The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-12-19
RIsH0P GIBBONS ON TIE PREsIDEN1s6
MESSAGE.

MESSAGE,
Tba Nav York Herald of last Sunday |
publishes the following account OF an IN
terview between Bishop Gibbons ana one
of its correspondents
RICHMOND, Dec. 10, 1873.
The Right Rev. James Gi6oone, nisnoR
of the Catholic diocese OF Ricnmonu BLU
Vicar Apostolic of North Carolina, was
SaIied mon by the Herald correspondent
This evening, to obtain his views in regard
20 the Recommendations OF PresioenI
Grant in his last Message concerning the
school question and the taxation OF ChuEcn
property. The distinguished pre!ate was
found at the bishoPrc and ne rec "sost sss
courteey. While he had decided ooJec-
tion to the publication Of his Views ne
nevertheless was free to give them, ana
stated he did not wish to obtrude his opin-
ions on the public: ,.,
CorrespoRdent-What ID your opinlVn
Of the Recommendation In regard I"
me Bishep-The constitutional amend
yrent REGARDING the school question, rec
Commended by President Grant, II earned
out, would reduce our American hepuohc
TO the condition Of things existing In pagan
Rome. In the old Roman Empire tne IN
diyidaal was absorbed by the State, which
was a political Juggornaut, crushing under
it's wheels all personal liberty. In those
days the citizen had no Individuality, put
was counted only as part and parcel OF
that vast and complicated machinery call
ed the State. The most crushing OF ali
despotisms is that of q centralized govern
ment. 1t is the idol before which the citl,
zen must offer in sacrifice his personal
liberty as well as his parental rights over
his children, for the government. in assun-
ing the education of the child usurps the
place of the father and robs him OF his
most sacred priviiege-ttat of directing the
training of his offspring. Aud what be-
comes of liberty when it is lost in the in
dividual and in the family 1t is to that
personal freedom (Which always involves
personal responsibility and personal ener-
gy) that we are chiefly indebted as ma
ton. The general government has no
more right to dictate to the father when
and where and how he must educate his
children than it has to prescribe his food
or the shape of his clothes. Those who ad-
vocate this system of Capitalization are
slavishly initiating the most absolute sys-
TENS of government in Continental Europe.
Besides, if popular education is wrested
from the family and the State, snd placed
in the hands of the federal government, of
whatever political party, it will give the
administration an overwhelming patronage
which would destroy all balance of power
and reduce minorities to a mere cipher
Nor do see how paganlsm and religion
can both be simultaneously excluded from
the schools as the President proposes !;
for if an education excludes all religion it
is necessarily pagan, there being no medium
between the two terms.
Correspondent-I would like to know
what You think Of the recommendation to
tax Church property z
The Bishop-To tax Church property
and charitable institutions is putting Q
premium on infidelity and avarice, and
makes religion and philanthropy odius by
imposing penalty on those who maintain
Christianity and support charitable houses.
The inevitable result of such taxation
would be to cripple the churches, increase
the burden of the State by making it the
almoner of those poor who are now main
tanned by private benevolence. AS an ex-
ample, the Catholic Church educates in
Richmond alone 900 children, and feeds
and clothes eighty y-six orphans and aged
people. The education and support of
these would cost the city annually at least
$35, 900, and the amount expended by the
other denominations for works of charity
would no doubt swell these figures to an
enormous extent.
In conclusion the Bishop expressed his
belief that the American people would
never be found advocating or even indors'
ing such novel legislation.