The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-05-14

bible to be read, the Catholics consent
ing to the Protestant version.
The proposition simply amounts TO
this: The expenses of these schools are
to be assumed by the board tor the
privilege of teaching iu them during
certain hours common shool branches,
and outside of those hours the Roman
Catholic catechism is to be taught with
out EXPENSE to the church the Protes-
tant herctics, who are only MT to be
damned, principally footing the bills.
FORBIDDEN by LAW.
Some very unappreciative people in
New York city oppose this proposition in
a protest and memorial to the board OF
education, setting forth the facts that it
would destroy the public school system,
and that it is prohibited by the school
act of 1851. and the charter of the city.
President Nelson of The board, when
asked if the Roman Catholics would re-
cedc from their demand for religious
instruction, replied that IN his opinion
the law settled that point, clearly and
Enthusiastically. No public moneys are
permitted to be devoted to schools
where religious instruction, as favoring
any denomination, is given.
The Buffalo school committee declares
with regard to the proposition in that
city, that sit is clearly beyond the power
of the council to grant the prayer of
the memorirlists :" and adds
The schools are part and parcel OF
our system of state and municipal gov
ernment, and they ought not to be made
subseryient to religious propagandism in
any form or under any pretext.
Those who seek to use the schools for
this purpose, ignorantly or wilfully do
them an injury for when they are di-
verted from their true mission, to great
er or less extent public confidence in
them is shaken and their usefulness i'm.
paired * - The common schools
are neither Protestant nor Catholic; they
are not established and maintained as
nurseries of creeds; they are and ought
to be sustained exclusively for the tut
tion of children in the studies which are
recognized as essential to good bust
ness education. Your committee do not
undervaluc religious training, but this is
not the province of the city or the state
SUBJECT TO SECRET ORDERS
The matter yet stands in allegiance
but if any body supposes the design is
anything short of total destruction OF
the common school system, they deceive
themselves. The proposed compromise
is simply concession to the force OF
circumstances Those who negotiate
with these reverend agents of an infal-
lible pope must remember that they
are bound to extend his dominions by
any and all means. A secret order from
Rome may any day relieve them from a
stipulation prjudicial to the interests Of
the Church.
IT MAKES BAD CITIZENS.
There is an other matter which the
people of this country must face sooner
or later, and they may as well face it
now. An education given or superin
tended by Roman Catholic priests units
children for citizenship of free states
For political purposes it is worse than
none, and if no other could be had, il
would ruin the republic. France, Spain
Italy, Austria and Bavaria-after cen
turtles Of thorough trial--have excluded
Catholic priests from the work of public
institution and other countries are get
ting rid of it as a national curse. W.
do not believe Protestants, Hebrews, OF
religionists will ever quietly permit
a course of instruction which teaches the
infallibility and temporal supremacy o.
an Italian priest, and the precedence o.
his claims over those Of all other ru
lers, to be given to the children at the
public expense. The Roman Catholic:
have now the same right to instruct
their children in their faith that Other
sects have, and they may make all the
proselytes they can from other religions
And with this they had better be con
tent.
PRIESTS PROVOKING A FIGHT.
We lived through the know. nothing
excitement of about twenty years ago
opposed it with all our might, and hoped
never to see bitter religious bigotry
again infused into our political struggles
But if the priesthood of any church at
tack or undermine the system of free
schools which is rooted deeply in Amer
lean polity and interviewer with Amer
lean life, and kept the population o.
Michigan and other states from being
like that of Mexico in ignorance, beg
garry, and crime, then such priesthood
are the aggressors, and must be laugh,
that there are blows to take as we'll al
blows to give. Their sacred robes cease
to be respected as soon as they soil then
with political intrigues and pledges tC
support that political party which prom
ises to mould the laws at the dictatior
of Jesuit clique. A church that sets
out to run" the state will have its his
tory raked up and it's prtensions resisted
by plenty of able men. in the nress ono