Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-04-08

e asked ieclinei) comprised the names OF mos
d respected influential, intelIigert.and wealth.
{ citizens The venerable Peter Cooper pre-
p sided and resolutions were adopted, jeclar
ing the right of every child of the state t
e a free un,ectarian education, and protesting
e agains, and calling for the repeal OF the Stat
Law %. 1869, which ;a fact, though not j.
name appropriated nearly a quarter Of q
million Of dollars annually TO a few sectarisr
scho1ls IN New York, as d. unnecessary. not
called for 10y the people, violation of the
American doctrine Of equal liberation 20 all
religious sect- and public support t. none
and calculated to introduce -ec;ariau raie.r
int American politics, and array at the usl-
10. box tine Prote-tants against the Roman
Catholics"
Orthespeechc- made, We ean find room only
for thai Of Mr.. Beecher. which l IS freedom
from sisotry. and firm assertion of American
jea-, i- worthy Of him.
spa.cu OF The REV. HENRY WARD HEcuER.
We are met to discuss momeutous question,
~ % which We are 90 act IS council OF citizens,
e question, moreover. with WulcL ne can deal
and Of which We have "a distinct COM reheusiJu,
az # the remedies which We viii pursue IN the iu-
tu.c /, will he our dIty 20 obtain the abolition
Of tI, section which has been brought 90 oar uo-
tice. aud which has been iolstel into the leg.,a-
zion If this State in a manner neither wise nor
homes. We will see 20 1t hereafter that there
shall be mo- chance either directly or indirectly,
90 10 thai which thi- system intends 20 accom-
tlish. They would seek TO affect the fundsmen-
| taI union OF the American free school system, by
introducing the European notion Of schools and
teaching This section is a fundamental section
+, never vss made question before the people
] .ueyer was passed by the Lc-'si,tr-e 10 con-
/ sequence Of discussion.
did not come tonight to sag "a s.Hs.s word
sraius. the foreign population, iar just as Don
/ is tlev are American citizens the cease 90 be-
| foreign citizens. and with general and frtternai
/ feeling we say that they should hpye exactly the
/ same chance and the same liberties Is We have
and ea say further than that Id ' shall M have
che single one more. App,suse-l ,.or am
here TO speak Of she prcldlces of one sect E-le
than another. for hold that the Roma. Cath be-
lie De is one Of the most ,e-e able and re-
spectacle. has just the same ricl, and privileges
IN our country as any rrste- gut and vs. are
not disposed 20 be a burden upon them, OF 20 ir- /
accur,ta or impose disability ol thei4 thatSyc T.
wool uo- DO 20 cur own Church
, ssv ilr one that If this monstrous act hsi /.
been ierpetrqtel by the denomination TO which /
heloar. would have been tenfold more vehe- /
raeut "a ,lin,t them than | am against the Catho- /
Hc-
hold that there are some Things no longer -n
be debated. lui among them this that in Amer
lea imrricsu ideas are topreyal. hecr-l
DO not say this as q catchW0rl 10 get YOUR APP
plsuse. hut ! mean that what are called Ameri-
can 3ess form philosophical basis Of a very
definite aui Of 4 very distinct .ies Of government
aui policy. 10 not speak disresp-ctiully Of
Euro-ean ideas There there is a consolidation
Of government. and the American idea is dis
tributon of government. The purpose Of the
Fu-areln system Of government Is e. include as
msu, functions As possible in each organ, but
tie American ilea IL 10 distribute and include
under many organs Their idea Wa cen-raizi-
ton OF government over the many departments
Of the State: but the Anerican idea II that the
central Government should have the least posi-
ble power, and t'f,t tine functions which per-
formed by q c,atral Government should in ]
America be performed by several tribunals. In
Europe the Catholic Church is included, but We
have separated them here Ia Europe the Church c
holds certain relations 10 the Government, but I
=
nothing 20 do with civil aiiairs. L. the {
Church take care Of religion and let the State
axe care of the civil considerations We have =
this free policy, and We propose, as
nc have adopted this cur basis, TO hold It L
nov We sly the Legislature snail have .
the making Of the law, and when it becomes &
l doubt have Judiciary TO sit y
Ia Judgment upon it, snd then quitting that D
sc have the Executive The moment you at a
empt TO unite religion and education you 20
pack on the American iiea-yJu have undertsk-
N 90 make the school house do that which may f.
,e done only 10y three separate institutions, viz, =,
he family. the church, and the State. We say "
hat 10 one. no power, has the right to usurp C
his function which is the business Of the family 90
ni the community, and the church. 81
Now there Is one thing that we have a right NJ
$ Americans to say that we viii not Z
c dictated to. [Applause As a country Of a
,aruinc We defer TO Oxford snd Cambridge / Il
have something else to DO in this country d,
lan study hooks We have a country TO explore Ct
al till. and W. are not far advanced in schol-
-shp, and on many other points We asknowl- p
ice their superiority, but on questions ofh0o-ty Is
M progress We are about good as they We u-
i'll tell them that We understand and kuow a.
ZEN better thsu they. Applause. We 10
81 object when emigrauts come here, nov TO IA
eir ant:quated notions in respect to cloth III
2, good ideas, and their drinks, provided they fl,
ink for themselves and not for us 70 drink
oug with them Laughter But when 'i
ey come, bringing notion Of civil policy, we hs
y to them, Now you come upon ground that ril
E know better than you do. Show u any
od results achieved by any competent Govern
ent, and then we will take hold, but We DO pH
csc things better than they do in Europe m.
lrrr,f In IS l5az fhn - s.F
lternity and we do not propose to 20 back on
; We propose to stand by our schools that We p
We and We propose TO guard against every Of
Bger and the danger Of the prlestly hand. lin
treat cheering =,
| have nothing TO say against tnat great Re
ala sect which is interested in this change Of Co.
Icy DO them the credit . say that in psj.- res
and otherwise they have made public their -ir
enticas In the Pope's syllabus from Rome =,
was announced that all schools under the care ZIG
the state and secular ipqenoes wee to be att
approved and denounced. They say that an,
" believe that their policy is q. just one Bu
d that they will fight for it We are to meet Re-
I'm and defeat them in the ares Of public acc
cussiou, and in regard to the merits Of sgs
is discussion experience has shown Us wit
It where schools are conducted on sectarian ou,
iroipies they are not profitable None of the lin
sshief has appeared thst vas predicted by the
my when the free school system was inauSu- ora
tel. How noble and inspiring it is to see the snC
.te educating its children to become good and Tn,
Dper citizens. In Europe the people receive ha,
.ir education through the Government but car
re the people reserve education through them fro
YES, through its own citizens. They elect the wei
iy which establishes the schools, and they are the
9ject unto them, and they receive education bel
-ouch them. | say that a child is to be edu- the
ed in the most perfect manner in the kuowl- ]
re Of himself and his duties to men but wei
We the child's religion to the Church, to the nov
rents. Ia the American idea Of the subiiyi- knc
n Of functions you are to take the child n re- grs
ion not to the school house but to the Sunday ret
iool, where religious education is to be taught evil
: religious and secular education is 10 be at the
ded 70, but there the various subdivisions did
accomplish it. \ school house should he n hal
raj and intellectual traning-school. | an as
sfrsid Of matching our children against any MO
Ter nation OF the face Of the earth, educated An,
der distinctively American idea and are We it n
change it, We do not object to children be- star
educated in religious and sectsrisn knowl-
&c, but we do object to It's being carried on
the school house we do not object TO their off,
ng educated by the priests, but we say that Sta
Isl be done at home. 1t is not question Of
school, it is question Of sectsrian bias | leAi
pc that The time will never come when the Pos
ierican people shall have to meet together to SON
nplain Of the Free School system having been
npered with, thus vitisting the sacred fouu-
u of knowledge for our beloved children. Bar
rest sppause.l Rog