Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-09-09

ligion have no quarrel. l have no
prejudice against it as a religion. L
have some devoted friends who profess
its teachings, and | respect them be-
cause they are good men. / am not
bigOted against any form of religion
In this country every man has secured
right to worship God according to the
dictates of his conscience.
But religion is one thing and politics
is another, and when any religious sect
interfereS with the affairs of the State
as religious society, and by its inf1u-
ence seeks to accomplish legislation for
its advantage over other sects, then 1
am ready to join hands with all free
men to overthrow the party which will
lead itself to break down our institu-
tions for the mere sake of political sue
cess.
!! The Catholic newspapers all over the
State have openly declared their hostiI-
ity TO our public schools, and the same
papers have pledged the support of the
Catholic vote to the Democratic party.
Taking these facts together it looks like
an alliance for purpose, and l think
the Republican party was justified in
declaring their firm adherence to
school system so dear to US as people,
when it was threatened with danger in
the future.
But the Democratic leaders deny that
there was anything written or publish
ed upon which to base such a presump-
ton, and raise the cry of religious in-
tolerance,
l will quote as a sample very few
of the expressions of the Catholic pa
pers OF our own State, which will satis-
fy any responsible man that something
was said to justify the presumption. I
quote from the Toledo Catholic Re-
view:
The Catholic vote should be cast
solidly for the Democracy at the COM
ing election. 1t is the only possible
hope to break down the school system
This is bold and plain and outspoken,
and shows exactly where the reliance
of the enemies of our free schools is
placed, and what is expected of the De.
mocracy if they succeed.
The Catholic Telegraph, published
in Cincinnati, speaking of our schools,
said:
1t will be glorious day for Catho-
lies in this country when, under the
laws of justice and morality, our school
system shall be shivered to pieces.
Until then modern paganism will tri-
umph.'
And this same paper, which gave ut
terance to this sentiment, said a few
months ago:
The unbroken, solid vote of the
Catholic citizens of this State will be
given to the Democracy at the fall elec-
tion.'
And the same paper, published only
last Thursday, August 26, in referring
to the very able and exhaustive speech
of Judge Taft, at Cleveland, reiterates
the same sentiments in more emphatic
terms. Being the organ of the Arch
bishop, it assumes to own the political
conscience of every layman within the
Catholic fold, and speaks for them ac-
cordingly. The editor of the Telegraph
does not say the Catholic vote should
be cast solidly for the Democracy at the
coming election as does the Toledo
Review, but being the oracle, and
speaking as one having authority, and
not as the scribes, says, The unbroken,
solid vote OF the Catholic citizens 1cin
be given to the Democracy this fall.'
Now happen to know that. this ar
rogant assumption is not warranted by
the facts. l know many intelligent
gentlemen of the Catholic laity who can
not be controlled by the would-be Cath
Olic managers, and who love the COM
mon schools as we'll as any Protestants
in the land, because they were educat.
ed in them, and they will not allow
themselves to be parties toapy bargains
against the public schools; and these
same gentlemen regret and deplore the
iadiscretious of their religious writers
IN this connection, and scOrn their pre-.
tensions to control the votes of Ameri-
can Catholics.
leaders of the Democracy have put
themselves on the record, and they can
not ignore the consequences oftheir un-
holy alliance.
Taking thesr declarations of hostility
to our admirable school system, and ON
the other hand the warm pledges of
confidence and support to be rendered
the Democracy by the avowed enemies
of our schools, and think it is about
time that to be on the alert, and is
about time that all men who love liber-
ty of conscience, whether they have
been know heretofore in politics as
Democrats or Republicans, should go
to the polls and vote solidly against the
enemies of secular education and their
unprinbipled political allies.
The concluding portion of Gen.
YOung's speech was devoted to the pre-
tensions of the Democracy as their
sympathy with the soldiers and color
ed people. He closed by an earnest
appeal to his hearers to take an interest
in the issues presented, to manifest that
interest by work in getting the voters
to go to the polls, and assured them of
q glorious success in October.