, 1869-10-04
RELIGION IN POLITICS,


RELIGION IN PoL1T1cs.
The paHisans Of the Ring propose nowto
make an appeal to the religious sentiment
OF the public. They do not advocate thu
election Of their ticket because Of any supa-
dos moral and religions cseeds, habits, and
practice Of their candidates, but they appeal
TO supposed popular prejudice against the
Church Of which hr. Mark Sheridan is y
member. Air. Sheridan is the candidate On
The Gt1ena' ticket for Police Commissioner.
md his opponent is Police Captain Mike
Hickey. It happens that both candidates
are 1rishrnen by birth, and beth are uem-
bers Of the Roman Catholic Church. The
men who war upon Sheridan because Of his
religion embrace Hickey with afectionate
Ardor. The men who protest against the
Papist" Sheridan fall down before the
81 Papisa" Hickey, and implore him to saye
them
OF all tho Weapons employed IN political
warfare, there ia none SO discteditAble as
that which aesai's n candidate because Of
his religion. In the politics of Chicago,
that mode Of warfare has never met with
public approval Men Of all cree5s,-
Christians, Jews, aud infdels,-have been
elected TO office by the votes Of all classes
of people. The candidate On the Ring"
ticket for County Clerk, being Of
the Jewish faith, repudiates Christ
and His religion as fable. He holds office
ly the votes Of the Christian people Of this
city and county, and expects tho saruc peo-
pie to labor for and to re-elect him. No
man or newspaper eve: assailed General
Solomon because of his religion on The con-
trary, there wes no. vote withheld from
him On that account We wonld think it
uninanly to imreach his fitness for
to the religion Of Lis fathers.
The constitution nrl laws OF this State
prohibit any religious test as qualification
for office. There have been Catholics and
Protes;an:s, Jews and ratinna,ista, elected to
ali Offices in this State. Why, then, should
Mr. sl,e1:lan he rc'octcl as the victim, at
tL;s particular election, Of test unknown
to Tie laws or customs of the State?
It is said TINT Mr. Sheridan, Romo months
since, introduced resolutions in The Com
mon Council, declaring the Rev. 3Ir. Hat
field nuisance, md calling upon the Mayor
10 suppress him. The history OF those 1es-
o1n,;t,ru ia too ,necnt IN h, mistaken
~ IN lie ~ anv ars;1 In tho
n;no Dr u,.6c,d had ae,;ra,ad
an seraro, enccess,vo s,ndsv evcn;noa
IN e,aborute review and examination ~ The
doctr;uc3. history. aud tendencies uf tho
Roman Catholic Church, Il u2c1 not be
stated that the conclusions Of the reverend
eentlene,. xurc eninent'y ho,ti1o to thst
Church. These dis.sour--s we:a prh::shed
il full, rud printed in Newspaper sup
nosed to have circulation among R,rnan
Catholics. Mr.. Shelilan, II tAe Board Of
Aldermen, offered his resolutions as bur-
lelque upoa Mr.. uatfpld's effort tv destroy
the C.thollc Church. TIE revolutions, when
inhodrccd, hnd their intended effect; they
provoked 1aus 1T II, were voted to be good
joke, got into the newspapers, and there
ended Even If this wcre question Of
bieotry, as it Is not. 31r. Ha:tield could not
claim much advantage over Mr. Sheridan in
respect of iberality OF views.
1Ir. Sheridan vas not selected as n eau
tiidRte because he WAS a Catholic. He
would have declined anv nomination tcr-
dercd him on that ground, He WIS select
ed lecarsc of his personai fitness. A man
of intellectual ability, a:del by liberal ed-
ucation, he was thought competent to fill
the place of Polica Commissioner. He had
another qualification which commended
him, and which viii commend him to the
reueral pul,lic. He is man Of incorrnpti-
ble integrity. Tie has been at various times
in the Board Of Aldermen Of this CITY, and,
curing all that period, has kept clean hands,
and has not onlr been honest, hut has been
,lvsys aboYe and beyond suspicion.
Now, who is Mr., She,idaa's opouent ?
Contain Hickey is not man of Intellect t,sl
ability. nor a man of education. In both
OF tLe G rcsrcc:s be rates, probably, below
the average Of the patrolmen ho com,nands.
He has lnen ca the police force for many
years. He has no personal qualifications
for the Office. -Four years ego tho mistake
was made Of selecting a PoIico Cant.in to
f3ll the yncancy on the Boarl Of Commits
Fione,s. II is now uropoaed to add another.
and thus pave the way for the third when
The time comes a-ouud, These Commis.
sioucrs control the p,1ice md Fire Den,rt.
ments of the c3tr. Their word il Law. The
sulpr,linates are In: greatness of tbe ,n,n
nboye then. The nrb,;c. who ara t.red
s75n.o a year to sustain these force :.
l,avc a rictt to he ren,esented on the BOARD
of Commissioners Fleet Hickey. and the
Ro,r;l of Commissioners becomcs II c,oaa