The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1915-12-16
PACE FOUR
Closing Speech OF ThOs. E.
Watson, Defendant.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE. J

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theology as such--L have here nothing
whatever to do. But it is the popularity
OF Roman theology, that, by thrusting
itself into the temporal domain it natur-
ally, and even necessarily, comes to be a
frequent theme of political discussion.
10 quiet minded Roman Catholics, it must
be subject of infinite ANNOYANCE that
their religion is, on this ground more than,
any other, the subject of criticism; more
than any other the occasion of conflicts
with the State and of civil disquietude.
L feel sincerely how much hardship their
case entails But this hardship is brought
upon them altogether by the conduct OF
the authorities OF their own Church
Then Mr.. Gladstone states, broadly.
why he c0nlbats the Vatican DEGREES of
1870, and what is called the Syllabus of
1864. This is, if your Honor please, an
attack on Papal law, a law sought to be i'm
pressed upon the world by an ecclesiastical
potentate who claims by virtue of his Of
lice TO be sovereign ruler OF the whole
universe, superior to Kings; superior to
Governments; superior to civil law
Mr.. Gladstone says these DEGREES an
tagonize, and curse those who maintain
liberty of the press
lie cites authorities.
Condemn liberty Of conscience and of
worship.
Cites authorities
Those who maintain liberty of speech.
Cites authorities
Those who contend that Papal judgments
and DEGREES may, without sin be disobeved
or differed from, unless they treat of the
rules tdo2mata) Of faith or morals
Those who hold that Church ought to
be separated from the State.
Those who hold that Church has no
right TO employ force to compel people to
embrace Roman Catholic Faith
These who claim that in the distinction
of.IaNs ciY;l and doctsinal, the civil law
Should prevail cite.
There Nit Gladstone lays down his rea-
SOUS for saying that he combats Papists,
condemns the system, not the individual
Roman Catholic; n0r anything as to the
theology; not matter Of individual faith,
but foreign hierarchy, foreign to Eng
land as il is 10 America, presuming to make
laws III Rome which shall be above the
laws Of die Federal Governments; antag-
onistlc to the liberties Of the press, to free
dom Ct speech, and to the freedom Of
worship; those who contend that educa-
ton, should be under secular control, and
that state laws. should be supreme in the
bl - Of Tie state.
Was MI Gladstone a wise man? Was
IS object wise one; was he magnify
Inc Il small thing; he dreaming of
Th.U@& that did not exist; or was he deal
NG "lth some tangible thing, and was he
putting his condemnation on what he
Thought was a thing OF terrible danger?
Now, may it please the Court, we re-
spCctfuIly submit, that the law in this case
must involve the liberty of the press, for
II practically controls every man as to what
10 can write and publish; because when
the United states Government monopolizes
the carrying Of the daily papers and
monthly magazines-when the United
States Government takes unto itself the
sole right Of doing that; the United States
Government connects itself inseparablly
with the freedom of the press.
You can't conceive Of a daily paper be-
ing sent off by express or by freight or by
hand; the Government takes the monopoly
of the mails and thus links up with the
freedom Of the daily press. The same thing
is true Of the weekly press and of the
monthly press.
Now it occurred to me yesterday that
the Court was under the impression that
the addition of the word filthy to the
statute before us added something TO the