Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-01-21
rounfp fnd,fuf,.-K. 0'Braai.
EuU.

ucoossitatcd TO appear "upon the pub
licetaeei" or, iiso, II would be because
Of fair and honest rciulal of my first
appearance. Neither did ! make my
debut Tor the purpose Of immortal
zing myself nor that ! "kuow" my
self "ready aud rapid writer Gan
unjust complimcnt) hut for truths
sake.
After a second reading { would
recommend Blair's Rhetoric to the
Rev. X. OBJ of the gentlcman's
article, my first montion was, silence )
willing that he should again enjoy
what he so vauntingly, and in real
pugiistic style, mot surpassed even
by Heenan and Hyer) assures us he,
on other occasions, enjoyed, viz:
"Taking the belt" Since, however,
he reminds us il he does not take IL in
this case il will be the first time, and
he can still be happy in feeling him
self master of the ring-the verdict
of n peaceabe and intelligent people
to the contrary notwithstanding-ior
what is that to one so skilled in blow
ing his own trumpet But my second
monition said Gust one more tender
stroke, Heenan, that Hyer may
know that you were not utterly de.
molished, totally annihilated." If !
have erred in yielding to this impulse,
ask the public's pardon.
And now, reader, give this champions
article an impartial perusal Pardon
and forget his boastings and attempts
at much learning-divest it of histori-
cal coverings and meaningless quota
tions and flourishes-prune it Of all
/ irrelevant and useless material, and
find, if you can, a single Udid drgu-
ment to the point at issue. Is 1t not
covering and shining over Of plain,
naked facts-forsaiing and disowning
his first, real, true born, and calling it
bastardy What then is his question
before you? Mr. OBJ. states it thus:
ais it according TO United States law
to pray or read Bible in common
schools sorinstitutesp Now, declare
this not to be the question See his
article of November 26th, 1868 In it
he asserts that "the Constitutions Of
the United States and of Pennsylvania,
and the school laws icere dis0beyed by
opening County INSTITUTES "with
devotional exercises" Not a word is
said about Bible or common schools;
and as PRAYER was the only devotional
exercise at the Institute in question, il
could have no reference 10 the Bible +!
The reader will notice, that upon this
new phase given TO the original ques-
tion he rests his entire argument, If
such it may be called. | appeal to
those familiar with the rules govern
ing debates, and ask, is this honorable
propose n question, invite debate,
and then depart from or add to that
proposition as originally offered
10 the original question ! confine
him: "Were the Constitutions Of the
United States and of Pennsylvania,
and the School laws, disobeyed by
opening the County Institute with de-
votional exercises" /. C., with prayeri
And now, reader, put your finger
upon one single sentence, in his last
article. from any otthese laws, proving
the above statement. He promised
you he would prove il. How did be
do itg After good deal Of "fuss and
feathers" he says: "Free will is Gods
Mama Chdnq TO man." That's true.
Then, after aoundering about in deep
waters for while, he re-appears, well
nigh drowned, holding in his hands,
exultingly, that part of the school iair
governing the school-master as 10 The
different branches TO be taught in the
common schools IL was not pro
posed at the Institute that prayer
should be taught there it was only
an opening exercise; and as neither Of
the Constitutions, or the school laws,
forbid the use Of prayer at the opening
Of County Institutes, hence its use,
simply, cannot be either illegal or un. |
constitutional9 But, reader, what
has the schoolmasicr and the branches |
to be taught in the school lsuch as
geography, arithmetic, etc, } TO do
with the question, as it disoDedience /
TO the laws to open your County In |
stitute with prayorW Then in the |
same, or may be IN the very next |
breath, he confesses, "a confession /
cannot account for, unless, feeling the |
truth must come, il was prWRg from |
bis lips, in what he may have taken
as his last BREATH "I can md nothing |
said about any kind Of i00rShip, prayer .
or Bible reading IN the school or inst.
tute" This is most wonderful pro-
cess ofreasoning Is he convert, aud
does he propose in this "brush with
this school man" 20 drive him from the
field by taking the negative himselfg
Has he not himself settled the ques.
ton Z But he, no doubt, intends LIGHT
by what fellows. "To the law and
testimony have summoned you;
they decide in my favor, that the pub.
lie school, or institute, is NEUTRAL
GROUND" Surely, this is a happy
turn, he no doubt fancies; and since Il
is the only approximation TO an argu-
ment, we will notice it.
Discovering his mistake, that there
is nothing in the letter of the law for.
bidding prayer in a County Institute,
and having closed after him every
door to get back, be pleads for the
law, "neutrality" But let us sec,
whether, after all, this helps his cause.
Webster defines "neutral as being
'1ndifierent; having no bias in favor
Of either side or party; not engaged |
on either side; not taking an active
part with either cortonding parties"
IT, then, he "can find nothing in the
letter Of the law, and if the law is in.
different, taking no partin the ques
ton in dispute or with the parties in
contention, by what right or ldg does
X. OBJ bring into this discussion that
neutral, indifferent instrumont-the
law But this he did when he ob.
iected to prayer in the County Insti-
tute, and then appealed to the Tao
to sustain his objection. What is
there to prevent me, since the law is