Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-09-10

(which assembled first, adopted resolu
zion charging the Democrats, because of
the adoption OF. the Geghan bill, with q
purpose to divide the school fund in the
interest Of the Catholics, and in answer to
this the Democratic Convention on meet
ing adopted in their platform the fellow
ing:
Thirteenth,We favor the complete separation
of Church and State, religious independence and
absolute freedom of opinion, equal and exact
justice to all religious societies and purely secu
lar education at the expense OF the taxpayer
,cithou drtStO7l among control by arg sect, dt-
rectly indirectly. Of any portion of the public
| school tand. In view of the admirable provisions
of our State Constitution upon these subjects,
which are due to the energy and wisdom of the
Democratic party. we denounce the Republican
platform an insult to the intelligence of the
prejudices.
In this, we fail to see, as the american
asserts, that the Democrats feared to
touch decisively upon the school question: y
and we think we are justified in saying
that the assertion to that effect is an mex
cusable Justification.
AS there is no issue of this sort before
the people of this State now, and as there
is secret political organization in Balti-
more city, which in its platform sets itself
up as the special guardian and protector
OF our public school system, and as this
party proposes to present for popular suf-
frage full State ticket, we have a right to
gather its purposes and sentiments from
the american, the most prominent of its
supporters, if not its recognized organ.
From the editorials above spoken of we
are forced to the conclusion that it is the
wish and purpose of that paper to revive
in its most odious features the old Know
Nothing party, which we had hoped was
buried forever; and that the only hope
and expectation entertained at the present
time for the Radical-Independent Reform
Citizens otatoe-Bug party is that by ex-
citing the animosities of the people against
the Catholics it is possible thereby to Sc
cure the defeat of our party, because it
would not prescribe man on account OF
his religion. If the purpose is not to ex-
cite these prejudices, why does the Ameri-
can use such infammatory language as the
following. ''The aim of the church is
= to exert a domination over men
Superior to that of the government. and
to place the hierarchy above that of the
law. = = It's policy is manifested in its
interference in politics, its help in elect
ing to office men known to be favorable
to its aims, and its demands upon legisla'
tive bodies for enactments favorable to its
interests. And there are not want
ING evidences that cannot be mistaken o.
the steadfast purpose of the church to
overthrow, if its purposes can be accom-
plished, the free unsectarian system Of
American public schools" And all thi:
too because of the passage of the Geghar
bill, and the nomination of Catholic ii
this State for Governor. In the face O
this, any man who is not wilfully blind
must see that the opposition to the Demo
cratic party is appealing to and relying
upon the religious prejudices of those
whom it addresses. letter the State should
remain in the hands Of a ring which would
only rilfer from us our money than pass
under the domination of bigots who will
rob US of our freedom of conscience, God
save the State from such curse,