The Morning herald., 1875-09-10
THE HERALD.
WILMINGTON, SEPTEMBER 10, 1875
TINE GEGHAN DILL-THE OHIO
CONT EST.

vAE 0k0hA ~ 01hA~AhD VAAV
CONT EST.
So much rant has filed the newspapers
about the "Geghan Bill" as it is called
in Ohio, that it were wisdom, on the part
Of some editors, as we'll as readers, to in
form themselves upon the matter. We
have seen it more than once stated that it
affected the status of the public schools in
Ohio; being familiar with the constitution
of that State, we felt it could not be 80, as
the existence of the public schools rests
upon the organic law, and could not be af-
f.cted by mere legislation. We have read
some Of the speeches Of the Republican
leaders in the Ohio campaign upon the
"Geghan bill" and they led us to believe
that that gentleman chad made a serious
assault upon the school system, or that his
bill covertIy provided for the removal Of
the Vatican from the Tiber to the Ohio.
Judge of our surprise when we examined
the statute in question, and found it lad
nothing to do with the SCHOOL system, but
simply injured to an inmate Of State in
stitution right, which, if denied to any
inmate Of one of our State institutions, we
are conscious that the overwhelming mass
of the Republicans of Delaware, would
promptly and fearlessly rebuke the perpe-
tratcrs, and remedy the wrong. Here is
the famous Geghan act:
Gan act to secure liberty Of conscience in
matters of religion to persons imprisoned
or detained by authority of law
SECTION /. Be it enacted by the General
Assembly of the State Of Ohio, That as liber-
ty of conscience is not forfeited by treason
Of conviction Of crime or by reason Of de-
tention in any penal, reformatory, or elee-.
mosynary institution, or any house OF
refuge, workhouse, jail or public asylum in
this State, no person in any such institu-
ton shall be compelled to attend religious
worship OR instruction Of form which is
against the dictates of his or her conscience; !;
and it shall be the duty Of every director,
trustee, superintendent or other ,.erson
having in charge any such institution. to
furnish ample and equal ia. ilities, to all
such persons for receiving the ministrations
of the authorized clergymen of their own
religious denominations or persuasiOns,
under such reasonable rules and regula-
tians as the trustees, directors, managers or
superin endents shall make, but no such
rules shall be so construed as to prevent
tn, clergyman of any denomination from
fully administering the rites of his denomi-
nation to such inmates; provided such
ministration entail no expense on the pub
lie treasury"
1t appears that in Ohio, no clergyman
was permitted to conduct religious exer-
ci,es, but the Chaplain or Moral Instruc-
tor, of the jail, reformatory or
work house, or some one deltg tied
By him: and every inmate was compelled
to attend, worship conducted by the Chap
lain or his deputy, or be subjected to
punishment for refusal. This was so OBJ
noxious to the following article of the con-
stitution of Ohio, that the Geghan Bill,
simply gave practical legal life, to con-
stitutional right
mo person shall be compelled to attend,
erect, or support any place of worship, or
maintain any form of worship against his
consent; and no preference shall be given
by law to any religious society; nor shall
any interference with the rights of con-
scence be permitted."-ART. l, Const Of
Ohio.
In our state, whose people are as toler-
ant, as her laws are wise and protective of
human rights: if any Board Of Trustees,
Sheriff, or other Covering power, of one of
our institutions, were to deny an inmate
therein, the right Of religious consolation,
from clergyman Of his own choice, the
indignation Of our citizens would scourge
the offenders into obscurity.
With these facts in full view, the Re-
publicans Of Ohio, are appealing to preu.
dices unworthy of our age and country, to
aid them in their contest. The mendacity,
and immortality, of such course of politi-
cal conduct is shocking. If any one
quotes the Ohio Democracy as hostile to the
School system. try and remember as fact
the 18th resolution Of the Ohio platform,
passed by the Democratic convention in
June Of this year:
"7hirteenth.-We favor the complete
separation Of Church and State, religious
independence and absolute freedom of
opinion, equal and exact justice to all re-
ligious societies, and purely secular educa-
ton at the expense Of the taxpayers, with
out division among or control by any sect,
directly or indirectly. of any portion of the
public school fund.-"
How badly the Ohio Republicans must