The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1889-07-20
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
THE BLAIR AMENDMENT.
BUTLER, BALTIMORE COUNTY,

BUTLER, BALTIMORE COUNTY,
Editors Union There is one admonition that
will call the attention of your readers to, as
It admissable in Your Valuable paper: SRender
therefore unto Caesar the things which are
Caesars, and unto God the things that are God g."
AS the constitution of these United States now
stands there is total separation of religion and
state. The amendment known as the blair
Educational Amendment" If properly named
would be called the ''Church and State Amend
ment." The great Importance of needing the
above quoted words of the Savior is shown by
their being found in the books OF holy writ, ST.
MATT % 2I; St. Mark IL II, and st. Luke, 20 %.
Three times repeated. Then may we all heed to
render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars,
and unto God the things that are Gods" as we
are three times commanded. The amendment
is as follows:
"SEc. l. No state shall ever make or maintain
any law respecting establishment of religion
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof:
"SEC. 2. Each state in this Union shall estab-
adequate for the education of all the children
living therein between the ages of six and sixteen
years inclusive, in the common branches OF
cipies of the Christian religion. But no money
raised by taxation imposed by law, or any money
or to state Or to the
United States shall ever be appropriated, applied
given to the use or purposes of any school, IN
struction or training shall be given in the doc
trines, tenets, belief ceremonialS or obServanceS
or society being or claiming to be religious in its
character; nor shall such peculiar doctrines,
tenets, belief ceremonials or obServanceS be
taught or inculcated in the free public schools.
''SEC g. To the end that each state, the United
States and all the people thereof may have and
preserve governments republican in form and
in substance, the United States shall guarantee
to every state and to the United States the sup
port and maintenance of such system OF Tree
public schools as is herein provided
"SEC. A. That Congress shall enforce this article
by legislation when necessary.
This amendment has been presented by Sena-
III, 10
ing in Congress. 1t Isl condemnation OF words
and is very singular sort of document and well
calculated to deceive the people in the promo
ton of the purpose for whichit was undoubtedly
intended !. e., the establishment of national re-
ligion. Section l reads, mo state shall ever
make or msinan any law an frees
ercise thereof" Section reads, Each state In
this Union shall establish and maintain system
of free public schools adequate for the education
of all children living therein between the ages
of six and sixteen years inclusive, IN the com
mon branches of knowledge and in virtue moral /,
ity and the principles of the Christian religion"
1t says no state shall ever make or maintain q
law respecting an establishment of religion, but
every state shall make ana manraln laws esiaD
and to make the assurance OF an estaDllsneu re-
ligion by this constitutional amendment doubly
sure, should the National Legislature be so un-
wise as to infict it upon the people, Section .
declares that 1.-The United States shall guarantee
to every state and to the people OF every state
fenance of such system of free public schools
as is herein provided" That is to say, the United
States Government pledges itself that every
state shall establish and maintain the principles
of the Christian religion. The principles of the
Christian religion will have to be elucidated and
defined. Who will do it? When Constantine
made the principles of Christianity the recog-
nized religion of the Roman Empire it then be-
came necessary to determine Of what they con-
sisted. and an imperial council was convened at
Nice to render this imperial decision to be en-
forced by imperial power. Now l suppose the
clergy of the various denominations will have to
assemble and do this great work, and surely a
nice hodge podge or hotch-potch it will be. from
which / hope people of nearly every
kindred, tongue and nation under heaven Will
be kept. May all stand firmly by the constitu-
ton as it is and say to Senator Blair and all who
desire any change, we will have none of your
amendments of this kind, but are followers of
Jefferson, u. S. Grant and firm adhcrents to the
constitution.
Every man is accountable alone to God for
his religious faith and should be protected in
wOrshipping God according to the dictates OF his
own conscience. "-GeOrge Washington.
Religion is not in the purview of human gov
eminent. Religion is essentially distinct from
government and exempt from its cOgnizance. A
connection between them is injurious to boil"
james Madison.
mo man shall be compelled to frequent or
whatsoever nor shall he be enforced, restrained,
molested or burdened in his body or goods" &c.
1--WE are free to declare the rights herein assert
ed are the natural rights of mankind. Ih0andS
Jefferson, in General assembly Of Virginia, 1875.
Leave the matter of religion to the family
altar, the church and private school. ~. s.
Grant. Respectfully, THOMAS II. SCOTT.