National Republican., 1876-01-06
DE S MONIES A A NJ

the Chicago school board to which we have re-
ferred, gives voice to the following observations
Of common sense:
The Government has no more right to teach
the Bible that It has to teach the Koran. My
idea is that the Government did, in its earlier
life, run according TO sort OF Christian common
law; but now the number OF Jews, Catholics and
infdels ha: become 50 greatly increased, the
constitutional ides that all men are rellgiously
equal. Even the genius Of the country permitted
the teaching Of the Bible should doubt the pro.
prIety OF continuing the custom, because no valu-
able moral results can ever come from reading q
few verses hurriedly in school house, and social
striies viii be continually springing up out Of the
practice.
The Government then, according to the Pro-
fessor, has no rights in the spiritual domain-a
proposition which We have been condemned to
universal derision for maintaining, and yet one
that is selEeyident to any person who will pause
for a moment to consider our Institutions.
An ardent advocate of what are called liberal
principles, commenting upon the position OF Prof.
Swing, very properly styles 1t the only one de-
fensible. The
PURPOSE OF THE LIBERAL LEAGUE
lie, uuquestionably, to procure the complete seeu.
lariZation of our public schools, which would, Of
course, be as unjust toward Catholic Taxpayers
as any other system. This class 10 no less hostile
to justice and true liberty than any other set Of
meddlers. Nevertheless, It is not little anus
ing to see the unmistakable fear with which 1t
regards the issue Of the present anti-Catholic
policy. 1t waves, as its flag Of hostility to the
Catholics, the threadbare pretext that We are
secretly opposed to all education 1t is not neces-
sary for US to repeat the indignant denial and
protest, with which we have ever met this grstui-
tous calumny. Wequote from the Boston Inder
Of October IS:
The public school system is to-day In the
greatest danger, not go much from the fact that
is ODRniy attacked from Wfth0ut nv thA (vatha.
lies. as from the fact that great inherent tnjus
tiee to all -Protestants is made part and par.
What is built on wrong is built on the sand: and
our school system will certainly fall In ruins by
and BY unless 1t can be grounded on equal jus.
When the avowed heather, who reap the
fullest harvest, fear for the destruction Of our
present unjust system Of education, on the
ground that It is too iniquitous to last 10 It not
time for people who call themselves Christians to
give q moments heed to the petition which we
have for years addressed to them, as most advan-
tageous to all OF Us, and as doing injustice to
none?
1t sppears, however, that this ides has inil-
trated into other minds. Zion's Herald, Meth
odist journal, quoted by the liberal paper to
which We have referred, says:
The State deals only with temporal affairs,
and does not attempt TO usurp spiritual functions.
cation are wholly secular, but by no means neces.
sarily, or at all, immoral or irreligious. On the
contrary, they are decidedly favorable to piety
and morality. But composed denominstiolally
70 Inn isp.1s sdu:.0n @ s1ss X. 0daa1 aomsSs
such an attempt should be made the community
would be in conflict ast what form It should
take 1t may be conceded, without danger per-
haps, that the state should not teach ethics, ex-
cep 90 far as the great fundamental principles Of
morals and politics, as to which All Americans
are agreed, are concerned. The religious educa-
tion OF children may and should be remitted to
the family, the Sabbsth-school and the Church
the natural and dIvinely. appointed guardians Of
religion and ethics.
In the face Of this growing Acknowledgement
of the sectarian" character OF our public schools
and knowing that they must give religious In
struction or else be pagan and atheistical," We
are pleased to hear the demand that "neither
the State nor nation, nor both combined" shall
support such schools.
The fact Is, that people cannot wholly escape
from It's national traditions without forgetting Its
language or undergoing some violent revolution.