The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-07-20


bear some blossoms in the future
that would have ripened into health
ful fruit. President Garfield, man OF noble
instincts and of most generous heart and
loving nature, would no.-could not have
been ipdff rent to this course Of our state,
aud would have-must have manifested at
no distant day a telling appreciation Of his
feeling toward us. He would have been
lower than human had he felt and done
less. We had luckily put our beat foot
foremost, snd;bumanit's offerings were in
comple,est harmony with tho best Of policy.
We had but to wait TO see the harvest ripen
from the seed we had sown.
But we apprehend that the action Of the
governor will chill the current of the presi-
Dental thought, and destroy ali the good
that was so close within our grasp. When
all the other governors Of these southern
states, all democratic, had joined in concert
in general wish prompted by liberal
sentiment, we cannot help regrettiug that the
Lone Star State, should be- the alone state no,
to acquiesce. Nor are the reasons rendered
by the governor Of consistent char
scter. Our special telegram asserts
that he telegraphs to Governor Foster tina,
he Seems it Inconsistent to issue aprocsma-
ton directing religious services whore church
ana state are, and ought to be kept, separate
in their funciions." Acting upon this prin.
cipe, why does the governor appoint Il day
of general thanksgiving and payer rs pro.
vided for by the statutes of tho state
1t the general government may
appoint one, and the state con.
form to it in the selection, for general
policy. why cannot the citizsns MS q
whole acting through their execu-
tives, select day without any
special infringement of the principle involved
in the church and state argument Again,
there is nothing obligatory, nothing enforced
upon the people. They may close their
places of business and opening their
churches, attend the services or not,
just MS they may elect An oppor.u-
nifty of general, uniform sort and time, il
by such "A proclamation rendered them.
This Is all, only this and nothing more.
jew and GENTLE CIVILIZED, and heather
Chlnee, may or may not regard the requests;
the rule applies to all alike, and we fail to
see wherein tho state shall suffer by the
church in such matter. Again, if the gov
ernor is so precise Us TO li,oral observance
OF the law, wherein will he fnd his justitlcs-
ton, when, for instance, no orders the school
apportionment of tho available fund for the
lb.h Of July, when the statutes arc distinc.
in requiring that 1t shall be made ION or
before the lst of July Of each and every
year" We might here say much mcrs, but
Wa fancy wo have set out enough to evidence
what We believe to DO the very universal
sentiment of her people, as to
the anomalous position of Texas
on this excellent opportunity. That the
governor may DO of little faith in tho efficacy
OF prayer, assuming that it will avail herein
no better results than what comes from those
soliciting the emigration of grasshoppers
cotton worms etc, may all TO true, but this
line Of argument il out Of the record, and we
huya N N nj, ht M, tr.ual ka,n,l &, &
ply to his argument. Ga general tn, DRY he
may be right 10 the abstrac,,
but when a custon is 80 universally prac-
ticed that tho slightest deviation from il, Is
productive of i'll and not special advantage,
we arc scarce y excusabie in insisting on ii. Ii
!! is quite general TO wear black clothes and
Grape at aiuners', it would be distinctly out
OF place to array ones sOlf in penitentnr,
striped knee breaches, with n circu, olowa's
cap. The cae put is IN extreme one Der.
hsps, but the principle Involved is identical.
We are 20 advocate of he', worship, but if
to follow tho custor praying for the
chief head Of our nation Wen no isin health
and to observe ono day in ,hs wear, OF thanks
giving and prayer, DO my less dangerous than
fixing simultaneous tme for those WILLING
to pray for him when in extreme danger of
life, we utterly fail to perceive tho logical
neAus. If tho latter threatens a dreaded Co.
alition or conflict of churih and state, then
tho sooner We enact law prohibiting the
former, tho better for this governmen. ,hs,
has been' it would thus 'com, sleeping on the
brink Of m erup,ive volcano.
P.S.-Since the above was in type, q
largo and enthusiastic laoe,ing has been held
here disappearing the course of the gov
ernor, and resolving that this city do observe
sdsy for thanksgiving as shall DO indicated
by tho states. as per the suggestion OF Gov.
ernor Eoater Tha ciiv ,,,no,i a.. -,