Vermont Farmer

Our Canadian cousins in Montreal are excited just now over a little difficulty which is likely to become serious. The circumstances are about as follows: There is in Montreal a French literary society, called "The Canadian Institute," whose members insist upon having in their library, and upon their table, such books and periodicals as they choose to read and pay for. As this independent spirit does not please the Roman Catholic authorities, the bishop put the society under the ban, without, however, pronouncing sentence of ex-communication upon its members individually by name.

Some five or six years ago a member named Joseph Guibord, a printer by trade, died, and the curé refused to bury his body in consecrated ground, which, in the eyes of a Roman Catholic, is a very serious matter, equivalent to denying him her burial. His widow went to law about it, and pending the decision of the case she died and was buried in the family lot purchased by her husband in the Roman Catholic cemetery.

The case was carried on by the Institute (his body meanwhile lying in the vaults in the Protestant cemetery), and after passing through the Canadian courts, was carried in appeal to the queen's privy council, the highest court of the British empire. Here the verdict was given in favor of the Institute, commanding the priest and the Roman Catholic authorities in Montreal to bury the body beside that of his widow (in consecrated grounds). This decree was attempted to be carried out last Thursday, but it was prevented by a large mob of French Canadians.

Up to this time the affair was altogether amongst the Catholics: it has now become a national one, and it remains to be seen which is the strongest, the British government or the Roman Catholic church in the Dominion.

The affair is of some general interest as illustrating Mr. Gladstone's recent pamphlets and showing the world that, in the eyes of a Roman Catholic, when the interests of the church come into collision with his allegiance to the state, the latter must go to the wall.

There is no doubt that in this case the queen's decree will be carried out, but, as the mob are being armed and have the tacit approval of the priesthood, the affair may become serious. The British regulars have almost all been taken away from Canada, so the English speaking volunteer militia are being prepared for business.