Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-08-31
The School Question.


The School Question.
The Democratic House of Repre-
sentatives in Washington has beer
guilty of trickery, hypocrisy and Gun
, ming in dealing with the public schoo
question. The Democratic member,
of the Senate of the United States
|. have shown by their votes that the
Democratic party will do nothing to
protect our free public schools from
the attacks Of certain religious sects
which desire their destruction.
The assertion of Catholics that
justice and equality demand that 8
portion of the public school fund
should be given to the support OF
their parochial schools, has been fire.
quent and persistent. The denunci-
alton of our free school system as
Infidel and Pagan by Catholic news
papers and periodicals has been out
spoken and virulent. By the passage
in New York of the "Gray Nuns
Act" and in the approval of that
measure by Samuel J. Tilden, the
Governor, had been shown disposi
tion on the part of the Democratic
party to yield to the demands of a
religious sect. In the early months
of 1875 in Ohio, the same powerful
party, under threats of the withdraw
al of the support of the Catholics
and by virtue of q promise OF the
''unbroken solid vote of the Catholic
citizens" enacted the famous Geghan
law.
These things have aroused in the
minds of the people fear that sooner
or later religious sects may succeed
in securing a division Of the school
fund among themselves, and the con-
segment destruction of our free public
schools. Hence a demand which
must be recognized as the voice of
the people, has been made that pro-
vision shall be added to the Consti-
tuition of the United States, which
shall make our public schools i'm
pregnable against the assaults of re-
ligious sects and remove the fire.
brand from the arena of politics.
In his last annual message to the
Congress of the United States Presi-
dent Grant recommended shat no
sectarian tenets shall ever be taught
in any school supported in whole or
in part by the State, Nation, or by the
proceeds of any tax levied upon any
community"
On the 14th of December, 1875,
Hon. James 6. Blaine, Republican,
offered in the House of Representa-
tives the following proposed amend
ment to the Constitution, which was
Immediately referred to the Judiciary
committee:
ResolUed By the Senate and House
Of Representatives., That the follow
ing be proposed to the several States
of the Union as an amendment to the
Constitution:
ARTICLE 16. No State shall make
any law respecting an establishment
Of religion or prohibiting the free ex
ercise thereof; and no money raised
by taxation in any State for the sup
port of public schools, or derived
from any public fund therefor, nor
any public lands devoted thereto,
shall ever be under the control of
any religious sect, nor shall any mon
ey so raised or lands so devoted be
divided between religious sects or de-
nominations. See Congressional Re
cord of December Is.
For months the Democratic major
ity of this committee and of the
House permitted the amendment of
Mr.. Blaine to remain quietly in the
files of the committee. About five
months afterward the National Re-
publican Convention was held in Gin
cinnati, and recognizing the justice
of the demand which was everywhere
being made for the protection of the
schools from all possible dangers,
adopted the following recommended
tion:
Z. The public school system of
the several States is the bulwark of
the American Republic, and with a
view to its security and permanenee
we recommend an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States
forbidding the application of any
public funds or property for the ben
eft Of any schools or institutions uu-
der sectarian control.
At last, on the 4th of August, 1878,
after more than seven months of hes
itation and waiting, the Democratic
Judiciary committee reported back to
the House the Blaine resolution, but
not until it had been so amended as
to rob it of all meaning, virtue and
force. 1t was in the words follow
ing:
Resolued By the Senate and House
Of Representatives. Of the United
States Of America an Congress as
sembled (t,oo- thirds Of each House
conemrriasg therein That the fol-
lowing be proposed to the several
States of the Union as an amendment
to the Constitution, namely:
ARTICLE 16. No State shall make
any law respecting an establishment
of religion or prohibiting the free ex
ercise thereof, and no money raised
by taxation in any State for the sup
port of public schools or derived
from any public fund therefor, nor
any public lands devoted thereto,
shall ever be under the control of any
religious sect or denomination, nor
shall any money SO raised on lands
80 devoted be divided between re-
| ligious sects or denominations.
This article shall not vest, enlarge
or diminish Legislative power in Con-
gress.
To the Blaine amendment was ad-
ded, by. the Democracy, the proviso:
''This article shall not vest, enlarge
or diminish the Legislative power of
/ n 4 "