Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-04-01
ass -...s NgMBERll.

4. L udt Iue TRIUMPH VI SeCttt iilH-
ism over the Bible inevitably results
in the distraction of the scho OILS.
In the discussion of these prposi
tons I shall very briefly give tho
history of this matter in the public
schools of Cincinnati, and show the
real situation of the. school ques-
ton in this country. 1t is not a
question for Cincinnati only, but for
the whole country. = 1t .is,. reduced
to its simple form, a question wheth-
er tho Roman Catholic hierarchy
(for thousands of private Catholics
prefer tue, public schools as they
are J, whose church does not number
over one eight part of this nation,
shall govern American institutions,
as they have attempted to govern
Europe. When Europe has aban-
doned Roman ideas, shall we, adopt
t em,in 5Amc crica? w h IL
Y on Bues t t b e A Il S tr n
Ministers, defies the Pontiff,, shall we
bow down to him? There are others
than Romanists engaged in this busi-
ness. but they are of small account. In
the agitation of the waters the bubbles
come to the surface, and it is so with
some of the agitators not Romanists.
They want to Shine, and they Shine like
bubbles frothy and unsubstantial. 4
l. The first proposition is: The intro.
duction of this question: diuides the public
schools, and ,ceakens their influence. lei,
The proposition certainly needs no
proof, for it is self-evident. For forty
" vfA.lrS hos h 1tr
and harmoniously. No sect, no party
opposed them till the Roman Catholic
Hierarchy began agitation,to get d por-
tion OF the school money. Some twenty
years ago (more or less) the Romanists
set UP separate schools; on the express
ground that religion must be taught;
that the only religion which could be
taught was RomaniSm, and that, as q
necessary consequence, they must have
a portion Of the public money to sup
port their own schools. The columns
of the Telegraph will show this was
| their position. --sss So
About the same time. animated by
some imprudent leaders, they brought
the matter into the elections q forgo
I for what Officers) ana most signally
failed; for the liberal and intelligent
Catholics would dot support such ;
barefaced attempt to make sectarial
schools at the public expense. Thi
was the only open attempt at sectari-
anism and Il division of the schools fol
many years. The public mind rebuket
i it. and if it were not for the weak ant
ftimid conduct of few Protestants, thu
rebuke now would be equally signifi
cant. 1t it be not, the few Protestant,
who are willing to make the schools
I.'Godless,'' as the Romanists say they
fh,r hny f,p ~
lagitation and controversy; for the
] American mind, once excited on Il grea
public topic, will not let it go till tho
j lquestion is settled rightly and decisive
i Iy. But we shall not consider that now
4 Time went on, and more than thirty
years elapsed in which it is not showl
that a single petition was presented tt
the School Board in objection to the
; Bible! There were tens Of thousand
of pareuts-Jews and Gentiles. Catho
lie and Protestant-sending their child
!. rem to the public schools. and they die
not dream OF think the Bible was doing
Etheir children mischief. They sent NJ
petitions to the contrary. They made
no complaint that consciences Were
wounded. On the contrary. they were
glad to have their children educated il
that manner s-r.-r ----t .. r.- .-
During that time the Catholic hier
archy became alarmed lest the chill
dren should fall under the infuenc,
Of free institutions, and really be
i lieved they had a right to their OWL
consciences. The alarm, regaldet
from a Roman point Of view, wa
Just but were a thousand Protes
tant children to be deprived of th'
Bible in schools because the Roman
hierarchy was afraid Of it? Do yo'
call that the spirit of tolerance
! Does American tolerance mean, tina
you shall fall over backward in orde
to stand up straight?i That is no
the meaning of the word by an,
means. When r. these gentlemen
bring a foreign religion into thi
country, American federation say
to them, You shall worship how
when aud where you please. N
. mortal man shall call you in ques
) ton. But will youpturn upon thi
noble,A and in the whole earth un
precedented genius of tolerance
!, and say you shall not have you
Bible in the schools ? Rome forbid
it. To assume that ground, wheth
er it be by a foreign priesthood Q
an American demagogue, is to as
sumo at once the ground Of division
; Of contro versyy,s OF perpetual coz
hlct. l5rasA sat as7et.-j i--.lsz. assy,
Years, we say, passed on. III
priests set up their own school:
and began to complain Of the Bible
i No petitions from tue people cam
up to the board; but the board pal
proper attention to the complaint
: made through the Telegraph an
: private Il advices. What was th
t matter ? The first complaints We
q made of the Protestant version
> king James versions" as the
9 called it. Very well. Protestant
! are not very particular about We
e sions. There is enough in any We
sion of. the Billie to satisfy ar
Christian if he is willing to be on
: : The board was willing to let Il
v Douay version be read in az
i school, OF by any children, whe,
81 the parents desired it, Was th
u satisfaeto1y Not 4 bit of
G Many persons in the. communi
" really think that wicked Protestan
:. were trying to force king Jane
! version'' down their throats! Not
+ ing buta real and absolute toler
4, ton was attempted by the boa
'r while it was controlled BY gent
: men of intellect and educalio
$ Recently the Telegraph and t
IL Freelnan's Journal let us know pl
.- ciselv what the point is, aud '