190 APPENDIX. 



religion, a State philosophy, a State history'. "VVe are as niiicli 

 concerued as any one at the encroachments of materialism in 

 education ; but it belongs to liberty alone to cure the ills of lib- 

 erty. Away with all monopolies, and we shall then have no 

 more privileges for any sects. This is all we ask. But the 

 Catholic party wants something very different. It wants to shut 

 the mouths of its opponents, and use the State for a sort of 

 armed servant. Not content with demanding civil repression in 

 the very petition in which it calls for liberty of instruction, it gets 

 up other petitions against popular libraries, which it Muants to 

 pick over and expurgate after its own notion ; for, according to M. 

 Dupanloup, those arc sophists who, like M. Jules Simon, declare 

 that God docs not need to be protected by law. Here we see 

 the tip of the ear of this bastard liberalism : and a very dull ear 

 it is; for it has not been able to hear the rules of these libraries, 

 which gave the lie to its accusations in the courts which would 

 fain suspend from their jurisdiction. It reminds us of the ridi- 

 cule that was heaped, last year, on a certain Dr. Machelard, who 

 made loud and formal complaint to the Senate of some abomina- 

 ble things which he declared that he had heard. The next day 

 it was discovered that this faithful witness was as deaf as a post, 

 and had heard nothing but his own suspicions. 



Nothing could have been better contrived for the dishonor of 

 religion than the debate excited in the Senate b}^ the famous 

 petition of the fathers of families. To begin with, the Senate is 

 very conservative toward everything but religion. The bench 

 of cardinals is all very fine to look at, but is a somewhat feebly 

 apostolic body. Doubtless it has had a great deal of experience, 

 such as may be acquired in the service of three or four succes- 

 Bivc forms of government, but such as does not seem to agree 

 comfortably with a great deal of zeal for tlie failh. Any relig- 

 ious cause, Protestant or Catholic, carried to the Senate, is sure 

 to cut a sorry ligure. The field-marshals who assert the Divinity 

 of Christ while twirling their moustaches or handling their 

 sword-hilts, produce effects rather comic than edifying. As to 



