The New York herald., 1875-12-09
NON N-SECTARIAN SCHOOLS.

CONSTITUTIONAL PRoyISIoNS-LETTER FROM THE
HON. JAMES G. BLAINE.
The following letter was written by Mr. Blaine TO a
prominent Ohio gentleman just after the late election
in that State is printed with at least the i'm
piled assent OF the writer:-
AUGUSTA, Me-, Oct 90 1875
My DEAR SR-The public school agitation in your
late campaign is liable to break out elsewhere; and,
occurring first State and then in another may
keep the whole country ferment for years
THIS inevitably arouses sectarIan feeling and leads TO
that biteres and most deplorable OF all strifes the
strife between religious denominations IL seems to
me that this question ought to be settled in some de-
mite and comprehensive way and the only settlement
that be final is the complete victory tor non secta
rian schools am sure this will be depanded by the
American people at all hazards and at any cost
The dread Of sectarian legislation in this country
has been felt many times in the past II began very
early. The first amendment to the constitution, the
Joint product OF jefferson and Madison, proposed in
1850, declared that Congress shall make no law re-
specting establishment OF religion, nor prohibiting the
tree exercise thereof" At that time when the powers
OF the federal government were untried and unde
veloped, the fear was that Congress might be tho
Of danger TO perfect religious liberty, and hence
all power was taken away from It, At the same time
the States lett free to do as they pleased in
gard 10 ian establishment OF religion" for the tenth
amendment proposed by that eminent jurist Theophi-
lus Parsons, and adopted cotemporaneousy with tho
first, declared that "all powers not delegated to the
United States by the constitution, nor prohibited by Il
70 the States reserved to the states respectively
to the people"
majority OF tho people in any State in this Union
Church, under which the minority may be taxed for
the erection OF church edhces which they
and for the support OF which they do not believe
This power actually exercised IN of the States
long alter the adoption Of the federal constitution and
although there may be no positive danger OF its re-
vival ia the future the possibility of IL should not be
permitted The auspicious time TO guard against an
evil is when all will unite in preventing IT
And IN curing this constitutional defect all possibility
of hurtful agitation the school question should be
ended also just let the old Jefferson Madison amend
ment be applied to the States by adding the following
30 the inhbitory clauses section 10, article l. OF
the federal constitution, viz -
No State shah make any law respecting establishment
Of religion prohibiting the free exercise thereof and
raised by taxation In state, for the Of
the public schools derived from public fund therefor,
sh all be under the control OF religious
shah any money raised be divided between religious
sects or denominations
This you will observe does not interfere with any
State having Just such school system its citizens
may prefer subject TO the single and simple restriction
that the schools shall not be made the for
rian controversy theological disputation. This ad-
Justment II TO me- would be comprehensive and
conclusive and would be fair alike to Protestant and
Catholic Jew and Gentle leaving the religious faith
and the conscience of every free and unmoestcd
Very sincerely yours, J. g. BLAINE