The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-06-03
From the Seville Times.
THE GEGHAN BILE

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Since the passage of the Geghan Bill
by the Legislature of Ohio, there ha
been clamor raised against that doc
ument by the press and pulpit ant
platform, that hardly does justice t,
the good sense which editors ant
preachers and lecturers are cemmonl,
supposed to possess. The poor Geghal
Bill has already created q sensation
that throws the Brooklyn scandal en-
tirely in the shade. Now, as thes
two sentences may seem to indicat,
the spirit of the present article, it ma,
be well, perhaps, to remark in advanc,
that the writer is neither a mem Der o
the Catholic church, in whose specia
behalf many think that the bill wa
presented, ner is he a member of tn,
Democratic party, by whose Legisla
ture the bill was passed. If any ont
is curious to know his denominations
and political affinities, it may not be
improper to state that they are for tn.
Baptist church and the Republican
party. He is not, however, one of tha
number who must always look at the
world and its history, and it's passing
events, through sccterian and partizal
spectacles.
So much by way Of parade and pre-
face, and now fer the subject itself
Remarks upon the bill in question
have been called forth fron the Lead.
er. the Gazette, the Commercial, and
the Times, for which the bill itseli
furnishes not the slightest foundation
or justification. The Leader says
"The more intelligent OF patriotic the
man or newspaper, the more positive
is his or its condemnation of this high
handed attempt TO make the Catholic
the State church of Ohio, and to trans
fer the seat of our State Government
from Columbus to Rome" The other
papers mentioned, run on in the same
strain, ringing changes on Church and
State and Religious Freedom. The
paragraph given above will serve as a
representative specimen. Let US de-
vote few sentences to fits examina-
ton. "The more Intelligent or patri
otic the man or the newspaper" says
the Leader, 'the more positive is his
or its condemnation" sc. In all this
is plain to see that the Leader makes
its own opinions the standard of in
telligence and patriotism. and any one
who fails to reach that standard it
stigmatizes as ignorant, and guilty of
treason. Nothing can exceed the esti-
nation in which the Leader holds
place where the light of its counte-
nance shines is like the new Jerusa-
lem-it has no need of sun or neon.
But coupled with this overweening
egotism is spirit of intolerance that
smacks of the paimiest days of Puri-
tanism, and that would, if it could,
impose eternal silence on every dis
scnting tongue Its own self esteem
and bigotry render it unqualified to
sit in judgment on the intelligence and
patriotism of the American people.
The citizens of Ohio, in particular,
do not measure themselves upon its
Procrutus bed. Persons of intelli-
gence as high, and patriotism is un-
as any contemplated in the
Leaders statement, look upon the bill
in question as good thing, and as one
of the few acts for which our late
deserves commendation.
So much for the first part of the
Leaders statement, and now for the
second. What sensible men can see
in this bill that warrants the assertion
that it is an attempt to establish the
Church as the State Church
of Ohio, we feel sure that even the
fabled Argus with his hundred eyes
would have been unable to discover.
The Geghan Bill, as the writer under
stands it, simply gives the Catholic
inmates of our State institutions, the
benefit of their own service and clcr-
". No more than this and no less.
What is there in this that looks toward
the union of Church and State? The
priest enters the cell of the convict
and the chamber of the infirm, not
dressed in gubernatorial robes but
W wearing his own sacerdotal vestments.
lie talks not of thrones and domin-
ions, but in his own way points out
10 those who hear him the path 10
paradise. He bears in his hand not
The scepter, but the crucitix. This
is not a step backward
1.-The longtime gone c'er came the dawn,
To the ages dark and dim,'-
but it is Il step toward the heights OF
earth's brighter and better years 10
come. In accordance with the spirit
of our constitution, it places all religi-
ons denominations on an equal foot
ing, perfect ecclesiastical leyel. 1t
does not exalt one to the detriment OF
2uCGuCI. ItO vi
violence on the threat of one, while it
extends the right hand Of fellowship
to another more favored. This aCas
the case before the Geghan Bill was
passed, because the Protestant clergy
had privileges that were denied the
Catholic. The former could visit our
a.s ha
spiritual affairs of all who desired
their services, while the doors were
barred and bolted against the Romish
priesthood. Now since the bolts have
been Withdrawn and the doers thrown
open, SO that Protestant preacher and
Catholic priest may enter on equal
terms, we hear a perfect pandemonium
clamor frem some of the leaders and