The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-12-02
Non.Sectarian Schools,

WASHINGTON, Nov. %. The following let
ter was written by Mr.. Blaine 10 a prominent
Ohio gentleman ust after the late election iii
that state. 1t is printed now with ii least the
implied consent of the writer
AUGUSTA. Maine. Oct. 20
NV Dear Sir: The public school agitation in
your late campaign is liable to break oui else
where, and occurring first in one state and then
IN another may keep the whole country III a
terment for wears to come. TINS inevitably
arOuses scctaran feeling and leads to thai bitter
est and most deporab,e of all s'rlies-the strife
between religious denominations. 1t seems to
me that this question ought to be settled in
some definite and comprehensive Waf-and the
only settlement thatcan be final is the complete
victory for nor-sectarian schools. | ann sure
this will be demanded by the American people
at all hazards and at any cost.
The dread Of sectaiian legislation in thi, coun-
try has been felt many times in The past. 1t be-
gan very early. The first amendment of the
Constitution, the Joint product OF Jefferson and
Madison, proposed in $50. declared that Com
gress shall make no law respecting an establish
ment of religion. nor prohibiting the exercise
thereof At that time. when The powers of
the Federal government were untried and un =
developed, the fear was that Congress might be
the source of dangerto perfect religious liberty.
and hence all power WIS taken from it, AT the
same time the states were left free to do is they
pleased in regard to IAN establishment OF rcIim-
ion, for the tenth amendment, proposed bN
that eminent jurst TheophiIus Parsons, and
adopted contemporaneouSly with the first de-
clared that ''all powers not delegated to the
United States by the Constitution, nor prohib-
tied by il TO the states reserved To the state,
respectively. or TO the people,
a majority OF the people in any state in this
Union can therefore, if they desire it, have an
established church--under which the minority
may be taxed for the erection Of church editircs
which they never enter and for the support
of creeds which they do not believe. This pow
er was actually exercised in some Of the states
long after the adoption of the Federal Consti-
tuition, and although there may be no positive
danger OF its revival in the future, the possible
lily OF il should not be permitted Tie auSrc
ious time to guard against an evil is when III!
Will unite i'll preventing it.
And in curing this constitutional defect all
possibility OF hurttlll agitation on the school
question should be ended also. Just let the
old INSTRUMENTATION amcn'imCnt he applied
to the states by adding the following 10 the in
hlblory clauses i'll section 10, article 1. Of lie
Federal Constitution, viz:
NO state shall make any law respecting an
establishment of religion or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; and no money raised bv
taxation i'll any state for the support of nublic
schools. or derived from any public fund there
for, Shall ever be under the control of any re-
liSiouS sect. nor shall ANY money raised ever
b. divided between religious sec- or cnonina-
ti0mS."
This, you may observe, does no interfere
With any state having Just such school sy>iCm
a its citizens may prclrr->ubicpt 10 the single
and simple restriction that the schools shall
not be made the arena for >2ctariun eoMtro> er->
OF theological dlsputation. This adiu>ll,. mt ii
seems to me, would be comprehensive and con-
elu>iVe-and would be fair alike to Protestant
and Catholic, 10 jew and Gcnt;le--leaYin9 the
religious faith and the conscience Of every man
free and unmolcStcd.
Very sincerely yours, J. &. BLAINE.