Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-12-03
Editor Republican /:

Oh the sensation of faling-and the
pu ssant student played with us like
mouse with kitten If not eaten up it is
probably because we are the kitten, and
how merciful the providence that made us
an:incipient cat and not 81 mouse And
then how gently is broken the story of our
mental decline, how solicitous the kind
hearted gentleman lest we become inslpid-
riddled, false, emasculate insensibe
alike to confederation and kicks. We can
not return the solicitude. The student is
growing IN style, in experience in wisdom.
He started out verbose, foolish aud indecent;
he comes in carefully picking his steps
He went out laughing he now whines
AS pitituliy as the martyr of the Vatican
Now he is tired, he is anxious to know
when we will stop, kindly suggests that it
would have been gratifying to him some
time ago; perhaps heartily wishes we never
had begun, all of course for our good fame,
not his The Student is disguised that we
will not leave our subject of Saba tn desc
Grafton, and run after his lame du cks Of
theology. We started for larger game than
that. An old Roman general had intren
ched himself in an impregna BILE posi- ton
from which he was able to harrass the enc
my incessantly. Finally the one below
OH
great general by coming down on my ground
To which the reply was: If your are a
greater general come up and take me down
We gave him "a legal disqu istion. It
was not much. 1t did not make him happy
1t gave him pain-the doctor and not the
lawyer, is the man he wants. A disciple
of st. 1gnatus is seeking spiritual light
from weak Methodist preacher Perhaps
If the theologlan should answer his chal-
lenge, he would prefer the lawyer. He
rushed vigorously, but unbidden, to fight
where he should have hal an easy victory,
and he finds he cannot go home when he
wants to. But-"I never argued in favor
of even the slightest violation of the laws
of the land" To what purpose then has he
filled eight or ten columns? If the gen
temen for whom be speaks had honestly
sentiment this scandalous occasion never
could have been part of ours local history.
Every intelligent Catholic, past the rashness
Of school-boy days, saw from the beginning
the impossibility of defense, and deplored
the fatal fault 'And thou Brutus" What
shall be great Caesar fortune now? He
crossed the Rubicon with Continental
holiday, and an open beer stand under the
auspices Of the Church, in defiance of both
moral and civil law, and he falls to day by
the dagger of biz: trusted lieutenant "Not
even the slightest violation" is defended.
How then can be the wholesale tran sgression
dishonoling to religion, insulting to Protest
ants, and disgraceful to Catholics The
student in bis comical start had not learned
the maxim: When guests are hidden to
feast, first set before them that which is
substa ntial aad nutritious, but after they
are heavy, then that which is light and
sparkling.
From those who are thoughtfully inter-
ested we beg moments indu lgence Does
the prisoner at the bar of public opinion
ask the precedent that the prosecutor must
argue the popularity ofthe law before SEN
tence is pronounced. Does he intend to so de-
fame our fair city as to set forth that here
custom, "makes" or "unmakes' responsible
u to law E? We have our law of the Sab
bath-the moral founded on the precepts of
the Bible, and our common Christianity
and all christians are bound to respect it by
divine worship, and quiet, sober and
godly walk-and tn civil based upon the
best interests of society These are inter
woven through our entire body polite,
and stamped upon our statute books W it'll
all "the object, bearing and force of leg,s-
lation" Officials may for time close
their eyes, individuals may continue to
transgress with impunity, good citizens
may forbear long, but the priestly or po-
litical party that dares to lay hand on these
sacred principles will find the American
Sabbath sentiment alive enough yet for
their comfort. If these laws are odious and
hurtful, let ST. Bernards gain notoriety,
not by saper--eligious jolifcation, but by
moving their repeal by regular legislation
Until then, remember, not "even the slight
est violation
E. B. CUMMINGS.