The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-02-04
For the Eaton Democrat:
The PuhIic Church.

This is a subject which it seems more than
all others of late to be agitating the minds OF
the quiet people of New Paris, and has, unfor-
tn%nately for the further progress of the swim
die, even penetrated the thick "pates' OF the
obtuce minded farmers of this township. The
proposition now, as presented by the New Pa
ris Mirror, is one involving the interests of
every citizen of the township, proposing as it
does, that the Jefferson Township Trustees in
their official capacity shall form a partner
ship with all the multiplied hundreds of reli-
gious organizations on the face OF the earth,
and thereby create the necessity Of eircum-
navigating the globe that all the known inha-
bitable parts thereof may be reached; that the
consent of all may be obtained whose inter-
ests are effected thereby. This is a business
proposition, conceived by astute gentlemen of
such ponderous magnitude that the ordinary
mind is unable to grasp and grapple with, and
being the offspring of a desire on the part of
some gentlemen to procure a place at the pub
lie expense to blow their "6azO0s" for the ed
~ification of each other. The opposition that
is now being so unequivOcally manifested
against this magnificent scheme of uniting
Church and State, as they term it, all arise
from a want of due appreciation, as they al
lege, of their giant lntellects, know
ledge of the needs of the common herd ofman-
kind, and their Websterian oratorical powers
and fourishes. They have been away down
the dark and difficult labyrinthian winding
passage of Moral, Ecclesiastical, Divine and
Municipal laws to the very. bed rock, and drag
ged up great huge chunks of legal lore, by
means of which the whole world is to be illu-
minated. Having heretofore CROPPED about in
the dark, giving manifold plans and ways by
which a clear and ~undisputed title to the Pub
lie Church property might be obtained, after
emerging out Of the depths from among the old
antedeluvian volumes, up through the wisdom
present time; they burst forth with a new and
infalible title specific with such meteoric bril-
liancy which not only dazzle the eye but be-
wilder the judgment. wholly and totally eclips-
ing the most learned and profound judges and
lawyers. Rannev, Thurman and Chief JUS
tice Waite, have dwindled into insigniicance
and obscurity, never again to be heard of as
great legal lights. With these great cart loads
of legal knowledge all neatly and nicely stow
ed away in their Jeffersonian brains, moving
around and about the streets with the geome-
trical pace, instructing and manufacturing
public opinion. In last weeks EirPOr we find
such a conglomerated, jumbled up mass of
contradictory statements as to clearly indi-
cate that this trio of adventures have no con-
ception of the process necessary in order to
divest those holding title in the Church, and
vest the same in the Township. 1t says: "It
has heretofore been assumed that the proper
ty could not be transferred without a quit
claim deed from the Cochran heirs" Then
in the same paragraph it informs us that the
chest posted, 1.-THE tri0) say that it is not nee
essary, that the building has never been
abandoned or diverted from its original pur-
pose and has never reverted to the heirs, and
have no title to convey, and the ac-
ton proposed will not divert it, and the title
will remain where it now is preserving the
building as a public meeting house," At the
close of their legal conclusions they say: |
is no doubt but that this transfer can
be legally and easily effected and thereby the
Of James and Eliza Cochran be main
tanned for years and at the same time the
Township be provided with an elegant and
commodious hail. Transfer what, and to
whom? Why, of course, the Public Church
to Jefferson Township. You mean this or
you mean nothing. Then has it not been di-
verified from its original purpose and object
of the grantors, James and Eliza Cochran?-f
How will you maintain the bequest after trans
ferring the title to the township? In almost
The same dash of the pen you say that you
will and you won't transfer, is not to be d.
verted and it is to be diverted. What do you
mean by this contradictory, incomprehensible
mass of incongruities? Only that foolish and
absurd partnership which has been cropping
out all along the line, and is to be "formula-
ed" by the trio by which the churches and
township are to become joint owners and pos
SCISSORS, holding that the words public Meet
ng House" under a liberal construction
means all kinds of meetings. If this be true,
hen it is no diversion and the house is equal
y free to the meetings of robbers, thieves,
nurderers and the libertine and harlot! Are
he people of this township willing to accept
his as the correct construction to be given to
he deed of bequest of James and Eliza Coch-
7. P.