Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-09-03
Granada. Miss
THE LIBERAL PARTY.
The Proposed Convention at
Cincinnati.
WHEELING, Sept. 9. 70.

| believe from the course Ol the hEt-
ISTER upon all questions in the past,
that it strives TO be fair in its attitude
to all parties, and is a believer in giving
the devil his due" In this belief ! take
the liberty to send some notes on topic
which was discussed editcrially in to-
days issue, and To present some views
little at variance with those there
uttered.
In the first place, the statement that
a call for a convention had been issued
"bv Bob Ingersoll and seven others, m
omne genus, inviting the people OF the
United States and the rest Of mankind
to Il Convention at Cincinnati on the
18th inst, where il will be resolved that
free thought, free speech, free ballot and
free mails must be secured by secular
republic emancipated from church do
mination," is conspiCuOusly unfair,
though apparently truthful. The circu-
lar referred to is sent out by the eight
men whose names are signed to it as
committee of the National Liberal
League of America, and not by the gen.
tlemen in their individual capacities, as
appears from the REGISTERS statement.
The organization they represent is one OF
no small importance, though heretofore
retiring in its operations. The names
of the committee are sufficient vouchers
for its dignity. Among the members
are Mr.. lngersOll; James Parton, the bl-
ographer; Horace Seaver, the Boston
journalist, and b. +. Underwood. The
League they represent has an executive
committeeman in every State and Terri
tory in the Union, and all are men OF
recognized standing The Nice-Presi-
dents of the Association number thirty
one, and among them are such men Us
Hon. f. 2. Hurlbut, of Albany, Hon. q.
W. Julian, Hon. Ehzur Wright and sew
eral other members or former members
OF the National Legislature; w. j. Pot
ter, James Parton and other
prominent authors; Rev. Rob
ert Collyer, Rev. NJ. j. Savage,
and Rabbis b. Felsenthal, OF Chicago;
Max Schlesinger, OF Albany; Isaac VI.
Wise, OF Cincinnati; Elder I. W. Evans
and other ministers; several editors anu
physicians OF note, and such women
as Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson and
Elizabeth Cady Stanton. ! give these
names that any tendency TO belittle this
movement may be made knowingly and
looked upon in the proper light.
The article under consideration is
manifestly written by one who has never
gwen the subject its due consideration.
Some of its statements are notlceably
careless. Speaking of Bob, 1t says
that "when he has filled this job he
will, like Alexander, weep that there are
no more worlds to besmirch." That
Alexander wept for that reason Is fact
that has escaped historians.
Again, "Bob's Calls first, to all who be-
lieve that citizens shOuldnOt bediscrlm-
mated against because OF their religious
or irrelgious opinions.
I'VE believe that the pilgrim fathers
brought this idea over the waters with
them and made it the preteXt not only
for separation from the mother country,
but the establishment OF a government
in which this principle has become the
most prominent and most sacred iea-
ture."
Theoretically, this is true. But il the
writer had remembered Roger Williams
and few other early martyrs in this
land: or Thomas Paine; or ID. vi. Ben
net, now imprisoned for publishing his
ideas on certain questions;-it he had
made himself familiar with the laws in
regard TO mans religious belief in the
different parts of the country, he would
not have written this paragraph.
The editorial remarks in regard 10
the requirement OF an oath in the courts
refute themselves, so strongly that l
need only call attention 10 the fact.
And in conclusion want to enter afeel-
ing protest against such filings as this,
and what goes with it in the article:
III Bob runs the Convention We take
it that one Of the resolutions shall de-
clare that the only criterion for Judging
whether man lies or tells the truth Is
that he loves or hates his wife and chill
dren, which seems te be the sum and
substance OF Bob's religion"
God speed the day when the sum and
substance of every mans religion may
be feeling as high and holy and worthy
10 be called religion as the love OF her
whom he has sworn TO love, cherish and
protect, and of the innocent ones who
are the offspring of his union with her
| do not approve OF the Liberal
Leagues course in all respects. But so
long as il, or any man or set OF men,
acts in accordance to the dictates of its
conscience and does not interfere with
the rights of others, it Is entitled not
only to the protection OF the laws Of the
land and TO equality under them with
persons of other beliefs, but also to that
fair consideration which is conceded to
honorable opponents by all but bigots.