New-York tribune., 1876-01-21
,SECT1PIAN CANDIDATES.


preston, dccpens. 1t is beginning TO be I'M
| derstoOd that no man can be candidate for
President of the United States whose religious
faith, church connection, carly training, changes
in belief. views of doctrine, and hereditary
leanings are not fully set before the pubic,
and entirely satisfactory to everybody. There
may be doubt as to a candidates views OF the
currency question it may not be definitely
known whether he is for hard or soft money !;
that we can get along with; but we must
know how he says his prayers. He may be
foggy on the tariff question, but he must be
clear and pronounced on the question of
transubstantiation and the real presence. He
may not have made up his mind
on the question of civil service reform, but he
must hold positive views on the subject OF
REORGANIZATION and free will. His opinions
upon reconstruction may be uncertain ana
various, but we must know mt any rate
whether he goes for the perseverance OF tne
saints or believes in falling from grace. lie
may be non-committal on the third-term
question: but there must he no doubt about
his views of apostolic succession. lie may or
NAV not be in favor of the next war; but he
must not be uncertain or vaclllatlng In his
opinions upon baptism and communion. We
hardly care whether his father was
pirate or book agent or whether
he himself began hfe as bOOtblack
and grew to be an Alderman but we
must know what religious faith he was
brought up in, and what kind of Sunday
school he attended. And, more than all things
else, it must be understood that no man can
run for the Presidency who IL not rooted and
grounded i'll uncompromising hostility to the
Scarlet Woman and the Pope. No matter
if he uses profane language III large and
polysylabc manner, or chews two papers oi
tobacco per day. or plays draw poker " for
keeps" or drinks inferior stimulants, or bets
on horse races or attends the theater, or holds
Credit Mobilier, or pockets back pay, or bribes
voters, or tells lies, or takes bnbcs-no matter
for that-but he must, he must be "ag'in' the
"Pope."
President Grant can be candidate. He is
is "ag'in' the Pope.n He attends the Method
ist Church and has been nominated by Bishop
Haven. Mr.. Blaine was talked OF little
while ago, but it was said his fathers family
at one time leaned toward the Pope, and Of
course that wouldn't do. We are happy to
say that the report was untrue Dr. James
King of Pittsburgh, Penn, writes to The Ga
.ette of that city To say that he has known
Mr.. Blaine and his family for n long time
and that Mr. Blaincs father camo from
"wcll known and distinguished Carlisle family
"of the old Colonial and Revolutionary stock
Ga family specially marked IN all Its
branches for strict adherence TO the Prcsby-
"terian faith" Dr. King was member of
the Faculty of Washington College when Mr.
Blaine was n student there and he says
the latter was a constant attendant upon the
service of the Presbyterian Church that he
believes il to be true that he never missed
attending church a single Sunday during his
college course, and that there was no Catholic
church in the town. DR.. King adds that
% Mr.. Blaine simply followed the traditionary
faith of his fathers family, and when, in his
early manhood, he settled in New England
L" ne naturally attended tho Orthodox Congre-
" eational Church, of which he has been q
" member for more than twenty years" Tins
would almost seem to let III Mr. Blaine
az candidate, except for the admis-
sion in DR.. Kings letter that his mother
was of prominent Catholic family
n fact which he thinks has given rise to all
the public gossip about Mr.. Blaine himself
having been q Catholic at some time in his
! life. Ii should be stated that Dr. Hing does
/ not approve the tone of political discussion
that renders the publication OF such details
| necessary but since the question has been
raised he deems it proper that the actual facts
should be stated We fear the Doctor has
| laid himself open to criticism by this expres-
sion Of disapproval of the methods resorted to
| by the able and intelligent persons who are
| engaged in circumvcnting the Pope. And we
| are not quite sure that the admission that Mr..
| Blaine's grandparents on his mothers side were
! Catholics will not be fatal. 1t has not been
definitely decided yet how far the taint
reaches, whether to the second or only the
first generation. We cannot be too careful in
guarding against the Vaccinations Of the
Pope" They are said to be "insdious."
Still we think we are safe in saying that Mr..
Blaine is now fairly launched as a Presby
teIan candidate With Grant running as a
Methodist and Blaine as Presbyterian, we
may consider the denominatIonal canvass fairly
under way. Will anybody lead us out now n
Baptistf Then, to make it lively, we should
have an EpiscOpalian, Congregationalist, a
Unitarian, Universalist, Quaker-well, say
one of each kind that's "ag'in' the Pope"
And what an animated discussion that will be
in the National Convention, as the Bishops
and Elders and DeacOns and Influential Lay
men present the claims OF candidates and
dilate upon the great doctrinal questions which
divide the sects. Lead out your candidates,
gentlemen Only two denominations in the
field thus far!
SCANDAL IN Alaska -
An extraordinary report made by Gen. o. o