fricheur_, had come under the ban of Bishop Lafleche of Three Rivers,
in whose diocese the little village lay. Subscribers refused to take
their copies from the postmaster, or quietly called at the office to
announce that, in spite of their personal sympathy, they were too much
afraid of the cures--or of their own wives--to continue their
subscriptions. The editor warmly protested against the arbitrary
action, which threatened at once to throttle his freedom of speech and
to wipe out his saved and borrowed capital. But the forces arrayed
against him were too strong, and some six months after the first number
under his management appeared, _Le Defricheur_ went the way of many
other Liberal journals in Quebec. It was not likely that Mr Laurier's
growing law practice would have long permitted him to edit the paper,
but at the moment the blow was none the less felt.

[1] 'Is it not permissible,' Mr Dessaules asked, 'when Protestants and
Catholics are placed side by side in a country, in a city, for them to
join in the pursuit of knowledge? ... What is toleration? It is
reciprocal indulgence, sympathy, Christian charity.... It is
fraternity, the spirit, of religion well understood.... It is at
bottom humility, the idea that others are not worthless, that others
are as good as ourselves.... Intolerance is pride; it is the idea that
we are better than others; it is egotism, the idea that we owe others
nothing.'

{32}

CHAPTER III

FIRST YEARS IN PARLIAMENT

In the Provincial Legislature--In federal politics--The Mackenzie
government--The Riel question--Protection or free trade--The Catholic
programme--Catholic liberalism--The clergy in politics--Political
liberalism--In the administration

Less than five years had passed after Wilfrid Laurier came to
Arthabaskaville, a boyish, unknown lawyer-editor, when he was chosen by
an overwhelming majority as member for Drummond-Arthabaska in the
provincial legislature. His firmly based Liberalism, his power as a
speaker, his widespread popularity, had very early marked him out as
the logical candidate of his party. On many grounds he was prepared to
listen to the urging of his friends. His interest in politics was only
second, if second it was, to his interest in his profession. The
ambition to hold a place in parliament was one which appealed to
practically every able young lawyer of his time in Quebec, and, thanks
to the short sessions of the provincia