Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-09-10


THE REPUBLIC.
The common school system is the cornerstone of our
Republic We have the largest civil liberty, and uni
versaI suffrage both of which will prove dangerous,
and perhaps fatal unless the Republic shall cherish
and support its system Of universal education through
the common schools. The State has great and para
mount duty to perform in this behalfoa duty which
il not delegate any sect or church, II Is pound
to n that every child has free opportunity 70
attend the common schools
POPULAR EDUCATION A REPUBLIcAN RATHER THAN
A DEMOCRATIC FEATURE OF DUB GOVERNMENT.
UnouestionabIT popular education is an important
plank in the Republican platform That our system
of schools receives detriment, rests as an
obligation upon that party do not assert tnat the
Democratic party is party, hostile to the public
schools but il is obvious that education is not lead
been and that all the opponents Of the common schools
in the Democratic organization while the Repub-
hcans have in their ranks none but friends The
Democratic party is frantic for political power, and
has the reputation Of not scruping at the means OF
getting it. In desperate struggle for Office it might
possibly make dangerous concessions to its allies
against the schools thing which the Republicans
could never do, though forever excluded from
political power The political alliance between me
objects. On the part Of the Democratic Leaders, the
object is political power; on the part OF the clergy
is radical change in the constitution and conduct OF
| the common schools, or their abolition
PROTESTANT CLERGY, SUBMITTED TO THE JUDGMENT
| OF THE COURT.
If, when the action OF the Board Of Education in
Cincinnati had been sustained by the Supreme Court
ana the rule went lDtO eUectl Tue
and laty had demanded division Of the school fuud
/ the danger would have been formidable. But they
submitted to the judgment OF the court IN favor OF
secular schools. This al result humiliating to
| them, and a triumph to the Catholic Church. The
object OF the board in adopting that rule was to make
the schools unobiectionable to the Catholics and to
the Jews. But when il was decided, with their
currence that the Bible and religious teaching should
be excluded, still the priesthood, as we have said,
tend the common schools, and adopted at
Cincinnati q rule that no Catholic child
had attended the parocbal schools of the Church at
least two years. rule whickI advised had already
been adopted in the Cleveland diocese The result has
been to Keep large majority of the Catholic children
out of the common schools, which are undoubtedly
much better than the paroehia-thus inicting deep
| injury upon the education of such children.
In this think that the Catholic clergy have been
betrayed into false position not willing to be-
eve that they will not vet become satisfied that the
schools of the State must be secular and that all the
children of every sect shall attend them, while the
hgiou teachers Of each shall give the religious in
struction to its children, in the family and in the
churches, which the State protects, but does not
attempt to control.
NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN ARCHBISHOP OF cINCIH-
EATI AND BOARD OF EDUCATION.
It may assist to understand the actual relation of
the clergy, and Of the Iaity to the common Schools
to The part taken by them in the contest
lating to the Bible in the schools in Cincinnati
On the 18th of September 1869, written communi-
cation made by Archbishop Purcell to the Board
OF Education, as follows, viz:
ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI.
CINCINNATI, Sept. Is, 1863.
'sThe undersigned, in the interest he believes of
justice charity, and patriotism will be most happy
to meet in conference the vexed school question:
COMMITTEES appointed by the School Board OF this city
He perfectly satisfied with the Catholic schools
they exist, but he thinks as every honest man
may that it is unjust TO impose restrictions such as in
resist, the rights of the Catholic children to the
benefits of the district schools He is quite prepared
for vote against the exclusion OF sectsrisnism %
from the public schools The public will then
see who the resTictionists and the intolerantS
81. b. PURCELL, A c."
When this proposition came before the board for
discussion, Mr.. Carbery. a leading member and 8
Catholic, who ably represented also the Catholic SEN
timent Of the board. said that
| HE did not want the board to believe that the
Catholics Of the city bound down by the priests
and had given up their individuality. This was a
mistake The dietum Of the Archbishop was not all
powerful There we're thousands OF Catholic children
this city anxious TO attend the free schools. The
Archbishop had sought conference. To be sure, his
| proposition garbled with more verbiage than
strictly good taste might dictate But there it was
and all tair-minded members OF the board should
listen TO it and act upon it."
A committee appointed, as requested consisting
of seven. Mir. Carbery was chairman and there were
Catholics it. At the next meeting the commit
tee made their report, as follows, viz:
Report Of the Committee.
"CLERK's OFFICE, CITY BUILDINGS, !
CINCINNATI, Sept. 20, 1869. I
'rYour Committee, appointed to confer with Arch
bishop Purcell with regard to taking such steps may
enable children of Catholic parents 10 attend the
public schools beg to report the annexed as the
present ultImatum of the Catholic authorities and
which is as follows, marked Paper No l.
''JAMES p. CARBERY, Sec'y.
Your Committee, in view of the above facts ask to
be continued, +. w. RAUCH,
r-II. EcKEL,
SIS A. MILLER,
fHH. L. WEHMER,
GA. l.. FRASER,
''LoUIS BALLAUF.'
Paper No. IL
'fThe entire government OF public schools in which
CaflOlic Vouth arr educated he fO
evil power.
''We as Catholics, can approve of that system of
education for youth which is apart from the insruc
ton in the Catholic faith and the teachings OF the
Church .,-..
fornity with these principles, has been done in
England, France Canada Prussia, and other countries
where the rights conscience in the matter of educa-
on have been FULLY recognized am prepared TO give
| it respectful consideration. 81. B. PURCELL,
Archbishop of Cincinnati"
This was not encouraging; but still the Catholic
advantages .Iof the public schools by secularizing
| them.
At the next meeting Mr.. Carbery said:
1.-THE fact is that with this form of worship in
full force, there thousands of Catholic children
in attendance, and the reasonable deduction is
that if that be forbidden as 1t ought TO be, by the
board, the numbers will be rapidly increased"
Subsequently 10 the adoption of the rule by the
Board OF Education, excluding religious instruction
from the schools, and subsequent to the decision
the subject by the Superior Court of Cincinnati and
the occasion Of the spring election in 1870, the
tion made and published declaration as response
to the charges and opinions prevalent that they or
any of them willing to sacrifice the schools OF
the twenty members who signed it and who consti-
tuted the majority of the board eleven were Catholics
The following is copy:
To the friends of the SeculdrisntioH of the common
schools in Mozart Hall assembled, and to the ciseSS of
Cincinnati generally:
yellow -CITIzENs-The undersigned members of
the Board OF Educaon who voted for the resolutions
passed November l, 1863, prohibiting religious in
structon and the reading Of religious books including
the Bible IN the common schools of CINCINNATI
having been charged not only by an influential part
OF the English daily of the city; but by the voice
Of OF their felloW-members from the pulpit with
seeking the destruction of common school system
beg leave TO say that this charge, unscrupuousy made
and in the faceof frequent denial pernacously repeat
ed utterly without foundation in fact that they re-
gard it calumnious and challenge the authors and
repeaers thereof TO point to single word uttered or
single act doEe by any of them which furnish
the shadow of excuse for such Misrepresentation
$50 far from seeking the destruction Of the common
school system, which the undersigned, and ALL re-
gard essential to the perpetuiy OF republican
Institutions, they firmly believe that the measure
which they have proposed and favored and which
they advocate in future, whetherin cut of
the School Board is absolutely necessary TO the
tnuance of the school system and that 1t is the only
measure which can save it.
"Furthermore however widely the undersigned may
differ in their opinions in matters OF faith and Worship
they united in the declaration that their effort to
secularize the common schools arises from hostility
10 the Bible or 10 religious instruction SUCH They