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THAT JESUIT CLAIM

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 13, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 18.

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THAT JESUIT CLAIM.

By Editor

OUR readers will remember that we have several times of late made reference to a religious political controversy in Quebec, Canada, which had its origin in the efforts of the Jesuits to recover possession of a large amount of valuable property confiscated more than a hundred years ago. "The matter ended, as was supposed," says the Christian at Work, "by the passage of a bill by the Provincial Legislature in July of last year awarding the sum of $400,000 to the Jesuits in full settlement of their claims. As we stated at the time, it was within the power of the Dominion Parliament to veto the bill of the Quebec Legislature. It did nothing of the kind, however, but passed the bill. Meantime, the resources of the Quebec province are reduced, and there is no money in the treasury, and if there were funds it is doubtful if they could be devoted to that object, the law requiring that money to be raised by public loan. This of course requires an act of the Legislature of Quebec. But the Lieutenant-Governor of the Province possesses the veto power, and it is stated in very positive terms that the Lieutenant-Governor has not only made up his mind to veto this bill when presented to him, but has so advised the Premier, and so it looks very much as if the Jesuits, for whose exclusive benefit the act was passed, and who were the
chief movers in the matter, find themselves quietly put aside when it comes to the apportionment of the grant.
"The act left the disposition of the fund in the hands of the Pope, and Leo has decided that only $100,000 out of the $400,000 is to go to the Jesuits, the remainder being divided among the ecclesiastical and scholastic institutions and bishops. The award, however wise and just it may be, has aroused strong feeling, and subjected every act of the Government to the severest scrutiny. It would not be at all surprising if, under the Constitution, the bill passed by the Quebec Legislature at the instigation of the Roman Catholics might prove a very boomerang and operate against them so effectually as to destroy the power they have wielded in the politics of that country. To secure such a result the payment of $400,000 would be considered very reasonable."