Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-01-06
FLOR the Mineral Point Tribune
State CharitieS---SeeOnd Discourse.

timated that there was something wrong,
some violation of first principles, in the
dispensation of our State appropriations
to charitable and benevolent institutions
This intirhation we now propose to bring
out and make patent to all; and. further,
we will enlarge the field of view, and en-
deavor to show, that the objection, spe-
cially pointed out in connection with the
Milwaukee institutions holds good if it
is not made more offensive, in the admin
istration of all our State institutions.
As this argument has to do with mat
tiers over which prejudice, bisotry and
prescription have almost universal do
minion, we shall ask our readers to lay
aside, for the time, everything which may
tend to impair the fairness of their in
quiry, or the business of their final judg-
ment If we succeed in diYesting our
selves of our contracted skin of preju-
dice, on ordinary occasions, we shall do
well; but, in this case, it is very diff
cult matter, indeed, to do So The Old
Puritans, driIen to extremities, and even
out of the land of their birth, by intoler>
ance ON founding a new land became more
intolerant than their prosecutors. They
They drove out ROGER WILLIAMS; and
they cropped and hanged Quakers-those
modern eXemplifcators of the virtue and
simplicity of Christ All men, at all
times have allowed themselves to be come
over by mania of prejudice, when they
have had to do with religious doemas.-
Each sectary fatters himself that his
views are just right, and that damnation
awaits all opposing sectaries. The bare
possibility of any sectary being wrong in
his views, or inconsistent in his applica-
ton of them, does not occur to him
Hence, simple, modest, moral Truth, jos
tied and beleaguered on all sides, makes
small Roadway in this world Of ours
But, to the argument:
First: The basis of our government,
both state and national, is purely polite
al The organic laws assert and enforce
political equality, and provide the mas
chinery of republican government, and
there they end. They look with equal
and the suit-the two extremists, al
50, upon the units of the almost infinite
series of intervening means. All, Of
whatever faith or lack of faith, or of what
ever sentiment not actively hostile to the
| central idea Of democracy and just gov
eminent, are regarded with equal favor.
| The Jew has equal rights with the Gent
| lie; and one may not be taxed to sup~
port the dOgmas of the other; neither
! may the man, who believes in nothing
sacred but denies all, be taxed to the val
| ne of farthing, tor aid or abet, in any
way, in the propagation of doctrines re-
gardcd by others as sacred, or profane.
We may elect to our highest Offices,
Idolaters, Atheists, Mormons, Jumpers or
Hard shell Baptists, without doing vio>
lence TO our theory of government And
we maintain, that, if any one in authori-
| ty should, in his zeal as a propagandist.
wander away from his line of duty to
put up Christ or down anti>Christ, or
rice cerse, he would be guilty Of Il
grave misdemeanor, meriting dismissal,
if not severe punishment
This view of the case is entirely hides
| pendent Of any sentiment, or even the
expressed Will of the majority; indeed, it
is a matter over which the people cannot
exercise authority. The rights and opin
| ions of but one, in all matters of con~
| science, are as sacred, and weigh as
/ much. as those of all the res OF commu-
| nifty combined against him Were there
not that one, but were al unanimous,
that unanimous people would have no
right to hamper and tie up the interests
courts would be compelled to decide i;
and so the legislature in framing its laws
would be governed.
We Will now bring the foregoing gem
/ eral principles to bear upon the matter
/ Of our State charities, which have furn~
I ished the text of our discourse OF the
seven institutions, visited in Milwaukee,
| four are Catholic, one protestant, and two
not labeled as either, but certainly car
ried on with much religious ceremony.
! All of them, then, are seeking TO build
! up and propagate religious dogmas; and
/ some of them. acting upon the example
/ of the Jesuits, are taking advantage OF
/ family misfortunes to mould and stamp
the minds Of poor orphan children with
doctrines that shall remain through life.
! Monies given, or other gifts bestowed, to
either of these institutions, all 90, not
/ alone to the charitable objects for which
they were nominally created, but meas-
urablv to give aid and comfor to reii-
/ nious devotees and to the most question:
/ able propa gandism. In The case of the
! st Mary's Institute, the published ac-
count shows 1t to be simply q RERHeTy,
under new and mere attractive name.
/ 1t contains 80 sisters 90 novices, 50 poStu-
tants, and $50 boarding pupils, We a
know what connection the sisters, the
movies" and the" boarding pupils have
to it; and we conjecture that the ''postu-
tants" are some idle and very devout Ia
& IF