The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-08-21
GEN. GARFIELD AND MR.. coLFAx.

Religion and politics do not go very
well together in America. They
don't mix successfully. Where gov
eminent don't NEEDLE with religion,
why religion and sects have no bust
ness bringing their little creeds and
sectarian notions into politics.
Know, nothingism," twenty odd
years ago undertook to prescribe one set
of Religionists by playing on the preju-
dices of another set of religious people
and on the friction of those supposed
prejudices to ride Il lot of politicians
into power. 1t was worse "snowed
under" than any party that was ever
heard of on the continent. Perhaps
the-most useful lesson taught by that
experiment in American politics was
the great principle Of libemlity and
liberation that was shown to underly
the thought of the great masses of the
American people.
1t would be well for politicians now
1t is worthy of thought and even more
valuable to be steadily remembered.
Now Gen. Garfield's managers in
momentary forgetfuness of the phi
losophy of the epoch just alluded TO,
on last sunday at Chatauqua exhibit
ed that gentleman, land public char
acter,) to an immense camp-meeting
He was introduced by gushing func-
tiOnary as "our brother in the LOrd'
and United States Senator and
speech was Justify demanded. But to
Gen Garfields credit, it must be said
he declined to make speech, he even
refused to make speech as long us
those he dropped from his car platform
on his celebrated railroad tour. But
he stood on the platform at the camp
meeting as a show for everybody to
look at. And the same gushing fame
tionary, Gen. Garfields "Spiritual
Brother" had a series Of handkerchief
saIutes extended in fraternal man.
ner to the General and Brother, and
afterwards permitted his hand to be
shaken until it was nearly worn off at
the wrist-band.
But the most interesting feature of
the occasion was the presence Of Mr..
Schuyler CofaX OH the stand.
And if Gen. Garfield felt delicacy
in speaking, Mr.. ColfaX was not re-
strained by,any such delicate scruples.
t+rstt tf ,ofse r1botttt oti
Lord and our religious duties and the |
principles of the party of moral ideas.
And Gen. Garfield was on the plat
form with Mr.. Colfax and the friends |
of the General concluded that it would
not be the proper thing for him to
recognize the latter gentleman. And
accordingly the General turned his
face in another direction and drew up
his burly shoulders and made them
very cold to Mr.. Colfax.
And the only reason for all this
iciness from the genial General Gar
field is that Mr.. COllaX owned at one
time some Credit Mobiler stock, and
at another wrote Il letter to the New
York Herald in defiance of General
Garfield when that General in public
opinion, was supposed to own some of
the same kind of stock.
1t is not probable that this cam
parade is going to help Gen.
Garfield for the best of all reasons,
it ought not to help anybodys political
Not that there is anything
wrong in camp-meetings but because
religion and politics ought to be kept
well separate and apart.
Besides all this it is not decent or
lignitied for the nominee of IL great
party for the Presidency to be running
Ibout over the country making a
how of himself.
Gen. Hancock is setting Gen. Gar
ield most dIgnified and excellent
in this respect.