The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1871-06-22
INTOLERANCE.


with 50 much fervor and even here il
America, where the people enjoy mor
freedom than in any other country II
the world. the citizen in his individual re
lations with his fellow man exhibits toe
often the spirit of intolerance which in
the time of dominant despotism made
might right and compelled dissent tC
act the hypocrite and whisper its objec.
tons in secret. This spirit, we regret &c
say, is as clearly defined in the body OF
the christian denominations as else.
where in America and, if it were not
modified by the checks and balances of
greatly diversified opinions, would Gre
ate new massacres of Bartholomew and
buruiugs and hangings for opinion 5
sake.
Take, for instance, the case Of the
late Mr.. Nallandigham, who was the
son of a presbyterian minister, and,
until intolerance drove him from the
church steadfast member Of that sect
of christians. After the late
war broke out the congrega-
ton in which he was a
worshipper took the loyal shoot and he
and his family were driven from it by
the intolerance and prescription Of his
fellow christians, who had not learned
how few have that political opinion
should be as free as the wind. Men
with whom he had bowed at the altar
of God, whose mercy endureth forev-
.er'-who is the author of freedom and
the creator of mind that should not be
fettered-cursel him; and women,
with whom he had broken the bread Of
the sacrament, Kissed and would have
hung him with as much malicious pleas
ure as was felt by the Jews when they
consummated the great crime of his
tory. And even while they thus en-
tertained impulses that the devil, even
if he is as black as he is painted, should
be ashamed to allow place in his
time -immemorial- hardened heart, they
plumed themselves on the sanctity of
their lives. Most of them believed
that through death they would pass TO
psalm.singing Immortality and indolent
loadng about the corners of the new
city, while Nallandigham, because he
did not beliye what they be-
lieyed and ,coUld quote the reasonable
words which the angels sang on MEM
orable occasion about peace on earth
and good will to men, would inevita-
bly, jump from life into the profoundest
depths Of the bottomless pit, where he
would roast for ever and ever, crashing
his teeth and cursing the stubborness
that compelled him to refuse to become
republican and cry for blood and a
whole forest of sour apple trees on
which to hang the people of the south.
OF course, the grand defect Of intol.
erance, which has yet SO strong Il hold
upon the public mind, is not the ''s"'
of christian civilization, but exists in
spite of its. We are almost compelled
to believe, part Of the character Of man
that can neither be washed away nor
covered up. lniidels in power are in
tolerant. destructive and ood-thirsty
They cut off the heads Of men who be-
licye in Christ. proIanc the sacred iane'
of the christian religion and brandisl
the dagger Of the assassin in one hand
while they hold aloft in the other The
torch Of the inccndiary, They worship
the Goddess of Reason in the per
son Of hawd, aud peryert com
munism into slaughter. In truth
tolerance is plant of slow growth. |
finds to day lis most perfect develop
mcnt in the teachings Of the Democrat
party of America. Free specch-fre
prcss-frec opinion are-hibboleths q
the democracy, aud have found in tn
ranks of the organization their mo,
valiant champions Democrats teac'
the policy Of the catholicity Of fire
opinion-that the right to entertai
, any opinion is inherent ia all men,
general--uniyersal, and that all mel
without fear and in perfect safet,
&c should have the right to give EXPIRE
y sion to their opinions, When this dot
10 trine shall have been accepted, by Il
in men in fact as well a. theory, the da,
&c of that intolerance which now teach
IL that the advocates OF any doctrine ha'
les the right if they have the power
lat put down, ostraci,c and crush out Il
aus advocate. Of any other doctriue-reli
III lOu~. DOlltipnl Ar ,,,r.l ,,;ll l,,,. L.,