The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-16
PASSAGE OF THE BLAIR BILL
The Author of the Measure Ends the
Long Debateina Remarkable Speech,
In Which He Says Jesuits Are Freely Using
the Leading Newspapers, and the Senate
Passes the Bill by Vote Of SO to 20.

wAsH1SGToN Feb. 1.-THE Senate bill to
promote the political progress and commercial
prosperity of the American Nation was reported
and placed on the calendar.
Mr. Beck introduced bill to reimburse States
for interest paid money expended in raising
troops for the war of the rebellion. Referred.
The Senate then resumed consideration of the
Blair educational bill and addressed by Mr..
Hale in opposition to 1t.
A paper contributed by a constitutional lawyer
on the constitutional objections to the bill was
read by Mr.. Morgan
Mr. Salisbury spoke against the bill.
The debate was closed by Mr.. Blair in final
argument in advocacy of the bill He spoke of
the opposition made to the bill by the New
York Evening Post the Washington Post, and
.sother organs of Jesuitry." The opposition to
the bill was fight against the common schools
of the country. attempt to subvert the great
system. Soon after the bill passed the last Con-
rress End while it still struggling in the
hands of packed committee in the House of
Representatives, where it was finally strangled,
y Senator had shown to him, and ne had read,
the original letter of q Jesuit priest begging
member of Congress to oppose the bil and to
kill it. The writer saId there was an organiza-
ton all over the country for the destruction of
the bill. and that they would destroy it inevi-
tably. and also. If they had known of it
In season, they could have prevented
Its passage through the Senate They had be-
gun in season this time. but they would not de-
,troy it. Twelve years ago, when he was
member Of the House Of Representatives and
while there was a proposition pending to amend
The Constitution 80 as to prevent the appropria
lion of public money to the support OF sectarian
schools in the country, friend Of his pointed
sut to him nine Jesuits the floor of the House
iog-rolling against that proposition-nine at one
lime. These not, he thanked God, the
Catholic Church. Within the sound Of his voice
were sleeping the remains Of John Carroll and
Charles Carroll, of Carrollton-men who had
been devoted to civil rights and TO true religion;
and against the memory OF those men.
against the great Catholic organization of the
country, he would say nothing, for he vener-
Ated their memory, and he venerated that
great organization, which, in his belief was the
true exemplar of Christianity. He cared not
how far it extended. how widely it's power
was spread. But within that organization was
Jesuit organization which had set out to
troll this country, which had been repudinted by
every country in the old world, Catholic
Protestant, but which had come to America and
was now trying to secure control of this CONT
nent by destroying the public-school system.
The Jesuits had been expelled from the CONN.,
tries of the old world, and the time would come
when they would be looked upon enemies of
this country and when the question of their ex-
pusion would have to be considered. All
through the Norih-God only knew under what
infiuences-the newspapers had opposed the bill
was no longer needed; but he had, for
three or four days read of demon
strations from every State in the South.
sho wing that il was still "a necessity and as
He oka of
Tribune one of the papers which had for years
advocated even the extraordinary appropriation
for the school system of the country, but which
now opposed this bill and denounced it bill
for the promotion of mendicancy What had
produced this changef The Boston Herald had
been for years advocate of the BILL but had
abandoned it last Congress. He mentioned,
also. in the same connection. the Boston Adver-
User. and the New York Sun add Times. The
Times, he said. had been for years its advocate,
and was now charging that there was pre-
tense for it-that the necessity had passed away.
Why thisl 1t was because there was the
staff OF every great newspaper in the country
day Jesuit whose business it to see
that blow was struck, wherever there was
IN opportunity to strike it, at the
common school system of America, and the fur
Their investigation was carried in that direction
the more patent would the fact appear. There
was another power, he said. arrayed against the
power of the liquor interest, az repre-
sented by it's Washington organ. the Sentinel.
The time not far distant when the people Of
the North would understand all the jugglery.
The American people would have truth from
that gallery (pointing to the reporters gallery
DR. they will clear that gallery on which I now
gaze.
The Senate then proceeded to vote on the bill
md amendments.
Mr.. Plumb offered an amendment providing
that the money should be Annually divided among
bhe several States and Territories and the Dis
rict of Columbia, In proportion their popula-
lion between the ages of ten and twenty-one, as
shown by ths census. Rejected-yeas, %; nays.
49, as follows: