The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-02-13
The Geqhan Bib.

Inc repeal Oh GDl6 OIL OF III" HAS SiSoSSA
q good deal of comment, though sometimes
not based on very accurate understanding
of the subject. The Geghsn bill; which we
have heretofore published at length in these
columns, was presented in the Ohio Legis-
lature, passed both houses and was approved
by the Governor. Its preamble sets forth
that conviction of crime and Incarceration
in any kind of public establishment do
not destroy liberty of conscience. Its pro-
visions we're: first, that no person confined
in any such place should be compelled to
attend any kind of worship; and secondly,
that every such person should be permitted
to have zach religious ILLUSTRATIONS as he
should prefer, under proper regulations
looking to convenience.
This law appears reasonable in all re-
spects. Its preamble SCENE to announce
self evident truth, and the enactment mere
" secures the enjoyment of the rights thus
aunoonced. No one can we'll maintain
lat because 3 man is a convict, therefore
he forfeits his own religion and must as
sumo that of the keeper of his prison.
There is no such penalty pronounced by
law for any offense as loss of religious
liberty. 1t has always been thought that
loss of bodily liberty went far enough in
that direction. The law not providing for
any such penalty, why should it be in
f1icted Indeed, it could not be inflicted
if the wretched convicts and other priso-
ners had means or influence en- ough to en-
force their rights and redress their wrongs
! before courts of Justice.
1t appears that outrages upon these most
sacred rights were 80 common and 80 glazing
in the prison life of Ohio, that the law above
referred to was passed in order to afford a
protection which its unfortunate beneficial
ries could not otherwise secure. Prison
keepers in Ohio were especially religious
people. They insisted that everybody else
should be religious, but also that it should
be after the fashion of Themselves, the
keepers. They merely exemplified the we'll
known propensity of certain men when
vested with little brief authority. There
is an ignoble vein of character which besets
poor humanity and which in particular
specimens of our race develops into full
fedged tyranny and contempt of others
rights. Your prison keeper, though petty
despot at beet, can be most crushing one
His wards are hundred times worse of
than slaves, for they cannot even take refuge
in flight from cruelties which are not moder
ated in his rule by sense of ownership
as they are with the slave-owner.
But it seems that not only did the prison
keepers of Ohio luxuriate in this petty ant
malignant religious despotism, but tn
public enjoyed the spectacle amazingly
The Ohio public, as majority, sympathiz
ed with the prison keepers and wanted Their
to have the power of violating the right
of conscience as they had been doing. Th
, public therefore set up general howl {
f rage at the passage of the Geghan Law
@ The liberal, republican, Protestant, cen
q tennial, Ohio public had certain Catholics
men, women and children, in a tight place
or rather in number of tight places, an
" it showed the profound sincerity of il
g professions of religious federation b
" gloating over the idea of forcing its Pre-
II testant worship on them.
r. The howl prevailed. Politicians are gel
IA orally more of the stripe of Pontius Pila
| Gl4N OF SCs hb"IcuCS GuO DAoANJ CIV VI
r Ohio politicians did not take long to thro
~ up the sponge. The Geghan Bill tcas =
peaIed WITHOUT DEBATE.
"a We can make no comment upon th
NJ legislative phenomenon, or phenomen
legislation, 80 pointed and significant as q
IA following clipped from our esteemed c
IT, temporary, the Cincinnati Telegraph
The repeal of the Geghan law, says the CT
p cinnati Commercial does not exclude t
to Catholic clergy from entering BENEVOLENT q!
penal institutions, and giving religious
struction to the inmates of their persuasic
~ We iodge of the future by the pest; Bef i
IS Svmen we're rigidly and insultingly exclud
ill from public institutions. They we're in soI
no cases spurned like dogs from the thresho
. The managers of these institutions allow
e. only the religious worship that pleased the
bs selves. As they were all Protestant, Catho
o inmates were not only refused the services
'ef u Catholic priest, but were compelled to
sist at Protestant Worship. The Commercial