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Tellier rejoiced in the slaughter of Saint Bartholomew； and Te
Deums were offered in the churches for the extinction of
Protestantism by any means。 If it could be shown to be expedient；
the Jesuits excused the most outrageous crimes ever perpetrated on
this earth。
Again； the Jesuits are accused of riveting fetters on the human
mind in order to uphold their power； and to sustain the absolutism
of the popes and the absolutism of kings； to which they were
equally devoted。 They taught in their schools the doctrine of
passive obedience； they aimed to subdue the will by rigid
discipline； they were hostile to bold and free inquiries； they were
afraid of science； they hated such men as Galileo； Pascal； and
Bacon； they detested the philosophers who prepared the way for the
French Revolution； they abominated the Protestant idea of private
judgment； they opposed the progress of human thought； and were
enemies alike of the Jansenist movement in the seventeenth century
and of the French Revolution in the eighteenth。 They upheld the
absolutism of Louis XIV。； and combated the English Revolution； they
sent their spies and agents to England to undermine the throne of
Elizabeth and build up the throne of Charles I。 Every emancipating
idea； in politics and in religion； they detested。 There were many
things in their system of education to be commended； they were good
classical scholars； and taught Greek and Latin admirably； they
cultivated the memory； they made study pleasing； but they did not
develop genius。 The order never produced a great philosopher； the
energies of its members were concentrated in imposing a despotic
yoke。
The Jesuits are accused further of political intrigues： this is a
common and notorious charge。 They sought to control the cabinets
of Europe； they had their spies in every country。 The intrigues of
Campion and Parsons in England aimed at the restoration of Catholic
monarchs。 Mary of Scotland was a tool in their hands； and so was
Madame de Maintenon in France。 La Chaise and Le Tellier were mere
politicians。 The Jesuits became political priests； the history of
Europe the last three hundred years is full of their cabals。 Their
political influence was directed to the persecution of Protestants
as well as infidels。 They are accused of securing the revocation
of the Edict of Nantes；one of the greatest crimes in the history
of modern times； which led to the expulsion of four hundred
thousand Protestants from France； and the execution of four hundred
thousand more。 They incited the dragonnades of Louis XIV。； who was
under their influence。 They are accused of the assassination of
kings； of the fires of Smithfield； of the Gunpowder Plot； of the
cruelties inflicted by Alva； of the Thirty Years' War； of the
ferocities of the Guises； of inquisitions and massacres； of sundry
other political crimes； with what justice I do not know； but
certain it is they became objects of fear； and incurred the
hostilities of Catholic Europe； especially of all liberal thinkers；
and their downfall was demanded by the very courts of Europe。 Why
did they lose their popularity？ Why were they so distrusted and
hated？ The fact that they WERE hated is most undoubted； and there
must have been cause for it。 It is a fact that at one time they
were respected and honored； and deserved to be so： must there not
have been grave reasons for the universal change in public opinion
respecting them。 The charges against them； to which I have
alluded； must have had foundation。 They did not become idle；
gluttonous； ignorant； and sensual like the old monks： they became
greedy of power； and in order to retain it resorted to intrigues；
conspiracies； and persecutions。 They corrupted philosophy and
morality； abused the confessional； privilege； adopted SUCCESS as
their watchword； without regard to the means； they are charged with
becoming worldly； ambitious； mercenary； unscrupulous； cruel； above
all； they sought to bind the minds of men with a despotic yoke； and
waged war against all liberalizing influences。 They always were；
from first to last； narrow； pedantic； one…sided； legal； technical；
pharisaical。 The best thing about them； in the days of their
declining power； was that they always opposed infidel sentiments。
They hated Voltaire and Rousseau and the Encyclopedists as much as
they did Luther and Calvin。 They detested the principles of the
French Revolution； partly because those principles were godless；
partly because they were emancipating。
Of course； in such an infidel and revolutionary age as that of
Louis XV。； when Voltaire was the oracle of Europe；when from his
chateau near Geneva he controlled the mind of Europe； as Calvin did
two centuries earlier；enemies would rise up； on all sides；
against the Jesuits。 Their most powerful and bitter foe was a
woman；the mistress of Louis XV。； the infamous Madame de
Pompadour。 She hated the Jesuits as Catharine de Medici hated the
Calvinists in the time of Charles IX。；not because they were
friends of absolutism； not because they wrote casuistic books； not
because they opposed liberal principles； not because they were
spies and agents of Rome； not because they perverted education； not
because they were boastful and mercenary missionaries or cunning
intriguers in the courts of princes； not because they had marked
their course through Europe in a trail of blood； but because they
were hostile to her ascendency；a woman who exercised about the
same influence in France as Jezebel did at the court of Ahab。 I
respect the Jesuits for the stand they took against this woman： it
is the best thing in their history。 But here they did not show
their usual worldly wisdom； and they failed。 They were judicially
blinded。 The instrument of their humiliation was a wicked woman。
So strange are the ways of Providence！ He chose Esther to save the
Jewish nation； and a harlot to punish the Jesuits。 She availed
herself of their mistakes。
It seems that the Superior of the Jesuits at Martinique failed； for
the Jesuits embarked in commercial speculations while officiating
as missionaries。 The angry creditors of La Valette； the Jesuit
banker； demanded repayment from the Order。 They refused to pay his
debts。 The case was carried to the courts； and the highest
tribunal decided against them。 That was not the worst。 In the
course of the legal proceedings； the mysterious 〃rule〃 of the
Jesuitsthat which was so carefully concealed from the publicwas
demanded。 Then all was revealed；all that Pascal had accused them
of；and the whole nation was indignant。 A great storm was raised。
The Parliament of Paris decreed the constitution of the Society to
be fatal to all government。 The King wished to save them； for he
knew that they were the best supporters of the throne of
absolutism。 But he could not resist the pressure；the torrent of
public opinion； the entreaties of his mistress； the arguments of
his ministers。 He was compelled to demand from the Pope the
abrogation of their charter。 Other monarchs did the same； all the
Bourbon courts in Europe； for the king of Portugal narrowly escaped
assassination from a fanatical Jesuit。 Had the Jesuits consented
to a reform； they might not have fallen。 But they would make no
concessions。 Said Ricci； their General； Sint ut sunt； aut non
sint。 The PopeClement XIV。was obliged to part with his best
soldiers。 Europe； Catholic Europe； demanded the sacrifice；the
kings of Spain； of France； of Naples； of Portugal。 Compulsus feci；
compulsus feci； exclaimed the broken…hearted Pope；the feeble and
pious Ganganelli。 So that in 1773； by a papal decree； the Order
was suppressed； 669 colleges were closed； 223 missions were
abandoned； and more than 22；000 members were dispersed。 I do not
know what became of their property； which amounted to about two
hundred millions of dollars； in the various countries of Europe。
This seems to me to have been a clear case of religious
persecution； incited by jealous governments and the infidel or the
progressive spirit of the age； on the eve of the French Revolution。
It simply marks the hostilities which； for various reasons； they
had called out。 I am inclined to think that their faults were
greatly exaggerated； but it is certain that so severe and high…
handed a measure would not have been taken by the Pope had it not
seemed to him necessary to preserve the peace of the Church。 Had
they been innocent； the Pope would have lost his throne sooner than
commit so great a wrong on his most zealous servants。 It is
impossible for a Protestant to tell how far they were guilty of the
charges preferred against them。 I do not believe that their lives；
as a general thing； were a scandal sufficient to justify so
sweeping a measure； but their institution； their regime； their
organization； their constitution； were deemed hostile to liberty
and the progress of society。