The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-07-29
WHOLE NO. 1853.
The Enquirer and the PnbIfc
Schools.

! SsEaOOASs
! The Cincinnati Enquirer makes the
following charges against the Gazette
The Gazette, in sly and uncandid
manner, is doing its best to make a
religions test in the coming election.
I 1t proceeds TO specify that we are
trying to bring Gen Rosecrans' religion
into the canvass We are trying to do
nothing Of the sort. If There were any
tendency in the Republican party to
appeal to opposition to the Roman
Catholic religion to oppose the election
OF Rosecrans, VIC should resist il. We
are confident that the principle of re-
llgious liberty and equality is SO strong
IN the Republican party that any effort
to organize opposition to the election
Of public officer on account of his re.
hgion, would excite a reaction. But
the Enquirer cannot evade the real is-
sue in this manner. The official organ
OF the Roman Catholic Church in Ohio
has declared the hostility Of that church
to the Ohio public School system, and
the determination of that church to
break it down. 1t can carry out its
purpose TO destroy the common schools
only by the use Of political means. It's
declaration, therefore, means that it
wiil use the power it holds over the
conscieHees and the salvation ofits sub
jects, to make them vote for legislators
who viii destroy the common schools.
1t therefore becomes necessary for all
who desire topreserye the public school
system 10 join in its preservation, and
to see that its enemies are not placed
in political power.
The common schools have not been
regarded as party question. They
are an institution of government, and
are therefore to that extent a political
institution; but they are political only
in the sense that our benevolent insti-
tutions are. Both political parties
have co-operated in building up the
common schools, upon the theory that
inasmuuch as a Democratic form of
government depends upon the intelli-
gence of the masses, therefore public
provision ought to be made, whereby
all may acquire the means of gaining
intelligence We are not aware that
either party has changed in this respect,
nor that regards the public school
system as having failed of this expec-
tation. Therefore we have reason to
suppose that both parties will unite to
preserve the public schools against this
proDunciamento Of a Roman Catholic
Archbishop. To this end they must
see that no enemy to common schools
must be put in political position which
will give him power to carry out this
purpose
This is not to make a religious test
in the election. If there be any relig-
ious test in the matter the friends of
common schools do not make it. The
schools have no religion. The church
which declares war upon the common
schools because they do not teach its
religion. introduces a religious test. So
the State has no religion, and they who
would keep it so do not introduce any
religious test. But if church were to
declare its hostility to the State because
it had no religion, and to avow its de-
termination to change the Government
so that the Roman Catholic religion
shall be the religion of the State, it
would introduce a religious test 1t
could not make the charge against
those who resisted this, and who de-
sired to keep the State separate from
the church. Neither can the Enquirer
truly charge the Gazette with introdu-
cling religious tests into our elections,
because we resist the publicly declared
purpose of the Roman Catholic Church.
to destroy our public school system ut
terly, or to sectarianize it.
The Enquirer and its party
must show their hands on the
school question. They cannot
dodge the issue by declaring
that religion and the public schools
are not political matters. The Roman
Catholic Church has made the public
schools religious and political ques-
ton. She has decreed their destruC-
ton, The Enquirer is aware
of the power which that
church holds over the con-.
sciences of its subjects. Is it for pre-
serving the public schools7 And to-
that end is it opposed to putting the
subjects of that church into political po-
sitions where they can carry out this
declared destruction? Or is it in favor
of abolishing or sectarianizing the pub
lie schools, and to that end Of putting
into political positions the subjects OF q
church which has declared her deter
mination to destroy them7
We do not assume that the public
school system of Ohio is perfect. We
leave an allowance for the reform of
that. But what we demand is wheth-
er the Enquirer is in favor of preserv-
ing it as a public school system, or
whether it is for permitting the Roman
Catholic Church to carry out its pur-
poso of destroying the public systemi
We think it necessary that the En-
quirer should declare itself on this head.
Cincinnati Gazette.