Year: 1872

As there appears to be q desire in some
portious of Lincoln county TO introduce
q feeling Of opposition against certain
county candidates on account Of their
religious belief, the following CONVERSE
ton between reporter Of the N. Y.
Herald and Francis Herman, Democratic
candidate for Governor of New York.
may be of interest to our readers:


"You have doubtless, Mr.. Herman,


read in some Of the papers that your


religion will be q great drawback to you


in the coming canvass p


III have seen statements to that effect


10 papers with whose editors the desire


is beyond doubt father to the thought,


was the reply "but | assure you have


no apologies to make to anybody on the


score Of my religion. The fact of my


being a Catholic, in my opinion, has


very little to do with the questions which


are to be dealt with during the present


canvass. Before | allowed my name to


be used 10 any way as candidate, this


uatter of my religion was thoroughly


considered, and do not think that the


opinion of some Of the very best men in


the TIVE parties, that q mans religion


ought not to weigh against him in 20


litical contest, is wrong one. The fact


is, sir, the American people have good


common sense, and they can not be in


duced to array themselves for or against


any particular candidate solely on account


Of his religion. Every effort to do 80 is


contrary to the spirit Of our constitution


aud can never result in any good and


those who strive to make q mans creed


one Of the political issues Of a campaign


do their own side serious injury. Eve


rybody in this country is free to wor,hip


God after whatever fashion he pleases


vr his conscience dictates, and because
one man believes in the teachings Of a


certain religion, no matter what it may


be, | do not think that ought to be a


reason why politically he should be
bounded by those who do not agree with
him in his religious belief, nor do think
it justifes him in opposing his political


opponents on the score Of their religion
| would regret exceedingly to see reig-


ous questions dragged into u political
contest, for they would only give rise to
feelings aud passions which would be
dangerous to our politics in the long
run. But as | said before, l have no
apologies myself to make to anybody
because I am a Catholic. have always
, 10 the past tried to do my duty as a citi
zen and a Christian, aud | have never


allowed my religious convictions to in


terfere with my political duties-that is
| have never made politics and religion


dependent one upon the other; for Il
y mans religious belief is one thing, his
! political belief quite ano,her thing. and
, see no reason why the one should be
/ in anywisc connected with the other. II


simply because am u Catholic | should
d be willing to do anything inconsisten,
e with my duty to the whole state as chie
\ magistrate, or drag in my religion Il
e influence me in auy matter Of state,
G would deserve to be utterly defeated
e And yet, MIR. Herman" asked tn,
If Herald representative, "do you not think
q there are many who will vote agaius
Q you for no other reason than because
IS you are a Catholic ?"


n 81 have no doubt, my dear sir. tina
q there are those who will be carried away
: by the senseless talk tnat certain parti
d sans are making about my religion; bu
', as have already said, the American
! people have q good deal Of common
| sense. and 10 this state, as in every othe
' state 10 tho Union, l know that the grea
D. majority of the voting population is no
t. so narrow minded US to allow question
D of mans religion to enter into peliti
0 cal contest as a dead set against hi
'g election. Indeed, from what know Q
n. the temper Of my fellow citizens Of al
as classes and Of all crseds, l do not hssi
ID tate to say that there are many, yer
,e many. who will support me simply be
* cause there are those foolish enough
ut make war upon me because am a Cath


olic They understand full we'll thai
would, indeed, DO bad precedent, ths


of making a mans religious tenets til


test of his fitness for public Office fal
Of sure that the great majority Of the pei
he pie care very little about q candidate
~ religious opinions so loug as he is W
It right and honest, and is ever ready to d
III his whole duty faithfully to the peopl
Of regardless of caste, cliques, factions {
ru cresds. In the past, as far as | ha,
10 bsen personally concerned, | have new,


allowed myself to be swayed for a sing


moment for or against any person rur
ID, n,ng for Office on account Of his religio
", The good common sense Of the people
nd against any such narrowmindsdness
be that of making mans religious creed


qualification or disqualification for p
o litical Office, and it is we'll that it shou
no be So"
es


ng A little three year old boy, in attemE