinson, the late Premier, we may aid, who has been obliged by ill-health to retire from ihe more stirring sphere of politics, baa been appointed Speaker of the Legislative Council,— a position upon which be enters with the general approval of the Colony. We do nut know that Sir Harry can be looked upon as a very successful statesman. At least, the condi ion of the cjuotry at the moment of his partial retirement does not seem to warrant the formation of any su.b conclusion. Possibly, however, under the circumstaticta in which he was placed, he did as well aa, or even better than, aajr me eke could do. It is certain that he laboured long, hone-itiy, and without paying any undue regard to his own private interest?. He, therefoie, Las fully merited tbe provision that bas now' been made for him ; aud of his competency to perform the duties of ibe position there can be no doubt whatever. As to the other appointments that have been made to tbe Legislative Council, their being made at all bas been the occasion of much complaint. Lively oppositiun, in fact, was offered to them as an unheard-of and outrageous undertaking, considering that the Government recommending them had forfeited the confidence of the country, and was in a moribund condition. His Excellency the Governor, however, supports them as quite legitimate, having abundant precedent, derived from the House of Lords, in thtir favour. It is hardly necessary to say that the members appointed are highly Conservative. Mr. Ormond, in fact, one of the most remarkable among them, represents extreme Conservatism, as we understand the term in the colonies — that is, aa signifying the hindrance of genuine settlement, the monopoly of tbe lands, and everything consequently that offers an impediment to progress. The appoin ' meets have decidedly been made with a view to check expected extravagances— or what are regarded as Buch— on the part of the Lower Chamber. We should bay that a Tory Governor, iv considering the influence to be worked at Home by Colonial example, would willingly support Buch appointments. But what are we to expect from our new Legislature ? It is not as vet easy to predict. Tne only particular of their probable proceedings that we find quoted is retrenchment. Indeed, one of our new Duoedin Members seemed timely in giving warning of this by protesting» during the election of the Speaker, that the salary attached to the office m question was too high. The Civil Service of th- country, in short, is once more threatened with heavy reductions. Certain offices are to be done away with altogether, others are to be amalgamated, and salaiies are to be reduced all round. It is to be hoped, nevertheless, that such a scheme will not be carried out without very full and impartial c msideTation. What New Zealand needs is such a course of goviroment as will enable her to be generous and openhanded in adequately rewarding services worth having. The hope of the Colony does Dot lie in a doubtful parsimony, bat in a

>E NEW Pi LAMENT

bountiful production, and, above all, in the wise and effective settlement of the lands, on which this depends. It is, however, idle to speculate. We shall see in the coarse of a week or two what the new material is good for ; and, if we do not expect very much, Ist us hope we shall be the more agreeably surprised.

CHE RBI NO MEWS.

Two events hare occurred during the count of the week which may be looked upon aa of happy aifni* ficance, in the present state of the Irish affair*. The one is certainly so ; the othsr may be so inter* preted with a high degree of probability. The one is the return of a Home Baler in the bye-election for Hartlepool ; the other is a speech made at Cambridge by Lord Salisbury. The result of the election, in wbicb Mr. Furness a Home Ruler defeated Mr. Gray a Unionist by a majority of 298 — being eleoted, moreover, in the room of ft Unionist lately deceased, shows that, whatever divisions may unfortunately have arisen among the Nationalists of Ireland, the end they still continue to seek his not been affected in the eyes of the English masses but rather gains in favour there. The cable-agency, it is true seems to make an attempt at lessening the significance of the matter by explaining that certain pi onuses given by Mr. Furness had secured for him the support of the labour unioos. If the labour unions, tow* ever, find the eupport of Home Rule consistent with their own interests, their doing so is of a different import and strengthens hope for Ireland— since we may justly take the unions as representative of thrt masses, and likely every day to become more so. If li eland obtains the cordial and full support of the English masses, her success is insured. At tbi particular j jnc-ure, we say, the result of this bye-election authorises ua in believing th it such will be the case. As for Lord Salisbury's speech — its psrtinent point was that in which the speaker, as reported, " refenel to ihe dangers which would result from the enormous influence of priests, bad to tbe sinister domination of Archbishop 9 Walsh and Cnke in a purely Irish Parliament." The interpretation wo should be inclined to place upon this utterance is that Lord fcjahsbury, seeing the failure of all oiher measures by which Hume Rule cjuUl be opposed, found himself forced to take refuge in tbe tiaditional cry of " No-Popery," and, in this case, also, we would see clear evidence given that the attempt* of his Lordship's Government to influence the Vatican, and to car the Pope to their aid, had singularly failed. There is, however ( another interpretation possible— though we admit barely possible. It is that Lord Salisbury, still hopiDg for success at the Vatican, was appealing to Engl'sh public feeling to choose the lesser of two evils, and to withdraw its oppusi ion to an alliance with Home, so as to curb the power of the Irish hierarchy and clergy. Tbe interpretation, nevertheless, which we have first proposad U that which we prefer as far more probable. Meantime, from both these events to which we have alluded, our conclusions are comforting. Neither Mr. Parnell's defalcation nor tbe consequent divisions have injured the cause in the eyes of the Knglish masses. The Irish hierarchy and clergy, too, are still determined that the nation shall obtain its rights. Nothing thit has happened has given them a moment's doubt in the justice of the cause and the great benefits to be obtained by victory. The Tory Prime Minister, besides, fully perceives the formidable nature of the situation, and is driven to extremes in an attempt — a vain attempt — to provide against it.

A FORLOBM HOfE.

Australian governments are requested by the Colonial Secretary to be on the lookout for an illustrious wanderer, more illustrious even than the famous " Claimant," who is low missing. The wanderer in question is one John Orih, otherwise known as the Archduke John Salvador, a prince of the House of H=»psburg, and son of a late Qrand Duke of Tuscanj. It seems that at one time the Arcbduke John Salvador hud really a notion of emigrating to Australia. He was then, to be sure, in love, as, of course, being a married mao, if he is e til 1 alive, he may be taken still t) be. Tbe Paris correspondent of Truth, howe er, lately quoted an amusing letter written by him to a young English lady by whom his heart or bis fancy had been captured on board a Lloyd's steamer iv tbe Meditenaueao, and whom be proposed to marry. He professed a horror of Imperial rank

to whico, ia agreement with her mother, the young lady, who seems to have been a sensible girl, aad who afterwards sensibly married a rich brewer, objected, and declared bia intention to renounce it. " My courage," he wrote, " ia equal to emigrating to Australia, where I am ■are I should fall on my feet. I could be a manager of a theatre, a teacher of French, Q.roiaa, Italian, or a curator of a zoo or botanical garden, or I could be a ridine-muster, or a stock-rider." "As you can never be an Archduchess," he concluded, " I shall be only too happy to cease to be an Archduke, but hope ever to be counted your darliog ' Arch- iuckling,' Johann." The English girl, nevertheless, was obdurate, and the Archduke held to his rank until some two or three years ago, when, although married to a lady of his own Btation in life, he was deprived of it by the Emperor of Austria. No one seem * quite to understand why, but be had in his youth been rather wildly disposed, and, among the rest, had been a boon companion of the late unfortunate Prince Budolph When be disappeared he had sailed in command of a trading vessel, and accompanied by biß wife, for South America. It is feared that the vessel was wrecked and all han is drowned during violent gales that recently prevailed on the South American coast. The chances, indeed, seem alight that traces of the wanderer will be found in these colonies, and as he is now a man of mature age, somewhere about forty years old, the opportunity will possibly be wanting to such enterprising individuals as might afterwards be inclined to emulate the " Claimant " and perbonate him.

MISCHIEVOUS INVOCATION.

The Rev. Charles Clark, who has just concluded a course of lectures in Dunedin, among the subjects with which he delighted an audience— not, perhaps, too difficult to please-included " Oliver Cromwell." As we might expect, the rev. lecturer is reported to have taken a highly appreciative view of the character dealt with. The Nonconformist minister is never absent from Mr. Clark's platform, and Cromwell is a hero of Nonconformity. Success, we know, is always to be respected. In fact, many very respectable events owe their respectability to little else. Therefore, we may make some allowance for the admiration that, even when the events have been mellowed by the lapse of time, attends on the memory of the Protector. Still, unless •uccees justifies every thing, pales the crimson guilt of murder, and makes tyranny seem mild and gentle, Cromwell's memory must be held accursed. Is all that a nation requires to crown it with honour that it may be held formidable abroad ? Where is the country in the world into which one ray of a purer light, one feature of a better humanity, or one thought of a higher culture penetrated from Cromwellian England ? To every man, however, his opinions. We have little to do with the judgment Nonconformity pronounces concerning the past. Somewhat more grave is it, nevertheless, to find crowded audiences applauding an exhortation to invoke the spirit of C'romwelhan Puritanism as f-uited to the nieis of the day— a spirit of intolerance, opprrssiun, ruthlesss fanaticism, religious persecution' moßt akin, indeed, to tbat by which of old the Mahommedaa hordes won their victories ; and did not those old Caliphs also make their nation respected throughout the world? Do these men really mean what they pay 7 Do these audiences really know what they applaud We do not know ; we hope not. But if such be the case, it is hard to foretell in what respect history may not repeat itself. We offer no opinion as to the position occupied by the Rev. Charles Clark aa a lecturer. All who have heard him will doubtless determine forthembelvis tbe degree in which they wore amused, aftected, or instructed. In the degieo, nevenheless, in which the lecturer's eloquence is calculate to revive the spirit of Cromwellian Puritanism it is mis. chievous and pernicious.

ST. FBANCIS XAVIER.

Exposition of the body of St. Francis Xavier has recently taken place in the Portuguese city of Goa, m South Weetern India. The veneration of the sacred relics commenced on December 3rd, the feast of the Saint, and continued for a month. The cathedral was crowded. Indeed, for the first day or two so dense were the throDgs and bo ardent their devotion, that they defeated their own object and, in their eagerness to approach the body and kiss its feet, they made anything of the kind for the most part impossible.' Our readers, no doubt, are acquainted with the history of St. Francis Xavier. the Apostle of the Indiep, whose success in winning converts 10 the Catholic Church has been acknowledged, even by nonCatholics, as miraculous. St. Fnnci?, they will remember, after some 3 ears spent in arduous and successful labours, died in an island cfi. the coast tf Chica. His body, in order that the flesh might be speedily consumed, to make the transport of his bones more eaf=y, was placed in a barrel of quick-lime ; but when, after some weeks, an examination was male of as coalition, it was found as fresh and incorrupt as at the moment of death. Nay, when it was pkrctd in any p.ut blood Mowed iicely fiom it. This' state of tbingf, moieover, not inconsistent wnh the life ot the Saint, which had been notable for miracles, ccnuoued for mauy year?, tcstimonyi At long interyaJj, to the fact reman, ing. As it ie, hower, the centuries

have in some measure done their work. The body is shrunken and dried, though still, even leaving out the burial in quick-lime, the long and frequent exposure, and the hot climate, its state of preservation is marvellous. At every interval, besides, at which it has been exposed*" for veneration cures of disease and other miraculous occurrences have been recorded. In all probability the occasion just terminated has proved no exception to this rule. It seems to ue, meantime, that there is a particular significance in the demonstration of Catholic faith aad piety that has just been made in the case referred to. It at least, may be looked upon as a great protest of Christianity against the anti-Christiac movement that has set in to Europe fiom the East. How finely this homage paid to the remains of one who carried the Gospel of Christ into the strongholds of Mahommedanism and Buddhism contrasts with th« miserable effort that is is being made to reverse the mission and introduce the blighting errors of the heathen world into Christendom. This, however, is but one of the practical and effective, though indirect, protests of the Catholic Church against the dangers and mischief to which Protestantism and infidelity have made the world liable. Surely we may hope that the intercpssion of the great servant of God who has thus been honoured may avail to hinder the success of the nefarious movement and to defsnd Catholic populations from the evils that must necessarily accompany its success.

An inconclusivk decision,

The judgment prononned by the Archbishop o Canterbury, ia tha case of the Bishop of Lincoln, may b 3 taken probably for as pretty a piece of accommodation as any authority laying claim to spiritual jurisdiction could possibly make. Like accommodation generally, however, the doubt is as to whether it will satisfy either of the parties whom it is intended to conciliate. The Ritualists will probably consider tbat, by stripping their^ceremoniea of meaning, it places them in a ridiculous position — and to introduce ridicule into the sanctuary must seem to everyone bordering closely on sacrilege. The Evangelicals will almost certainly be displeased to find that so much liberty to stray in an idolatrous direction is conceded. Lighted candles are pronounced lawful during the communion. And here, in passing, we would call the attention of the daiing foe of rites and ceremonies who carried away the candlesticks of St. John's Churoh Boslyn, and left io their place— apparently with scoffing reference to a Gospel parable— a stone— to the decision of the Archbishop. If lighted candles are lawful surely candlesticks, if it were only for the sake of decency and cleanliness, muat be no less. In whatsoever sacrilegious receptacle .those candlesticks now repose let them be restored to their legitimate use as determined by so high an authority — not the highest, nevertheless, since an appeal to Parliament may still, and most probably will, bj made. Wine may be mixed with the water, but not before the people or at the moment of consecration. The otliciatin^ minister may stand at the Eastern side of the table — but every act of his ministry must be clearly seen by the people. Tho Aynm Da may be sung during the service. On every point a concession 13 made except one— and that is the significant one of the sign of the cross. This the celebrant may not make in blessm? the people. All this decision has been the result of long consideration and profound study on the part of the Archbishop. His Grace has expressed his sense of the difficulty, ,ml even the impropriety of the tast required ot him. '• The Court," he says, " has felt deeply the incongruity of minute questionings and disputations on great and sacred subjects." Such things, m fact, to put it plainly, should be taken roughly, in the lump, and not be too closely regarded. The national Church migat better be taken as a whole without paying inconvenient attention to the jots and tittles of doctrine and ritual. And, it the Church of England is still to stand, we fancy it must be so taken. If every man may form his own judgment and private interpretation is to be the rule, bow can uniformity possibly exist 1 If there be>ny virtue, in fact, in a national Church, like thata t in question, it can only possess it as an institution in which men agree to differ. This, indeed, seems to form the gift of the Archbishop's decision. He has, to all intents and purposes, decided nothing— merely leaving matters much as he found them, but pleading, and, as we may well believe, vainly pleading, for peace and quietness.

A DOUBTFOI, UITEKANCE.

Bahon Von Muellkb, the eminent botanist, in responding to a vote of thanks passed to him the other day at Cbristchurch as retiring President of the Association for the Advancement of Science, spoke a few words, wnich, although, no doubt, they may possibly have a better significance, seem to us rather contradictory. The distin. guished speaker, in referring to the perfection of the Anglo-Saxon race, which be declared to exist in New Zealand — and let us hope, in passing that other races may show signs horeot as high a development — asked how could Unu^s bo other whc where tho advantages of a beautiful climate we™ combined with educational institutions aad every opportunity for the advancement of knowledge. " Yet, above ail this," he aldci, " there is one more high, and we mußt not forget

the pious element in a British community, the keeping up of the divine service in its sacredness, and in the observance of the Sabbath, which is disregarded in many other supposed enlightened countries." —Was Baron Von Mueller's meaning that of poioting out a blemish in the educational institutions to which he referred ?— lf, on the contrary, as the report would seem to convey, the Baron* suegestion was that the better state of things he advocated could be combined with Vac educational institutions of the country as they now exist, the confusion of his ideas is evident. Are not the irreligious conditions in •ther countries, and of which Baron Von Mueller complains, based oa and supported by just such educational institutions as New Zealand possesses f Vines of the same kind cannot bear poisonous berries in France or Italy and wholsome grapes in New Zealaod. We admit, however, that the Baron's intention may have been to point out the crying defect. If so, it is a pity he did not express himself a little more clearly. Or is it that he has been negligently reported ?

▲ •BATE CASE,

Batkkb a grim illustration of the existence of one law for tbe rich man and another for the poor mania that which has occurred in connection with the death of the Duke of Bedford. His Grace, we are told, in a paroxysm o pain, shot himself through the heart in the presence of two attendants. His body, nevertheless, waa cremated — according to directions previously given by him— either without the holding of an inquest, or after an inquest had been secretly held. The case ib a melancholy one, and not much good is to be got by discussing itß details. For any unfortunate being, be he duke or peasant, driven beside himself with pain, and putting an end to his life in desperation, pity may be claimed, and silence may be the best way in which it can be shown. The important point, however, is that the body of this suicide was hurried out of sight and destroyed, compliance with the provisions of the law being neglected altogether, or insufficiently made, and that is where the difference comes in. Certainly the circumstances attendant on the suicide of one who had filled a less exalted situation would have been different. All the particulars would have been examined into and all the details, however squalid, would have been made public— perhaps to no good end, and possibly to a very bad one— but that is not now our subject. It is, in fact, evident that, notwithstanding all the boasts of democratic feeling and of the power of the people, high caste still holds sway in England. This in tance of the Duke of Bedford's suicide is not the only one in which we have more recently seen proofs of this. It may, indeed, appear to some a little matter that a noble family should ba allowed to defend themselves against a galling and perhaps injurious publicity. The evidence, however, of the influence of the great houses is ot serious consequence. We may be convinced that it is felt also n matters that gravely concern the public interests, and, while this continue^, t.j bj ihe case, popular Government must be more or less a vain sn<l delusive appearance. Not, therefore, merely for the sake ot vindicating the behests of the law in one particular instance— which miKbt perhaps be overlooked, but in order to strike a blow at a powei that militates against the progress and welfare of the country, it is 10 be hoped the case in question will be thoroughly sifted, and their fault brought home to those who are accountaDle.

HAN«IN«-ON.

Hebe ig another grain of comfort. Lord Salisbury! ut the re-openmg ot the Imperial Parliament, ha 8 denied that a dissolution is impending. Possibly the byc-eluction at Hartlepool has had some part in hie» Lordship's denial. There uno chance apparent, then, of t tking the country at a moment of panic-worked up, for instance, by the fine indignation of the Tory papers at the fall of Mr. Parnell. Lord Salisbury's denial is more significant than a whole volume of minute explanations respecting the attitude of the people might be. He looks upon the vital interests of bis party and his class as at stake, and it is a matter of life and death for him to understand the popular mind. The announcement of a dissolution just now would mean that the Tories saw a very fair chance, and sometking even more than that, of renewing tbeir strength and prolonging their term of office, of being sent buck by the country for seven years longer, with all the forue borrowed from popular support. We may readily believe that they would eagerly catch at the chance if it were offered to them. Lord Salisbury, however, denies that any such chance exists, as to the worth of a Government determined to hold out, let the country feel as it may, it is not profitable to dwell very long upon it. We may, nevertheless, make some allowance for those who perceive that their time is short, and who are perplexed as to what the immediate future contains for them. All that they can be expected to do is to make the best of a bad bargain— hanging on to the last moment pos B ible if only, as the saying has, it, by the skin ot their teeth. Lord Salisbury'e denial is indeed significant.

The Most Bey. Dr. Keane, Rector of the Catholic SODND WOBDS University of Washington, whose admirable lecture at Harvard we recently placed before our readers. in Bpeaking the other day at Cambridge, Mass., on education, made

a pTtinent reply to an argument that ia frequently urged. Tbe particular point 19 that of the desirableness of bringing children of all denominations up in common so that homogeneity may be preserved. "Is the homogeneity of the American people destroyed by the fact that they go to different churches on Sunday ? Would our people be more united and harmonious if we attempted a compromise religion in order that we might go to the same church? No ; the contrary "wo lid be the caße. JTh« surest guarantee of a united people is respect for one another's consciences and convictions." The bishop, however denied that he had any desire to remove the schools from under State control. Nor, he said, did he plead exclusively for the Catholic Charch in this matter. He would gladly give his life to obtain for the American people union with the Catholic Church. " But we mas 6 take things as they are. We have a divided Christendom, and we must take it as it is. While I am convinced that any form of Protestantism is not as true as the Catholic Church, yet I would, on the other baod, rather have the children of those who are not Catholics reared in any form of Protestantism tbaa in irreligion. Somebody was surprised that I should have exhorted the students of Harvard College, when I addressed them the other night, to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they being of a different faith. 1 did so because they do more good to mankind than any man who in his pretended broad-mindedneßs calls himself an agnostic. He is an enemy of Christianity, trying to plunge it into darkness. Any man believing in Christianity is to some degree a benefactor of humanity. Toerelore, the plea for Christian education is far wider than tbe Hmitß of the Catholic Church ; it is for the American people's convictions whatever they may be. I say the same for the Methodist, the Baptist, or the Presbyterian as I say for the Catholic. I have no desire to tyran" nize over them, but to diffuse the truth as I see it or as they accept it' And I pray that they may have the courage to teach their children Christianity as they understand it, rather than mere secular education without Christianity in it." The most rev. speaker went on to consider the respect due to the secular system ia Ameiicd from its age there. " How old." he said, "is our school system 1 People would imagine from the way that some persons talk that it is as old as America. Nonsense. You would think that Washington, and Madison, and Jefferson, and Monroe were raised in public schools. No; they were raised in Christian schools, every one of them." And thisi we may add for our own part, may be said of the vast majority of men who have attained to greatness anywhere. The secular system, indeed, must labour for many years before, if ever, it attains equality in this regard with Christian schools. Meantime, we see the worth of that argument as to educating children in common. We also see the attitude towards Christianity of the Catholic Church. How different it is from that of the Protestant sscts, willing as they are to risk the faith of their children if only that of Catholic children may also be placed in peril. Dr. Keane's words brmg the contrast vmdly before us.

CURIOUS It TRUE.

Mk BIAIKE is mobilising the forces of the United States. What for/ To give a little more satisfacsion, perhaps, to those Irish voters, to direct whose votes aright the British lion must be erected as a target ? What, meantime, has become of that proposal for arbitration by means of which all disputes affjcting American Governments were to be peacefully settled ? It had hardly been favourably considered when a war took place in Central America. Then a revolution broke out in Brazil. Since then there has been righting at Bueno3 Ayres— and vow again they are hard at it in Chili. The South American nature, however, appears naturally explosive and interference with it, even by arbitration, might prove difficult. Besides, we believe arbitration was only proposed for disputes between different states, and woul I not extend to domestic affairs. Civil war. nevertheless, is the worst form of war, aad it may reasonably be questioned as to whether countries in which it was frequent would be found very amenable with relation to exterior difficulties. To exclude Canada, however, and iadeed the British Empire generally from arbitration, notwithstanding that terrible Irish voter with his demand for a tug at the beard or the tail of the lion over the water, would seem a very serious matter. In fact, it would seem something like straining out a gnat and swallowing a cimel t;? arbitrate for the prevention of hostilities between two republics who c names most peop'c can only recall by reference to a manual of geography, and to discard arbitration in a dispute between the greater powers. The Irish voter should lemembcr, besides, that he has no good end to serve now by a war between America and England. There is no question now of setting up an Irish Republic by the aid of such heroes as, for example, Captain Mike M'Carthy. At that attempt, even so genuine a patriot as Mr. William O'Brien has had his laugh— and, as we know, le ridicule tue. We need, therefore, no longer desire that Columbia should snatch Britannia's trident from her grasp, and we may be content that British iron-clads should keep atioat as long as their nature permits them — and that, by the way, if we may judge by recent eveots seems to be only until the first opportunity of einking cornea in their

way. All this, as we may naturally believe, the Irish American voter clearly recognises. Nor, we are convinced, is he so stupid as to be ensnared by vain and futile menaces. What, then, Mr. Blame -*nay intend by mobilising his forces, if he is actually doing so, it is not easy to explain. It seems impossible he can seriously contemplate a hostile employment of them— and a vain display appears hardly more probable.