The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1875-02-10
Az INsoLENT CAIN.

Last year bill was introduced into the
Legislature of our State, in effect preventing
the intermingling of the children of Catholic
and Protestant parents at religious services in
the Reform Schools of the State, and practi-
cally compelling the children to adopt the re-
ligions belief of their parents. This bill was
defeated, as it should have been for, if this
principle is once adopted in State affairs it is
the entering wedge to tile claim for distri-
button of the school fund pro ratG to denom-
national schools, and when such a claim is
once recognized, it is a fatal thrust at the life
of the free school system.
The defeat ofthis bill was not by any means
the end of the matter, for in last Falls cleo
lions the leaders Of the denomination inter
ested in the passage Of the bill, carried the
question into the campaign, and made n
straight fight against those who had voted
against it. Andrew J. Smith, the Democrat
ic candidate for Congress in the Second
District, was defeated, it is believed, because
of his vote in the Assembly on this ISSUE and
candidates for the Legislature were voted for
or against as they were known to be in favor
of or opposed to the bill.
Such course indicated that the measure
would be pressed again, and this has proved
to be tho case. A bill has just been introduce
ed into the Legislature, the substance of
which is thus given by an exchange:
An act in relation to the Reform Schools
of this State, provides that such schools shall
be open at least three hours on each Sunday
morning, and at other times as the trustees
may deem proper, to clergymen, teachers of
every denomination represented in the schools,
for the purpose of allowing the children TO
practice their faith according to their religious
convictions. The trustees shall furnish sepa-
rate accommodations as far as possible, when
clergymen of different denominations are
present at the same time but no child shall
be compelled to attend the religious exercises
of any clergymen or rector other than those
OF the religious denomination to which it be-
longs the committing magistrate shall cause
to be entered on the records of their courts
the names, occupation and residence and re-
ligious belief of their parents"
According to this bill, it will be necessary
to have a room or chapel for every dcnomina-
ton, "as far as possible" The children are
to be allowed to sspractice their faith accord
ing to their religious convictions but If they
have none what is to be done then? Per-
haps in that case they are to be turned over
to the training of !" free religionists = who
have similar want of " faith and " con-
viction.n But the apparent liberality Of this
bill does not Gas it is intended to do cover up
its craftiness mo child shall be compelled
to attend the religious exercises Of any clergy
man or rector other than those of the re-
ligious denomination to which it belongs,
but, as natural sequence, it shall BIO COM
PEELED to attend whore it does belong.
Is the Legislature of our State, are the poo
pic of this State, prepared to pass a law, de
caring that the children confined in our re
formatory schools must attend only religious
services when conducted by a clergyman o.
the denomination to which they belong, ano
that this membership is to be decided by the
"religious belief " Of the PARENTS as giycr
in the record of the committing magistrate
We hold that the religious convictions Of
the children viii hardly be consulted if those
of their parents are allowed to decide the
question.
When governments of the old world are
shaking off the bonds of priestcraft and
churchly power, let not the new world put
on these cast-off manaces.