WILFRID LAURIER’S LECTURE ON POLITICAL LIBERALISM
Anonymous (1877)
The liberal press will undoubtedly publish Mr. Laurier’s speech this very day.¹ We hope it will be neither revised, corrected, amplified nor condensed, neither more liberal, nor less anti–catholic. We await it such as we heard it. It is just such a speech as we wanted, but dared not hope for. It contains many quirks and quibbles, and but few sound ideas; liberal contradictions abound, the radical confession of faith is complete.
We must admit, Mr. Laurier’s speech fully defines the position. It is the expression of the ideas of the liberal party, and we are prepared, to say that the speaker dealt squarely with the subject. He dressed it up, as he had a right to do; he told us an old story, but after all, he showed himself in his true colors.
The gist of the speech is, that the clergy should remain [34] in the sanctuary, and that religion should not form the basis of any party.
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The lecture is a denunciation of ultramontanism and of the authority of the clergy, while being a plea in defence of liberalism.
The orator had a purpose, and he was bent on accomplishing it; he wished to impress upon Protestants that the conservative party is led by men who are subjected to the Pope too much, to respect the British constitution. He really affirmed that we are the enemies of this constitution.
Mr. Laurier, we have long known to hold opinions completely radical. His lecture places him incontestably, at the head of the liberals who are anxious to go ahead. He acknowledged that he believes the time has come to walk fearlessly and with flying banners.
ENDNOTES
1. Anonymous, “Remarks of the Press: Le Canadien,” Lecture on Political Liberalism: Delivered By Wilfrid Laurier, Esq., M.P., on the 26th June, 1877, in the Music Hall, Québec, Under the Auspices of “Le Club Canadien,” By Wilfrid Laurier, (Québec: The Morning Chronicle, 1877), 33–34.
