Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-09-09
How ti.e Measure was LObbied
by catholic Priests,
AND DEMOCRATIC SENATOR'S
SURRENDERED TO THEIR
Il III II Il A Il ).
A Significant Chapter of Secta.
rian InsOlence.
Something for Ohio Voters 10
Read and Ponder.

terest. While meandering about the
Capitol recently with gentleman
known 20 fame as Democratic men,
ber of the late lamented General As
lsembly, the conversation took in the
now famous or Infamous bit Of legal
abortion Known as the Geghan law.
Alter speaking rather plainly of what
1 knew of the influences brought to
bear to secure this law, how the Holy
Fathers OF the Romish Church haunt
ed the legislative halls during the
pending of the measure, how they
buZzed members at their rooms, Eet
them on the streets, and almost became
their shadows day after day, the late
Solon quickly acquiesced in all l had
said, and, alter gracefully removing
his cigar from his full lips, with much
earnestness remarked: "All you say is
true; but you don't know all about the
passage of that id fool bill, after all.
Now, let me tell you something. You
know am Democrat, but not Cath
olic; and, while l don't care much for
with those of the Protestant faith.
Well, now, when this Geghan bill
came up, Geghan came to me and said,
here, Mr., find am going to have
he'll of time with my bill. l thought
it would 60 through quietly, but some
cursed Republican has discovered there
is something about Catholics connected
with it, and so they are raising the
devil about it. The Republicans, near
ly to man, are opposing it, and we
Democrats must stand by it. l told
him l didn't think any one was really
suffering for such law, but would vote
for it if l could consistently. Well,
you know considerable about the fight
over it. But what you don't know is
this. One night after the bill had pass
ed one House and was set for third
reading in the other, [ with number
of other members was sitting in the
Senate Chamber discussing this bill,
when Father - (naming a very
prominent priesD came in, and, after
shaking hands all around, asked what
would be done with the Geghan bill ,
and at once answered his own question
by remarking, but of course the bill
will pass without trouble, Tor We rely
on you Democrats who are in power
this year TO help us on in our work.
One of our party remarked that he
thought As several Democratic mem
bers were kicking about being pushed
} to vote for any measure that was being
lobbied by Catholic priests, the passage
of the bill was not a sure thing. AT
this the holy father, without any
further words, suddenly became en-
ragged, and fumed and fretted about
like a country stallion at a county
: fair. Alter he had walked a little OF
his passion off, he came back to us and,
in tones of bitterness, referred to what
!, the Catholic Church had done for the
Democratic party, and this, too, with
out a single favor in return. Cienching
one hand the priest struck the desk in
front of him and said: I am tired OF
this pleading, this begging for fauors
no more of ii. NotC, gentlemen, L sflatt
not ask you again to pass thts 6tttJor us,
6ut, on the other hama, 1 dare you TO
uote against it. If that bill is not passed
before this session closes, so help me God,
priest as lam, 1 aciU take the stump meet
fall against the Democratic party. No.0,
Kill this bill if you dare, and with this,
the priest walked off in wrath. This
threat had its effect, for when the bill
came up for passage all the Democratic
lSenators were on hand and voted like
!, automatons, in the affirmative, save
one, who had to be brought for real
or sham inning sick bed by a policeman
| to record his vote for this unnecessary
and unwise measure"
But" | said, after the gentleman
+ had told me his story, "when you were
opposed to the measure why didn't you
t resent these threats Of the priest, and
act like man about it ?'
f "Well," he answered, "thats the
way should have done, Curt, but you
see l am in politics and d-n me
l hadn't the nerve, but, l tell you,
+ then felt, and shall always 1eel, wha
an outrage it is that the priests of the
o Catholic Church ever dared to come
/ into our legislative halls and order u
D to do this, or not to do that, as il We
3 were their personal property. Con
found me, it hurts to think about it. ,
In giving you synopsis of rathe
lengthy conversation on this interest
ing topic, l have purposely omitted
some very harsh words used by m.
companion to ward the Catholic Church
feeling that it could do no good to re
'' peat them, and have only referred t.
Il The talk to show to what a sorry pas
we have come when priest or preache
!. OF any particular faith dares to demand
of our lawmakers special favOrs in be
half of the particular faith they repre-
h sent, and this too in Ohio, a Stat
which boasts of her entire freedom
9 from entangling alliances betweel
" Church and State.
By the way, speaking of this child
It the true Church, reminds me that
met its fond parent the other day, OF
o the train, near Dayton. l refer to TIT
HON. JOHN GEGHAN,
now known in the new calendar OF The
n faithful as Saint Geghan.
Our strawberry blonde friend look!
as natural as life, and twists his car
t mine-colored mustache with as much
o fOndness as when he polished one o.
1.-The cushions in the House last winter
= Geghan is a jolly fellow personally
o and delights in the sensation his bill
has made.
Almost rs soon as we had passed the
S ordinary salutation, his face lighted uI
b with glee, and after forcibly ejecting 9
tablespoonful of amber colored salivs
he remarked: "Well, my old boy, my
C little bill raised hell in the State, didn't
}, it? l rather expected it would make
e something of stir, but what puzzles
me is, the hell it raised is getting hotter
all the time. But then, you know, 9
a man might as well have never beer
: born as not to do something that would
5 make it lively for the boys"
In answer to an inquiry as to wheth'
er he expected to be returned to the
! Legislature this fall, he said: II don't
think want any more Of it. 1t don't
D pay, and am now enlarging my busi-
ness, which will need my personal at
tention more than ever. But don't
, think can't come back if l want to,
f for / can, just as easy as rolling off a
log, the Enquirer to the contrary not.
withstanding."
And so we parted, he to buy new
D L. LII fL.han