Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-11-04

emnly guarantees the exercise OF relis-
ious belief to all its citizens, and the
fullest personal freedom in regard to
the dictates of conscience. Now there
is not more essential or more pre-
cious liberty than that of parents to
educate their children in the manner
which they think will make them hap
py for time and for eternity. There
fore. the Catholic people, with logical
sequence, claim the protection OF tho
Government so as not to be molested IN
their schools.
5. We say protection. No doubt
justice and equality would entitle the
Catholic people of this country to ex-
emption from taxation for the support
of other schools, or to a share OF the
public school fund in proportion to the
number of pupils in their schools. But
even this claim we are disposed to
waive in your favor.
6. You can have no reason to fear
the effect of our system on the common
wealth, because experience has proved
that the students of our colleges, acad-
emies and schools, are as good and az
useful citizens as those who come out
of your institutions. And in every
other branch Of human action you ad-
NIT the principle of competition and
believe in its beneficial influence, why
should you exclude it from education,
and deprive yourselves of the benefit
which emulation would produce?
Z. We fear that, notwithstanding
this sincere, precise aud solemn dec
laration, there will yet be found fanati.
cal men and political speakers who will
endeavor to excite their hearers by as
serting the imaginary opposition of the
Catholic clergy to the public schools OF
the country. It is one of the misfor-
tunes of this world that it can not get
rid of men who, like Don Quixote, are
perpetually fighting against windmills,
under the plea of imminent dangers to
their fellow men. Such men do not
wish to know the truth, and, though
we repeat it thousand times that we
do not oppose Their schools any mere
than we adore images, or trust more
in the Blessed Virgin than in the mer-
its of Christ, they will thousand times
renew the charge and swear that we do.
We do not expect TO silence such men;
but we appeal to all fair-minded citizens
not to be led astray by the bigoted or
ignorant ranting of mon who would
bind them to their own political ends.
We ask no favor or privilege. All
we ask is to be let alone in following
the dictates of our own conscience,
and you can not refuse this without un-
dermining the constitution and prepar-
ing the way for the loss of the same
freedom for yourselves.
Americans, we are willing to rally
with you under the flag and constitu-
ton, and maintain them with our
blood, as we have done heretofore.
But we can not help fearing that both
are in peril while a large number of
our fellow citizens, in and out of Office,
allow themselves to be Influenced by
fanatical or self-interested politicians,
or by infdel and revolutionary foreign
ers, who come to us with the proud pre-
sense of teaching us what republican
government is, about which they know
nothing themselves. All we ask is that
you will not go to such men to learn
what We aim at, what are our senti-
ments. Give us fair hearing, and re-
ceive this declaration as the sincere ex-
preston of our true principles, which
we make before God and men, actuated
by no other motive than our desire for
the welfare and progress and perpet-
uity of our country, such as the fathers
>k i
should remain.
Your sincere friend and lover of the
American Repubi c,
john B. PuRoE1L,
Archbishop of Cincinnati.