In the debate in the French Chamber on the Supplementary
Separation Bill on Friday week M. Briand, the Minister of Education, made a remarkable speech in defence of the Government. The Government, he said, had always known that the policy of Rome was to compel the Republic to accept terms from the Vatican, quite irrespective of the merits of the case. They had done everything in their power to make the position of the Catholics less difficult. After the Pope's veto of the Associations cultuciles, the Catholics bad demanded the rights of the common law, and these had been given them. But now they bad rejected the very boon they had asked for, and nothing remained but to pass new measures to complete the law of 1905. The only charge against the Government was that they had applied the law in its integrity, and not merely a part of it. As for the alleged brutality towards the Bishops, there was no truth in it. These ecclesiastics had been so anxious not to compromise themselves with Rome that many of them had asked to be expelled forcibly. What they would have liked was an "execution cart." The Govern- ment had given the Catholics liberty, the liberty of all other citizens; but they refused to give them special privileges at the bidding of a foreign Power. He had confidence in the good sense of the people. "The country was calm, order was complete, that was the best justification of the moderation and patience of the Government." The Bill was adopted by 413 votes to 166.
