14 SEPTEMBER 1901, Page 3

As to the French emigrant clergy, Cardinal Vaughan's remarks in

our view entirely failed to meet the true issue. No one wants to refuse the right of asylum to the Assumptionists, but there is a good deal of difference between according them the right of asylum and granting one of the chief of them a London parish. " Verax's" question of whether Father Bailly has or has not been eo honoured remains unanswered. The tone of Cardinal Vaughan's speech generally was, we are bound to any, somewhat disagreeable to a Protestant reader, however anxious to be fair and tolerant. The portion dealing with the question of whether the proper term was "Catholics" or "Roman Catholics" was, indeed, extraordinarily bitter and arrogant. Cardinal Vaughan says that his co-religionists may call themselves Catholics or Roman Catholics just as they please, for both mean the same thing,—the only necessary condition is apparently the intention to exclude all other Christians from the word "Catholic." We are glad that Cardinal Vaughan is content with the word "Roman Catholic," for we can assure him that except by the ignorant or the care- less, or as an abbreviation, the word " Catholic " cannot be accorded to his co-religionists in the exclusive sense they intend and desire. "Roman Catholics" is the proper descrip- tion, and we are glad to think that we have an authoritative decision that it can be applied without offence,—which is what all right-feeling Protestants will desire most ardently to avoid in the case of members of the Roman Communion.