,10;1871., Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.—Thomas 7efferson. VOLUME 6. NEW YORK, JANUARY 22, 1891. NUMBER 4.. take that side of the question who otherwise would States Constitution is itself addressed to the The American Sentinel. not do so. But in these days of workers' combina- States. It says, " No State shall make or tions the tendency is toward less work and more PUBLISHED WEEKLY, BY THE pay, so there is very little probability of such fears enforce any law abridging the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING COMPANY, being realized ; but, of course, this is only an excuse, and nothing more. States." The question of such a proposi- No. 48 BOND ST., NEW YORK. This is true. In California, where they tion can never arise except as between a ELACITOCI at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. have no Sunday law, the tendency is not State and a citizen of the United States. toward seven days' work per week ; in- These are the parties to the controversy; EDITOR, - - • ALONZO T. JONES. deed, there, as everywhere else, the trend and yet the World presents the singular ASSOCIATE EDITORS, is toward shorter hours and fewer days idea that the citizen of the United States C. P. BOLLMAN, W. H. Mc KEE. of labor, with a corresponding increase is to appeal to the other party in the con- of opportunities for recreation. Working troversy for decision in his case. That is, WHEN any man is nominated for an people who join in the demand for Sunday one of the parties in this controversy is to elective office because he is a Baptist, laws in the hope that they will thereby be judge in its own case, and to decide Methodist, or Romanist, all Americans improve their condition, are unwittingly for itself and for the other party the con- should scratch him. He is put on the submitting their necks to the yoke of a stitutionality of the question in dispute ticket solely for his bigotry and lack of religious despotism. The World would introduce a queer ele- Americanism.—Loyal American. ment into jurisprudence. Again, by the statement that the estab- The "World" and the Constitution. lishment of the right of the Federal Govern- IN answer to a request sent to them by NOT long since the World mentioned ment to overturn State statutes would be the Independent, ' for their views as to worse than Sunday laws, it seems that the whether the Columbian Exposition should the appeal of the King case from the Ten- World has not yet learned that this right be open on Sunday, one hundred and nine- nessee to the United States Court. " The has been established by a constitutional teen members of Congress responded. Of appeal being taken," says the World, " upon the plea that such a statute is an amendment for the last twenty-five years. this f number, sixty- two expressed them-I In 1865 there was adopted an amendment to selves as opposed to Sunday opening, fifty infringement of the Fourteenth Athend- the Constitution of the United States. It is favored keeping the Exposition open on ment in that it abridges the privileges or the Fourteenth Amendment. It declares that clay, and seven declined to express immunities of citizens of the United that "no State shall make or enforce any law any opinion. States," and then presents the following curious piece of political and constitutional abridging the privileges or immunities of wisdom :— citizens of the United States." That Amend- THE Christian Statesman thinks that If this proposition can be maintained it may be ment prohibits any State in this Nation the pamphlet by Richard B. Westbrook, addressed to a State Court as well as to the United from making any law having the effect President of the American Secular Union, States Court, and it comes within the provisions of named. More than this, it diStinctly pro- in which he argues that the Bible should the State as well as of the Federal Constitution. There is, in fact, no doubt that the State has power hibits any State from enforcing any laws not be read in the public schools because to prohibit labor on Sunday. It may even put silly already made, having the effect named. of its defective morality, " will be helpful and unjust restrictions on personal liberty. Such In a considerable number of the States to the friends of the Bible in the schools." Sunday laws are bad, but the establishment of the when this Amendment was adopted there This is just what we said when we first right of the Federal Government to overturn State were laws of long standing which did read Mr. Westbrook's argument. Secu- statutes would be worse. The " original package " abridge the privileges and immunities of decision carried us a good way in the wrong direc- larism is wounded in the house of its tion. We certainly should go no further. The more persons who were by this Amendment friends by such productions as this by the a citizen depends upon his State and the less the made citizens of the United States, but President of the Secular Union. Federal Government touches him, the better for from that time forth no one of these laws, every individual and for our form of government. no matter of how long standing, could be How this proposition could be addressed enforced. Therefore, by this Amendment THE" London correspondent of a New to the State Court as well as the United .it has been declared and established that York paper days :— States Court, it would be well for the the Federal Government has the right to The stock excuse of the Sunday-law party is, that World to explain—or rather it might be their great objection to the secularization of the overturn State statutes; and that the Sunelaris the fear that eventually it will lead to a well for the World to explain how it World at this late date should make such compulsory continuation of all work for seven days thinks it could be addressed to the State a remark as that, would imply that, in a week. This statement has induced a number to Court at all. That provision of the United the matter of the Constitution of the 26 THE AMERICAN SENTINEL. United States, that. journal is not as well this respect, the Judge said: " He may not aPpeal to the simple service provided for our schools up with the times as its management in the fears or terrors or superstition of those whom if, under all circumstances, insisted, upon. he addresses. He must= not hold out the hope of ye: The Church should, remember that her other directions demands that it should ward here or hereafter, and he must not use ithreatir be:1_ of temporary injury, or of disadvantage or plinish;.: relation_ :.education has changed. The It is true that the " original,package " ment hereafter; he must not, for instance, threaten direction 0 Secular, education, so far as to excommunicate or ,withhold the sacrameitts, or-, decision, carried us a long way in the primary_. -and intermediate_ instruction is wrong direction, but that diredtion is not to expose the party to any other religious disabikity,. concerned has been-assumed assuecl by the State; or denounce the voting for any particular candidate and th& State should be allowed to provide the one Suggested by the''World. Nor as a sin or an offense involving punishment here or, was it 'in one way only, that the ": orginal hereafter. If he does so with a view to influence a for this-in-the manner that, promisekmost package'"' decision carried us a long way in voter the law considers him guilty of undue influ- successfullY to :accomplish the desired the wrong. ence. As priestly influence is so greet we work of unifying a' heterogeneous -school It is likewise true that the "less the must regard its exercise with extreme jealousy, and poPulation and fitting it for intelligent seek by the utmost vigilance to keep it within due Federal- Government touches him the bet- and proper bounds." and loyal citizenship. The Church thus ter for every individual and- for the Gov- left the narrower field of caring for higher The principle is just the' same in this ernment." But when the State, which education, and her distinctively religious country, and should prevent the clergy of ought to protect him, opposes, him in the work, should bestow upon these more denominations'. from -participating in dearest rights that belong to men, that is,. all- careful thought and intenser effort.—Prin- politics in their capacity as clergymen. A his religious convictions, then the Federal cipal Dunton, "..D. D,, in New York Chris- powerful church, the vote of Whose mem- Government must touch him in the exer- tian Advocate. bers can :be controlled by its priesthood, cise of the supreme protective _power is a menace -Co free government, and the which it must possess over its own citizens. A Serious Question. ' We can only say again that in the above principle is just the same in the smaller denominations. argument the World sets forth a queer A GOOD deal has been said throughout piece of political and constitutional wis- The minister of religion should inculcate this country the past year upon the sub- dom. We wish it would try again. correct principles, should insist upon hon- ject of compulsory education, even to 'the A. T. J. esty in every walk of life, but when he extent of compulsory religious education.