Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-09-08

|
impregnable against the assaults Of relig-
Gus sects and remove this fire-brand from,
the arena Of politics.
In his last annual message to the Con-
greSs Of the United States, President @ RANT
recommended "that no sectarian tencts
shall ever be taught in any school sup
ported in whole or in part by the State,
Nation, or by the proceeds OF any tax lev
led upon any community"
On the 14th Of December, 1875, Hon.
JAMES G. BLAINE, Republican, offered
in the House Of Representatives the follow
ing proposed amendment to the Constitu-
ton, which was Immediately referred to
the Judiciary Committee:
Resolced by the Senate aud House of Reprs.
sent"tiVes, That the following be proposed tn the
several states Of the Uuion as au amendmsn
to the Constitution:
ARTICLE 10. No State shall make anv law
respecting an establishment Of religion or pro D..
| hibiting the free exercise; thereof; aud no
money raised by taxation In any State for the
support Of public schools, or deri we'd from an r
public fund therefor. nor any public lands
thereto shall ever be under the contrl Of nm v
religious sect, nor shall any m iucy so raj scd
/ or lands 81 devoted be divided between relig
| iuus sects Or denominations. ISee Congress
sional Record Of December l5l.
For months the Democratic majority OF
this committee and of the House permit
ted the amendment Of Mr.. BLAINE to re-
main quietly in The files of the committee
About five months aftcrwari the National
Republican 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
recommendation
Z. The public school system Of the several
States is tho bulwark nf the American Repub-
lie, and with view to its security aud permn-
nence we recon mend an amendment to the
Constitution Of the United states forLiidinr
the application Of any publ funds or property
| ioT The benefit OF any schUOlsUr institutions uu-
der srctaran control.
AT last, on the 4th of August, 1876, al
ter more than seven months of hesitation
and waiting, the Democratic Judiciary
Committee reported back to the House the
BLAINE resolution, but not until il had
been so amended as to rob it of all mean
ing and virtue. 1t was in the words fol.
lowing:
Rrs'irei by he Senate ond Hnmse of Repre-.
sentntires of the United St,fes of America ii
Congress assembled u,eo hirds Of each House ean
curing dierein). That the following be pro
posed to the several States OF the Uniun as an
amendment to the Constitution, namely:
ARTICLE Is, No State shall maze any law
Iro.y Nt,,ar I. IL
! hIblting the free exercise thereof AMI no none v
raised by taxation in any State for the support
| OF public schools ur derived from any pnbli
| fund therefor, nor any public lands devoted
thereto, shall ever be under the control nf any
| religious sect or denomination nor shall Anv
money so raised ON lands so devoted DO d vided
between religious sects or de nominations.
This article shall not vest, enlarge or dimin-
ish legislative pnwcr in Congress.
To the BLAINE amendment was added
by the Democracy the proviso: "This mr.
ticle shall not vest, enlarge or diminish the
legislative power of Congress" What
bosh! To a great people who were demand
ing that the tuGa mental laws of theii Gov.
ernment should be so amended as to relieve
our tree schools from all danger OF attack
by any religious sect, the Democratic
House said by this proposed amendment
You can have an amendment, but you
can have no legislation or power to en-
force its provisions" To the Grea,
Church, whose unbroken, solid vote this
party desired and expected, the Democrat
ic House said by this proposed amendment,
"We are your friends. Examine our
amendment. 1t means nothing. By it We
will quiet the fears OF the friends of free
schools, but at the same time they hal no
more power than they had before" When
were duplicity and cunning ever more cx
pertly practiced in aid OF Jesuitism than
in this action Of the Democratic House Of
the United States =?
Fortunately this Democratic cunnino
fraud had to pass through the crucible of a
Senate, of whose members a large majority
are Republicans. 1t was referred to the
Judiciary Committee of that body, and on
the 10th of August that Committee report
ed back the following, as n substitute fol
the House amendment
, REPUBLICAN, AMENDMENT.
Resoiced BY the Senate aud House of R,presen
iGtiucs, (twu this DIS Of each House concurripl
therein That the following article be probnseC
to the legislatures Of the several States as al
! amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, which, when ratified by three fnurihi
OF the said Legislatures, shall be valid as
part Of the said Constitutions namely:
ARTIcLElb. M State shall make any law
respecting an establishment Of religiun or pro
q lhEa 4
ious test shall ever BE- required as qualifica
\ ilon to any office or public trust under AM
= State. No public property a nd no public rev
! enue o.. nor any lna Of credit by or under th
, authority Of the Uniied States or any State
, Territory, district or municipal corporation
shall DE appropriated 10, or made or used fu
the support of any school, educational or nthe
: institution under the cnntr0l nf my religion
or anti-rcliginus sect organization or denomi
. nation, or wherein the particular creed or ten
} cts Of any religious or Rnt-relgious sect, or
Ranlzhlon or denomination, shall be taught
= and no such particular creed or teneis shall b.
!. read or taught 10 any school or institution sup
, ported IN whole or part by such revenue or loar
OF credit, and no such appropriation Ur loa n a
!, credit shall be made tn any religious or anti
religious sect, organisation or denomination
Y or to promote its interests or tcnets This aTti
{ cls shall not be construed To prnhibit the read
4 ing ot the Bible in any school or institution
and 1t shall not have the effect to impair ight
Of property already invested.
!, SEC. 2. Congress shall have power by au
!, proprlate legislation TO provide for the pTeven
= ton and punishment Of violations Of ihis al
} ticle.
Here was an amendment that mean
something. The hand of the Jesuit wa
not visible in it. Here wns the protecto
that the friends Of free public schools dc
manded. Upon this proposed nmendmcn
the Senate voted and strange as it ma
seem, the solid" Republican vote was ca,
in its favor, and the "solid" Democrat
vote against it. Upon an issue beng mad
every Republican Senator nrrayed himse
under the banner of free schools, and ever
Democratic Senator voted as the religion
sect whose "unbroken, solid vote" is prom
-. 4 4. :.