The New York herald., 1878-10-27


crease, tho feeling OF Methodist people should be-
more and more intensified 10 appropriate one day
IN each year to the John Street Anniversary.
THE NATIONAL LIBERAL LEAGUE.
FREE THINKING AND oBsCENITY-GoD AND
NOT.
This semi-poitcal, scmrelisious organization
opened its second national congress in Syracuse,
r., yesterday, and will continue its session also to-
day. Wieting Opera House, where the congress
meets will seat 900 persons and is excelenty pro-
vlded with couveniences for such convention.
Among the objects OF this congress or con-
venton AN inquiry into the propriety Of nominating
candidates Tor President aud Vice President OF tho
Unied States; the most effective methods 10 pro-
mote state secularization ana thus counleract
recognition OF God and tnc right OF The
Boie to be real In the public schools as a book Of
divine. a.v,ns authority inserted ~ the eons''ta.ol; me
inspection and what some persous stigmatlze as the
Tree transmission OF obscene literature through the
mails Tho convention win be made up OF delegates
rsm hitysx local leagues tnrought the country. lhe
present officers, F. f. Abbott, president; ". II. Ham
Ter, secretary; j. A. j. Wilcox, treasurer, and d. g.
Grandon. chairman Q! me Finance Commitee are not
considered quito radical enough IN Their views on
The obscene literature questions TO suit certain
liberals, who are wirepulng 10 oust them
and put in new oncers at tho ensuing Congress.
Hence these gentlemen issue card IN which
they offer themselves tor Reelection. In this
they dedne their ''prncipes' wnicn are non-inter
ference by the Courts with any mans opinions all
POLITICAL social religious questions; the rgnt and
duty OF Congress ana OF State Legislatures to pass
laws 10 suppress obscene literature and 10 exclude
such literature from the mails. provd the offence
known as obscenity shall be properly defined. But
they opposed TO the present uous pnrasco
ogy OF those laws and the wrong OF nrusting
the execution OF such laws any sponsibe ndiv
dual II those pr,nc,pies are net endorsed by the
National Liberal League then those officers decline re-
election.
A rRKK FIELD FOR oBscExIrY.
m tha n N
house between Ccmstock and nbery," and hence
tney demand the Immediate, unconditional and per-
manent repeal oil all laws against obscenity, wheLucr
municipal, state or national no Index organ Of
the conservatives (Abbott Co)-cannot SEQ how the
involves u violation Of tho freedom Of the press.
There are fitysix local leagues different parts OF
OF these eight are located IN New England, tnirleen
~ New YORK city and State, three IN Kansas and
ind,ann, ioar in Wisconsin, two each in
limos and Michigan. three In Ohio,
MA, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa ana Texas. A new
league has jus been organized IN syracuse. The re-
cent arrest OF Mossrs. Bennett and Haywood, AZ Wat
kins N. Y, has given fresh impulse 10 the liberals
and they Will make the most OF II Al their ensuing
convention. ne general object OF tho National LIB
erai League Is 10 accomplish the total separation OF
Church state, TO the end that equal rights In re-
ieion, genuine morality in politics, and freedom,
virtue and brotherhood IN all human lie may be
| established, protected ana perpctuaied.
A CORES spondeni, writing from Lancaster, Pa, OK
presses his opinion to TINS paper that the idsai which
mas been oDgeu Tor by the best OF all clvinzed
nations is the religion OF humanity which the iree
thinkers ana liberals profess He thinks that II the
nioierant representatives OF tne Church had tne
power to-day iney would not allow ircc thought, but
would persecute its advocates with all the rlg0r OF
the middle ages Our correspondent IL the same let
censures the HERALD tor paragraph 1t contained
recently on tho Watkins, y. r., Free rhinkers Con-
venioD. But though he dcmands "fair play" Tor tae
Watkins Convention, he has none Tor the HERALD
winch published the material iacts connected WIN
that gathering and the action resulting thercirom
He evidently 0id not read what was published or he
would not dip his pen IN vinegar instead OF ink 10
wrtc We should not have tried, he thinks, to
s.wound the feelings o those who arc honestly de-
voted u faith handed down by tradition and
cherished Tor It's good qualities" We loss
tins has TO do with free thinking,
which by its very constitution takes nothing from
tradition and refuses The Hammeis OF iaith VI any
sort And while "Fair Play' is thus defending
species OF modern inhdelity ne procaims himself a
disciple or ortnodox faith. Consistency, thou art
jewel"
THE LATE BISHOP ROSECRANZ.
Al meeting OF the Alumni Association OF st.
Jonn's College. tho following resolutions were unAa
| n1.