The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-09-17

i bIE. aI ltS recent session. upon the no
, famous Gegiian Law. We propose t
give full history Of this legislation.
On the 17'II of February, 1875. Mr.. J
! J Grgi,ai. Sc Democratic member of tn
iiouse Of Representatives, from Hamil
ton county, and prominent member o
! ihe Catholic Church, introduced the fol
lowing bill:
| \ bill entitled an act To secure liberty q
| conscience, and equal rights in matters O
religion To inmates of State. county ant
city Institutions in the State of Ohio
SECTION l. Be H enacted Jyhe GeBey
ri assembly If Tie State Gf ohio. Thai
all persnns committed to any State. conn
ty or city prison, reform school or pena
or reforInatOry institution (under the
authority of the State of Ohio). in thi.
State, shall bc allowed spiritual advice
| and spiritual miniStratiOn from any rec
| OgniZed clergyman of the denomination
! or Church to which such person 50 com.
mitted or received may r,-spectiy ely be-
long, and has belonged, prior TO their
being committed or received into such
STATE, county or city prison, reform
ton, or other place ofconiinement. such
advice and ministration to be given with
in the prison, or reform school, or penal
or refOrmatory institution, or other
brTildinls. where the INN. tes thereof are
required 10y law to be confined or impris-
Oned, in such manner as will secure to
such person the free exercise of his or
her religious belief; and such religious
consolation. advice and ministration
shall he allowed separate and apart, and
out of the presence and hearing of any
person other than the clergyman who is
miniStering to SuclI inmates. Such cler
gyman shall have the right, at the time
fixed, hereafter provided, and in all cases
of serious sickness, without regard to
time, to visit either of said Institutions,
aud to he and communicate freely and
untramneled with such of said inmates
as belong to the Church or society of
which he is a clergyman.
SIC. 2 1t shall be the duty of the
board of managers, or persons or officers
having control and management, to set
apart not less than one hour land more,
II necessary, on the first day of eacl
week, in which any of the clcrgymen of
good standing of any church or denOm-
inaiion may minister to, and iIupaTt NOR
al and religious instruction to any of the
said inmates or children, who respective
ly belong thereto prior to being so com
mitted or received therein, and to afford
and grant to such Clergyman such rea-
sonable and proper facilities as may be
necessary to enable them 10 freely and
properly discharge their duties rs minis
tiers and spiritual advisors t. the said in
mates; and TO provide and furnish to
such clergyman, Oh such occasions, n
room or apartment, whereby he may be
enabled TO freely and properly discharge
his duties as such clergyman; provided,
that the religious denomination to which
the parents of any child or minor so
committed or received into either of said
institutions belonged or was member,
shall he considered the denomination to
which such person or persons belong;
provided, all such religious ministratiOns
shall be given between the hours of sew
en- o'clock in the forenoon and five
O'Clock in the afternoon, except in spe-
cial casrs-such as sickneSs-when such
may be given at any hour;
and that the board of officers of any such
institution aforementioned shall desig-
nate TO each denomination which hour
or hours of the day so designated when
a clergyman of such determination shall
commence and iInpart such ministration
and destruction, and the time they shall
occupy, which time shall lie in accord
ance with the rules aud regulations Of
snch denominations, giving to eh0h de-
an equal ninOuni ot time,
partial aT hISi discrimination
whateyeT.
SIC. & al seetarian practices, except |
by said clergyman as aforesaid, are here
by prohibited; and no officer of any snch |
or other person, shall inter |
fere with, or attempt to Influence, ~ con
troll, or change the religious belief or |
opinions of any O. the said inmates, nor |
slal, any or the said inmates be required |
10 attend any religious service or devo-
ton In any of said institutions against |
their own free will, if they have attained
their majority; and i Ip:nogs, shall not
he so reGUi7ed contrary to the expressed |
direction OF the parent, guardian. az |
clergyman having spiritgH! charge Of said
respectively, and III all matters
pert. Hang fO religion, the rights of con
science, and the free exercise thereof, |
shall be scrupulnusly respected and |
guarded; provided, that nothing herein |
shall he so CONSTRUCTED tn pro
hibit or limis suah freedom Of speech
among the employees or inmates of such |
as Is Permitted by the. rules
and regulations thereof, not il conflict
with ihe spirit of this act
SEC. 1. This act shall take effect and
be in force from and after lis passage.
On that day 1t was read the first time
and ordered 10 be printed. On the 22d
OF February it was read the second time, !
and referred to the House Committee
on Insane kGylnm,s. un the 18th of
EIiarol, Mesors. z. G, Lewis, J. y. Nor
ton, Jacob Kemp and r. Barnett, the
Democratic members of this Committee, |
to the House :. substitute for /
Gpghan'. lii, and recommended its pas
sage. This substitute does not differ
from what afterwards beeame
law, and this law we now give;
An act to secure liberty Of conscience in
maits4S oi religion to persons imprisoned, |
of detained by authority Of law.
SECTION l. BE it onacted Jy the Gen
erGt Assembly Of the !StuteQf OLiO, That
as liberty of conscience is not forfeited |
by reason of conviction of eiiEe, or by |
reason OF detention in apy penal, reform
atory institution, OF any house OF refuge,
work-hOGse, Jail, or public asylum in this
State, no person in any such institution |
shall be compelled TO attend religious |
worship or instruction of form which |
Is against the dictates of his or her con-
science; and it shall he the duty OF every |
trustee, superintendent. croth- |
er person having in charge any such i'll |
stitution to furnish ample and equal IA
cilities to all such persons for receiving
the ministrationS of the authorized cIer- |
gyman of their own religious denomina
tions or persuations, under such reason
able rules and regulations as the trustees,
directors, managers or superintendent |
shall make. but no such rules shall he so
constructed as to prevent the clergyman
of any denomination from fully admins
tering the rites of his denomination to
such inmates, provided such ministration
entail no expense upon the public treas
ury.
SFC. 2. This act shall take effect from
and after its passage
GEO. L. CONVERSE,
Speaker Of the House Of Representatives
ALPHONSO HART,
President Of the Ssanfe.
Passed March 30, 1875.
See o. L., vol. r., p. 1j2.
On the 29th of March this bill finally