, 1873-03-01

Thinkors and tho various communal soots Of
rollgtonists, from enjoying tho bloBslnga Of q
republican form Of government, Which waH IN
asltutod expressly to guarantee freedom OF
thought, spcoch, government, end religion. The
proposition, however, Ia not ho dangerous for
what It would Immediately accomplish. aa for tho |
inevitable results which would follow tho primal |
step, md gradually enforce d National religion,
and make priostoraft an equal, IT not superior,
powor In tho administration Of tho Government.
Mako the acknowledgment Of Christianity On |
essential to tho Constitution, and tho inevitable
question arises, What ia OAristianity7 1nadol-
ity, athoiam, Judaism, and paganism arc nlroady
defined by tho advocates Of this proposition rs
unohristian, 90 that theHo can bc loft out OF tho
confederation. Tic discussion must thon DO con-
fined to proteatantism md roman Catholicism,
and, OF course, would bo deoidod In fnvor Of ono
or the otter, acoorlng to tho respective strength
and influence Of tho two forms Of religious
faith. The United Btates being Prot
estant country, it must follow that tho.
outside tho palo Of Christianity. The samo
narrow ap1rit which would oatraeiso Jcwe, Mo-
hammedane, Crooks, and Roman Catholics
wou1d eventually discriminate against certain
Protestant scots, like the Unitarians, Universal
lists, Bwodonborgians, High -Churohmon, and tho
various olaaaes Of radical thinkers, and pro-
nounco them unohrlstiau also. Tho logical
result would be, that tho only seot which would
be tolerated would bo tho dominant Protestant
scot, which would at once thko poasession Of the
Government and Church and State would bo aa
closely interwovon and as rigtdly intolorant as
thoy arc in Turkey, or RuaBia, or Egypt
Bishop Gilmour, Of tho Roman Catholic Diocese
Pastoral On tho subject Of common schools,
which, whilo It antagonizeB tho action Of the
New York Convention, as fnr as tho special form
Of belief is concerned, involves tho samo general
results. Tho New York Convention would hayo
Christianity, as represented by certain sects.
supreme. The Cleveland Bishop would havo
Roman Catholicism supreme. Under tho ono,
We should have Methodist Or Baptist govern
mont, as tho csae might bc; under tho
othor, Roman Catholic government,
and compulsory religion In both instances.
Bishop Gilmour says, "Wo must learn Tint wo
are Catholics first and citizens next. Catholicl-
ty does not bring uB In conflict With tho State,
yet it teaches that God is abovo man and tho
Church ia above tho State" This dangerous
doctrine is not ploa for tho rights Of individual
conscience, but Is claim that particular form
Of faith, orystallizod in tho Roman Catholic
f.ur fu},t In
only tho conscience, but tho civil and social rela-
| tions OF mon in defiance of the authority Of tho
law. This proposition, 1t carried out, would log
ically lead to tho aamo results as the propoHi-
ton Of tho New York Convention, md
would make tho republican form Of government
impossible, as ita very groundwork is in CONTRA
vention OF both these propositions. This thesis
Of the Catholic Bishop turns upon the muoh-vex-
cd school question, which 1t Ia not necessary to
discuss In this connection. It Is clear that
Catholics have the right to demand that their
children shall not be compelled to receivo seo-
tarinn education. It Ia equally clear that they
have no right to demand that the schools shau
DO administered In thetr form OF faith. Either
OF theso assumptions would be unrepubli-
IL
they must provide substitute which
will meet their religious requirements.
Tho Bishop may rghtfully object to tho
fact that d particular form Of religious teaching
iaintroducod into the public schools; but against
tho fact that tho schools arc not under the direc-
tion Of bis Church he has no ground for objeo-
ton. The direction OF secular education belongs
to tho State, not to the Church, whether Catho-
lio Or Protestant. The Constitution Of the
United Btatos, by virtue Of tho provisions We
have already quoted, secures absolute religious
equality to all aects, and the freedom Of 10.
ugioua opinion to every man, so long aa aeots
and individuals do not Violate public morality.
The moment TINT guarantee is disturbed, the
republican form OF government is disturbed
also. Amy other assumption establishes re.
nglops despotism, with tho innumerable ovilE
which always follow in it's train.
Discoveries in Western Awcrica.