Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1841-09-25
COMMUNICATIONS
1 or the Palladium
I Toe alI1FIs
THE BIBLE IN COMMON SCHOOLS, sc.

THE BIBLE IN COMMON SCHOOLS, sc.
Il IS not my Intention to reply 10 the writer Of
an article N last weeks paper over the Signature
Of w NJ. b., for although he has SAID great
deal do no, zee that he has said any thing ]"
relation 10 tho arguments which have been hfcH
ced on the opposoe sido against The introduction
of The Bible into common schools. ihere are,
h1weverin that article three sentences containing
a claim of SO novel character IS perhaps 10
make them worthy of considerations The SEN
fences are these:
SIN my humble opinion, this address should
have been published IN Your Palladium, before
the structures Of Richmond were admitted INTO
your columns. This should have been done in
Justice To the author Of the address, nd also that
YOUR readers mipl,t have known the sentiments
no ma,niained in reference to The use Of the b.
bic in Common Schools; md his arguments, ~
an ungarbIed form, By which he supported ms
POSITION"
sAs 1t is a: present. the great ma lorIty ot your
readers are IN entire ignorance OF the arguments,
by which Mr. Claybauph go clearly and ioiei"ly
illustrated and established the Important Postioh
which no undertook"
The reader of the Palladium ought TO know
tha /, the address alluded TO, was printed, publish
cd and read before the Structures were written.
The advertisement, announcing the publication
in this paper; and if any who felt inieres,
enough in the subject of Tho structures, had not
seen or heard Of the address, he had been notified
in the game paper in which the structures appear
Cd where he could procure q copy Of it. Ii would
30 strange indeed, every address, essay, pamPh-
Leland book must be republishe in a wspaper be-
fore anirnadversions upon them could be admitted
For nv part; SEQ nothing IN tho laws Of justice
requiring such on the part OF the Pai!adi-
um; on the contrary, conceive TINT what has
been done by lis editor, IS perfectly consistent
with usage, reason and every sentiment Of right.
As well nigh. complain. that the address had
been published and circulated before had prepa-
red my structures What right had the addresser
to appear before the public in pamphlet form,
withou, my structures his essay2 Why should
ho "forcstali' The minds of bis readers with his
''faIse views and dangerous prejUdiccs" Did
not "iustice to the author Of the" structures re-
quirc that he should wait till got my remarks
ready TO be published with his addte SIS, tba, the
"roadcrs nigh, have known tho sentiments I
maia,ainod in reference to tho Bible in common
schools, and the arguments by which supporte
my positionF' otherwise tho 'groai majority OF
readers would DO in on,iro ignorance Of the ar
guments by winch iIlus'rni ed add established the
important position which undertook
Again, the claim is unreasonable. because the
same channel Of communication is opeu 10 arrive
at the same readers, wish rcfutation Of the
structures, if they not based upon tenabe
ground
There is an expression in tho long quotation
have modo from w NJ. b., upon which will al
so say word. He observes that the render ought
to have had the arguments Of J. Claybaugh in an
"ungarbled form" Now 1t is obvious that if the
reader wanted the arguments" there was no.
thing TO forbid hs getting them But that he
may rot be misled by tho term "ungnrbled" ii
will be necessary 10 recollect that garble is to
select or pick out. 1t is practice among drug
gsis TO garble their medicines. that is, to sepa-
rate the good from the bad. In this sense, which .
is tho only sense. have CARRIED the ''argu-
menis;" for l read tho address with care, and
selected the strongest and best 'argGments' !
could find. If there are any left which would be
likely to operate 20 the speakers advantage,
am sin entire ignorance" of them; and should be
pleas cd to them broaght to light
The editor Of the Hamilton Intelligoncer. SAYS
that tho opinion which entertain respecting he
Bible in common schools, Is ..rapidiy gaining
ground" An able writer, in the Biblical RePos-
itory and Princeton Review struggles hard against
The current of cony ction, which he conccivcs Is
setting tho wrong way. And elsewhere also,
deep IS expressed nj the progress OF this
opinion, or the increase 81 opposition 10 the use
of the scriptures in district schools. Bu, why
this solic,ude. The Book is not annihiIated; nor
is any mans life at stake for reading il. And
from the common school j, is excluded. cheflv
because those interested, canno; agree how shall
be used. Is it possible tina, the sagest OF
New England would main ain this opinion, and
SO successfully oppose the attempt to introduce
any thing into the common school. which might
&C, us brand among its patrons, ifreiterated
experience had not taught them the correctness
of this opinion; and the necessity of such oppo-