Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-08-14
Alexandria,, V a.
MONDAY, AUGUST ID, 1876.

ed ourselves u0laVOraDiy TO lis auO1tion, w Inc
ground that it was altogether unnecessary, and
that it was really intended, by those OF It's sup
porters who saw 10 it anything mare than
niece of political claptrap, to afford an oppor' |
tunity for Inappropriate legislation. oy when
the school systems Of the several States might
h, invaded aod brought uoder the power OF
the General Government. The ouy mau We
had ever heard of, in this section, who propos-
ed that money raised by .axatiou iuany State
for the support Of public schools should BE
ever under the control OF any religious sect or
denomination" ''or" be divided between re'!-
einus sects or denominations, was an errauo
ward politician 10 this city, Ut ultra-radlcal pro.
cIivitics He, when our presen. school system
was about to be adopted, published plat
form in which the division OF the school mon
ey among the different churches, pro rata ior
the establishment Of schools by them was ad.
yocated; but his proposal mel with DO second
80 far az We could hear
It seems, however, that though there Is bar
mony on the subject in this part Of the country,
it has entered as disturbing element into
elections in certain northwestern States, and
for the purpose of removing it from the present
contest, the democrats of the House OF Repre-
sentatives thought it best to adopt the propos.
ed amendment, securing the country against
the only bad effects likely to follow, by prorid.
ing that it should not west, enlarge or dlmlo-
ish, legislative power in the Congress- Ouly
five members voted against it, and they, prob.
ably, as piece of radical bumbug. So much
stress had been laid upon its necessity by the
high priests of the dominaot party, that 1t
might have been supposed that tho Senate
would have passed it Immediately, and let It
20 to the States for confirmation. 1t was III
the very word in which their great leader,
Blaine, had introduced it, aud the only add-
ton made, while it did not give any power to
Congress to enforce it, certainly did not take
any away. But, 10! new light has daWned
upon the radicals. 10 get the question out OF
politics is exactly what they do not want. They
care nothing about the schools, and, would 1t
continue them 10 power. and thus give them
further opportunities Of appropriatng money
raised by taxation" ''or derived from an2 pub
lie fund" to their owe uses they would gladly
turn them over TO any sect or denomination
which could secure for them that much desired
object. They had thought to make capita! out
of the neglect or refusal of the democratic
House to pass the proposed amendment and
they were disappointed. Radical ingenuity,
however, thinks itself equal to the situation
aud the Senate has, by a party vote, ordered
to its third reading, substitute for Blaioc's
pet measure.
The language of this amendment is sweep
ing Beyond the naked reading Of the Bible,
soitl,ont ecplnnation, it forbids any religious
teaching whatever not only in schools, but, al
so, 10 all "other institutions" supported in
whole or 10 part by publictunds. Orphan aSy
ums, aims houses, hospitals, retcrmatories,
prisons; iu fact every kind Of useful or chart
table institution, comes u0der this broad prohi
bitiop, and as the teaching of the ''tcnets' of
any religious reorganization is forbidden, chill
lren deprived OF their parents canuo be taught
the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, II
they happen to be, 10 any way, supported by
public funds, nor can tbe Young Mcu 5 Chris
tiau Association, or any similar organization,
direct the thoughts of the poor, the sick, or the
criminal, 10 any public institution, to salvation
through Christ without violation Of the Con-
stitutioD.
Then comes 10 the clause enlarging the pow
crs of Congress, the only part Of the proposed
amendment about which any Of its advocates
really care. 1t is, to them, another step to
wards Capitalization and opens the door for
the hungry crowd of radical carpet. baggcrs,
male and female, to penetrate the South as
teachers. 1t is the first move in the great
scheme of National School System so ar
IDENTIFY desired by the lmpccunlous, moddlcsome,
and illitcrate crowd who SO lately figured among
US as teachers OF the freedmen. What zap
propriate Legislation" would be at the hands of
a radical Congress, should such one ever again
sit in the Capitol, we can infer from that which
tho fourteenth and fifteenth amendments have
given US. Prevention and punishment would
involve every corner of the land in religious
strife. The bgotcd Protestant would arraign
the humble Sister Of Charity who might hold
up the cruci6x before the eyes of the dying
man; the bgoted Catholic would demand the
punishment of the devoted map who should |
pray with the repentant criminal 10 the prison. |
the equally bigoted in6del would require tha
the minister of the Gospel be excluded irons
the reformatory, and the orphan child be for
bidder 10 lisp prayer. 10 short, all the evils |
which have ever followed legislation on the
subject of religion, would be let loose upon US
"a perfect Pandora's box of devl!ish contr |
ganoes to set friend against friend and brothe! |
against brother. Let US take heed to the
:promptings of common sense in this matter.
The parents whose children are to be educated, |