Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-15
LITTER FROM MR.. ALLEN.

Me. EDITOR As it is generally under
stood that am the Episcopal minister
referred to in the Winnemucca telegram
published in tho Enterprise on the "a of
March, and as sufficient time has been
given the editors of the papers in our
State to express their opinions respect
| ing the same, and as do not desire to
claim the honor which belongs to an
other, l ask the privilege to state in the
Enterprise that have never organized
nor visited any association in Winnemuc-
| ca and also, that l have no knowledge Of
the cxis.ance of any organization whose
motto is war to the knife and knife to
the hiltn on Catholicism, or whose OBJ
| iect is to oppose the Catholic religion or
| deprive the Catholics of the rights secured
to all citizens, to worship God according
to the dictates Of their concientious con-
! vIctions.
The telegram charges me with another
| heinous act-''throwing aside the cleri-
cal gown and assuming the mock role of
champion Of public school principles.
Our republican institutions are as dear
to my hear. as any ecclesiastical organi-
zation can be. During the dark days of
the last civil war | laid aside my .'cleri-
cal garments" for q while and volunteer
ed to serve my country, wherever and
however needed. | contend that any
one who has charge Of church in the
United States should be a citizen first
and minister next. My first duty has
been. and trust always will be, con-
secrated on the altar of my country.
When our free institutions are attacked
by foes, within or without our borders, |
am ready to defend them, even at the
risk of being called the renegade minis
ter" The free schools of our country
the very ife-blood of our benign institu-
tons and the safeguard OF Republican
Government-are in danger. Clergy
men in the pulpit and on the rostrum
have denounced them and warned their
hearers not TO patronlze or support
them, and even threatened to excom-
municate their church adherants who
continue to send their children to them.
Protestant and Catholic clereymen are
arraysd against our free schools; the
former because the Bible is excluded
from the schools, the latter because it is
retained. In my lecture l have advocated
free unsectarian school system. If the
free school is not to be under any secta-
rian influence. the reading OF the Bible
during school hours must be forbidden.
| have also advocated an amendment to
our State Constitution prohibiting the
appropriation of any portion Of the pub
lie fund TO any sectarian institution
whatever. I am also in favor Of taxing all
church property-even church edifces.
My sentiments, Us expressed in my lee
ture, have been enthusiastically applaud
ed, ana the we'll disposed citizens,
whom the Winnemucca telegram asserts
to be in favor Of giving NE a coat of
''tar and feathers have requested me
to repeat my lecture. and in every place
that l have visited 1 have been heartily
welcomed and Hospitality entertained.
The press has highly commended my
liberal views, and, with the exception OF
few narrow-minded aud intolerant in
dividuals, both Catholics and Professionals
have expressed their appreciation Of the
sentiments embodied in my address on
the school question" Respectfully
yours, GEORGE Is. ALLEN.
Carson, April y. 1876.
i InterDrIse