, 1875-12-01

Constltutionnb Provtsions - Letter
from, tho Sion. 1nmcs q. Isl,,iur.
Tho following letter waa ~sitton by Ms. Dainn
70 ts pEoaainens Ohio gentleman Just after tito
with at Ioaat tho implied a.asnt OF ths vr,ter,
AtatHTA. Mo.. Oct. 20, 1s75.-AiY Dean Sin !
The p'ibltc-scllool agitation in your lats cam.
raRn In liable to break out elsewhere, and, oo-
cn1nhg nfst to one Btata and then IN anothor,
mnV Keep tho Whole country In = Torment for
ycara TO como. Thla inevitably Aroueea nccta.
Iinn feeling and loatlH to that bttcreet and most
ddtlofAbIo Of all .trifes-tns atr,re bseween
felR1ona denominations. 1t scamA to mo that
tI!s question ought to bn sett.nd In somo DELI
mite and COMP ohnnstva way--and tho only
acttle'heht thAt can be final IN tho complete sic
tofy Tor oon-soctariAn Bclouls. am sure thin
WI % demanded by the American people at all
hA2ardo and at any coat,
1ho dread OF soutnrian lcgislatIon in this
country has boon foIt many tlmes itl the taat. It
began very early. The flraL amendment OF Tim
Uonnttution. tLe joint prodl1ct Ut Jefferson and
Madison, proposed ln f78o, declared TINT +" Con-
n,ent oJ religion, nor prohiJting No Jrce trercise
Mereof" At that tt!ne, when tho powers OF the
T0dofai Government we're untried and uudeYeI-
Owed, tbo fear WAS Tint Congress might bs tho
source OF augcr to perfect religious liberty, aud
hcnco all power was taken from 1t. Al tho an,ne
ti,no the state's wcre left free to do ~ they
pleased in regard TO "an establishment OF re-.
iiglon," for tho tonth amendment, proposed by
that ointment 1urist Theopitlus Parsons. and
c1area that ali poirers moi deicgaled 10 Tic
Ittitcd 5atts By the Constellation, nor proaib,teI
bvh 10 Tho States. are rrsercoi TO he xa,es re-
sItctireiy, or to tho people,"
A majority Of the pooplo In any Etato in tllia
Union can thereforo, IT they dcrire 1t, have nm
established chnIch-nnder which tlo mInnnty
may bo taxed for tho erection OF church cdiAcea
Which they never enter and for tue support OF
cretds which thoy do not believe. THIS power
was actually exercised In some Of tho BtateB long
aftor tae adopsion Of tho Eodera! Constitution.
and although there may DO no positive danger
or tts ro7vhl In tho future, tho poHHlbfty af it
should not DO permitted. Tho ausplcious tisno
to guard agaiust evil ia whom I'LL will unto in
preventing II.
Aud In curing this constitutional dofcet oil
question Bhould be ended also. Just let tho old
Madison amendment bo applied to tho
States by adding tho following to tho lnhtbitory
claunos in Sec. u, Art. |. Of tho Federal CooHi-
tuition. VIZ.
No State shall make any law respecting m cstat-
iihlnent Of religion prohibiting this FREQ
thc!eot; AMI no money raisel by taxation IN my
State for tho support Of public suhools. derived
from any public fund therefor shs1l ever under ts
control o! any rcl!sous nec., shall nny money 10
nominations.
This, ron wilt obsoryo, docs not interfere
with any State having Iuat surll scho 1i-systcm
us Its citzeaH may praler,-aubteck to the hipgle
and simple restriction that tho schools shall not
Ge mndo tho arena for sectarlan controversy or
theological diRputa!lon ThH adjustment, 1t
seems to me. would bo comprehensive md con-
clue,ye,-and would bo fair a'ilto tu Protestant
AMI Catholic. 10 jew and G1utilc.--feavlng tho
religious faith md the conscience Of overs nun
free aud nunolested. Very sincerely vourx,
j, q, BLAINE