The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-04-12


since nature begets, and in every way
proclaims men free and equal, it gives
to nature the helping hand of good fell
lowship by assisting her to preserve in
violable the rights liberties and equal
ties peculiar to man. Hence the estab
lishment of free institutions, wherein
men may be taught the wisdom of true
civilization; the real value of social
harmony. The priceless worth Of ma
tional union and sacred liberty natural
to mankind, while it strives to distin-
guish true liberty from arrogant license
by wise and judicious laws. No intelll-
gent. truthful man will deny that reli-
gious liberty (or freedom of conscience
as it commonly designates) is the most
precious gem in the diadem Of a ma
.tion's glory; the richest treasure III the
peoples possession. You may shackle
the limbs of physical man. and he may
wither away from depressions. You
may deprive him of all the joys of civil
and social liberties, and his very soul
will become burdensome under the
weight of woe; but the moment you set
limits to mans religious rights and lib
critics, that moment you kindle flame
of sacred indignation that only death
can quench; that no power under heav
en- can subdue. 1t will endure sorrow
and suffer pain; it will embrace perse-
cution; it will survive prejudice and
conquer malice. 1t will never succumb
to tyranny, but will sacrifice the very
last breath of life for the principle
most sacred to human welfare. To
this truth the wisdom of the ages testi-
fes. How futile then, for men to
scheme against a principle that when
attacked will only emit fire for their
own destruction.
The fomenters Of religious diScriml-
nation, are enemies to liberty traitors to
unity, destroyers of social harmony
and the public peace. They sin against
the nation, violate the loftiest principle
of the Constitution, and rob their fel-
low-men of the greatest boon in the
gift of the civilized world: viz: The
right to worship his Creator in accord
with the dictates of his conscience. Are
such men criminals? Most assuredly:
answer reason as well as justice. It
matters not to the people of the United
States, what may be the motive of men
who unite together for the purpose OF
arousing universal prejudice against
any religious sect or body of men. 1t
is with little interest, too, that they
seek the object of civil, social or politi
cal discrimination of the citizens of this
great country. The mere mention
of the proposition carries with it thu
immediate and popular condemnation
alien to our declared Constitution; alie1
to the American heart. To be an Amer
: lean is not to be politician, an otfic'
S seeker, Catholic, Protestant, Quaker
! Shaker or Infidel. The name American
d belongs only to the citizen, who, imbue'
q with the true spirit of liberty and uni
n ty, proves himself loyal to the principl
a of Americas free and glorious constitu
Il tion. To the loyal American, there
1t no such phrase as religious liberation;
n he quenches his patriotic thirst wit
IS the noble spirit of his honored for'
n fathers, and treasures within his bosol
% with undying care and solicitude, tt
At noblest inheritance of all the age
Il freedom of speech, freedom of pres
of and religious liberty. Societies orgal
n lied for the disfranchisement of al
vi religious body of American citizel
a. under the glorious ensign of the Unite
e. States, disgrace the fair name of o.
:, country; destroy our national dignit
10 and carry blush of shame to the mer
IT. ory of our honored progenitors. L
tn the public demand their Immediate e
" tinction, or relegate them to the ag
- of their unholy origin. The nineteen
49, century has no place in it's records
Vn America, for barbarian Goths or Va
he dals, for foreign: despotism or To
IT. cruelty. The days of aristocracy a
-, numbered. This is the peoples ag
'al and the people-all the people-rei|
IT'S supreme. XON.