stand." No defense of this conduct of the last legislature has
yet been attempted. The facts are beyond dispute. This is the first
example of open and successful sectarian interference with
legislation in Ohio. If the people are wise, they will give it such
a rebuke in October that for many years, at least, it will be the
last.

But it is claimed that the schools are in no danger. Now that
public attention is aroused to the importance of the subject, it is
probable that in Ohio they are safe. But their safety depends on
the rebuke which the people shall give to the party which yielded
last spring at Columbus to the threats of their enemies. It is said
that no political party "desires the destruction of the schools." I
reply, no political party "desired" the passage of the Geghan bill;
but the power which hates the schools passed the bill. The
sectarian wing of the Democratic party rules that party to-day in
the great commercial metropolis of the Nation. It holds the balance
of power in many of the large cities of the country. Without its
votes, the Democratic party would lose every large city and county
in Ohio and every Northern State. In the presidential canvass of
1864, it was claimed that General McClellan was as good a Union man
as Abraham Lincoln, and that he was as much opposed to the
rebellion. An eminent citizen of this State replied: "I learn from
my adversaries. Who do the enemies of the Union want elected? The
man they are for, I am against." So I would say to the friends of
the public schools: "How do the enemies of universal education
vote?" If the enemies of the free schools give their "unbroken,
solid vote" to the Democratic ticket, the friends of the schools
will make no mistake if they vote the Republican ticket.

The Republicans enter upon this important canvass with many
advantages. Their adversaries are loaded down with the record of
the last legislature. Democratic legislatures have not been
fortunate in Ohio. Since the present division of parties, twenty
years ago, no Democratic legislature has ever failed to bring
defeat to its party. The people of Ohio have never been willing to
venture on the experiment of two Democratic legislatures in
succession. The Democratic inflation platform offends German
Democrats, has drive