New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-10-31
TIE SECRET CIRCULAR 10 TIE PREACH
ERS


Mr.. William +. Hayemeycr declares that he
did not authorize tho use OF his name IN con-
nection with the extraordinary circular, urg-
ing the clergy TO preach against Mr. herman
because Mir. Herman is n Catholic. Dir. John
Wheeler makes similar statement. A re-
porter however, has cOnYersed with Mi.
.Havemeyer and his son, and 1T appears,
from the conversation of those gentlemen,
that their gravest objection to the docu-
ment is that, inasmuch as it has been
made public, it is likely to iDjure the
party which it was intended to serve. 81
"migbt be iD unison with the feelings OF
those men, said the Republican candidate
for Mayor, "and still it might be folly to
Z" say anything. But, no; / don't intend
"to bring in any religious elements. No,
"no religious elements for me. / want the
"vOtes of everybOdy-that is, / want the vote
no, what / want is, l want everybody to vote
" for me from principles outside OF his religious
feelings. What want you to say about tins
"is that don't know anything about it,"
MIR. Havemeyer had not one word OF ro6uke
for the persons who had taken the liberty OF
afiixiDg his name TO document he had never
seen, and scant words Of condemnation to
apply to the document itself.
Two other gentlemen, whose names were
affixed to the circular, were questioned, namely,
Mr.. ii. N. Beers and MIR. A. r. Wetmore.
They both admitted signing it, and it appeared
from their statements that it was prepared III
accordance with resolution Of the Council OF
Political Reform. and according 10 custom the
names Of all the members of the Executive
Committee were affixed to it, on the theory
that they had authorized it in advance. "The
sentiments expressed in the manifesto" said
Mr.. Beers, the Secretary, are certainly held
"by them all. Not one Of those gentlemen
"will object to a word that is in that paper"
Mr.. Beers was right not one Of those gentle
men has objected or will object. The senti-
ments are those of the Council. The Council
instructed lis Committee on Publication to put
them in writing, and send them secretly to all
the Protestant cleTgymen of the city; and 1T
will not do for these gentlemen. now that the
document has been exposed, to take shelter
behind the statement that they never saw it
until it was printed, and did not actually write
their names at the bottom of it.
And after ALL the cowardly confidential cir
cular of Mr. Havemeyers friends is franknesS
itself compared with the hypocrisy of The
Ne,c- York Times. That journal, while pre-
tending to dcprecate the introduction of
religion into the canvass, is still striving TO
make an issue between Catholics and Protest
ants on the election for Governor, and threat
ening, in case Herman is chosen, "a harvest
of luminosity of which it is difficult to esti-
"mate either the bitterness or the extent"
Harper's Weekly is doing the same unholy
work with a still more vulgar bigotTy; and if
the infamous prescriptions of Know-Nothing-
ism arc not revived it will be through no lack
of zeal on the pant of some of these Repub-
lcan clubs and newspapers. The day is long
past, however, when such tactics would avail.
We shall be disappointed in our estimate of
the justice and good sense of the American
people if they do not rebuke in unmistakablc
language this narrow bigOtry, and teach poll
ticlans that, so long as q candidate is honest
and capable, it is none of their business how
he chooses to worship God.