taught that a divine commission to enlighten and dominate us has been conferred on an Italian ecclesiastic. His place and his character have been insidiously exhibited to our youth as the representatives of heaven. His agents, introducing themselves into our schools, have silently and stealthily stolen the sympathies of the young towards the assumptions of this Italian. He is held up asa god. From a teacher of morality he advanced to become a dictator of education; from the position of educator he leaped into the attitude of dictator of social duties. From this posture he assumed to suggest first, and then to control policies; and now we behold him the open ally of our enemies, aiming at our complete subjugation. During this process the current of national sympathy has been enlisted in favor of an alien who has no interest in our manufacturing or scientific industries, and is only bent on extracting from us good money in exchange for sentimentalism, and alleged benedictions. The respect of our, population has been diverted from our own magistrates towards an overlauded foreigner who has thrust himself into our civil and social life, and assumes the functions of government by these indirect means, although he has never been, and could not be elected to any direct authority in conformity with our laws. I am reminded of a warning in the gospel that applies to civil as well as to religious order. ‘He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.’ False sentimentalism has been substituted for the practical sense that previously guided us.
