The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-01-15
Ger, nz Stsr and Catholic messenger.
TIE GEGHAN Bill TO BE REPEALED.
Says the Cleveland, Ohio, Unirerse:


As might have been expected from the
rawlings Of last autumn, the Geghan Law Is to
be repealed. What is to be repealed we know
not. The son of an apostate is the hrst to cry
ont for this retroactive measure Bot look to
the Bill of Rights. The so called Geghan Law
seventh section of that instrument declares.
Is that seventh section TO be blotted out' Is
Ohio ro stand reproved by Republican Massa-
cbusetts, Illinois and Minnesota, each of which
cav the niece salty of q law like that which our
wise aud Tolerant Legislators at Colum bus
would r.p-ali Is the spirit of un-Americsn
Destinations in the face Of the Catholic priest 2
Shall the inmates, the children of crime or
miBfortuno, be again subjected TO the torture
Of the proselytiSerf Shall their crime or 1 their
and deprive them of the greatest consolation.
that Of their religion Here again We demand
equality. Even under the GeRhan Law we
did not obtain it. Protestant ministers recei we'd
and will continne TO receive State salaries for
their ministrations in State Institutions. This
ask not, because we kuow it 10 be uncon-
stitutiOnal. But for the comfort and Teforma-
ton of prisoners aud Statewaras, our unpaid
priests shall. in the anne of right, justice and
the Constitution, demand equal rights with
the paid preachers OF other denomi nations 10
enter State institutions and sdmi mister such
religions consolation as their Church ordaips
TO and for those of their flock therein detained,
whether prescott Legislature stultify itself
by repeating the Geghan Law or not. But let
il be kept on record that this law gave US no
special right more than the Constitution
guaranteed. Let it be remembered that we
have never abused our privileges or In the least
interf-red with the right of others Let it not
be forgotten that the Geghan Law has not
aided dollar to the xston of the state. bot
Ivy tending To give unpaid chaplains TO State
institutions would tighten our heavy burden by
thousands of dollar
The Columbus Columbian, fires lot of hot
small shot at Mr.. Burns, the leader of the re-
pesiers:
MI Burns is at it already. On Tuesday this
son OF an Irishman introduced bill into the
House repealin "tbe Bill to secure liberty of
consc fence to prisoners" etc, in the State of
Ohio-known az tho Geghan Bill. We shsll
see what sincerity there is in the Republican
profession of equal rights to all, Irrespective
OF creed color.
The bitterest haters of the Catholic Church
apostates. They say that this man Burns,
or OByTne, from Richland county. IL apos-
tate, or the son of apostate. He is the one
in Tt. Senate who wants to repeal the Bill
securing liberty of conscience to all persons
detained in Ohio prisons.
The public is particularly notified that Sena-
tor Burns Ia not a brother or an uncle of the
respectable hack man Peter O'Byrne. So far
Peter has had nutaruished name, and he
wishes to maintain it, He has never voted for
any lag to take away liberty of conscience
and never intends to.
What is the use OF freedom, If not
fFee to take away somebody elses liberty of
Conscience That is what Senator Burns says
when he wants to abolish lib srty of conscience
in the prisons.
The signs are that the Ohio General Assem-.
bly,, now sitting, is going to teach Catholics
that they have no rights in this Common
wealth. Anyhow we Gao console ourselves by
remembering What good fellows We were during
the late war!