Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-13
CHURCH AND STATE.

Ono OF the latest efforts of certain
leaders of the Radical party is to control
an important election through the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church. 1t appears that
copies of a Autograph circular letter,
signed by Rev. DR.. ]. P. Newman, of
the Metropolitan Methodist Church, in
Washington, have been sent to leading
Methodists in Iowa, urging them to in
terest themselves in securing a Legislature
that will re-elect Mr.. Harlan to the SEN
a,e of the United States, on the ground
that the Senator ''is regular in his attend
auce On church" and that che stands
| high with the administration and has in
flaerce with the President" 1t is grati-
flying TO find that this attempt 10 use the
Methodist Church as political machine,
as between Radicals at least is strongly
condemned. The st. Louis Democrat
| (Radica) declares that ''this is not the
proper course 20 be pursued in
the canvass" and says: 'tDF. Newman,
as q citizen, has right to speak on this
question, though we judge that the Iowa
Radicals are wholly competent for their
political duties, without any of his inter
ference. But an appeal to the Metho-
dists, as such, is I'M American, and con-
| tary to the genius of our institutions"
The New York LHdepende'at, (RadicaD
| denounces the movement, and declares
! that ''this sort of attempt 10 use the
Methodist Church as machine in u po-
litical contest, is an imperti-
nance that every Methodist ought
to resent" The Northwestern
Christian ADVOCATE (MethodisD
of Chicago, the chief organ of the de-
nomination circulating in Iowa, expresses
its disapproyal of the whole matter as
follows:
''Ho protest against the use of church
| machinery, Catholic or Protestant, to Sc
cure the political elevation of any man.
In this protest Iowa Methodists will join
us. But above all, so Impolitic a step as
this charged upon DR.. Newman, should
bc promply repudiated by every friend of
the noble and eloquent Senator from Iowa.
II will seriously damage him, unless
| Le can disavOw al connection with it. In
| our judgment it ought to do so. That
the world may know that the NJ. Z.
| Church has no fellowship with this kind
Of political inteTmeddling, we thus speak
out. Change names, and for Dr.. New
| man put the name Of Archbishop Purcell,
| aud for James Harlan put Patrick Nc
Birney, aud let the circulars have gone TO
| every priest in the State, how we would
| have denounced it. The names IN
changed and the fact established, we DC
nounce it just as promptly and just as Sc
Verely. That it was Confidential" makes
il only the worse.
How quick these mcn denounce church
Interference in political affairs when the
attempt is made in the North. They ex>
hibited none of this righteous indignation
when such interference was carried into
practice in the South. Many things have
been done in the South to give the Radi-
Gals supremacy, which would not have
becn quietly submitted 10 in the North,
as is clearly shown By the manner in
which these protests are entered agsins
Dr.. Newman's attempt to influence an
election through the Methodist Church.
The North is beginning to feel something
Of the 'impertinence, u not to say oppres-
sion, 10 which the Southern people have
had to submit, or for protesting against
which they were denounced as ''unrc-
peniaut Rebels"