Danger in the Dark - ZseZse

DANGER IN TIm DARK. 195
into the public coffers. As to the use we may choose
to make of such funds, that will be our own business.
"I find there are not a few Catholics even, who
incline to patronize the Common Schools; this we
must at once put a stop to. Everywhere, priests and
Catholic editors, should denounce the State schools as
godless and 'immoral; corrupting to youth-dens of
iniquity and pollution, fostering all manner of crime
and infidelity. When we once fairly open our bat-
teries upon the free-schools, then let our hostility be
uncompromising - give them war to the hilt I At
least that is my judgment."
Next came forward Bishop Constantius - and re-
marked substantially as follows:
"I am an old man-have long been in the field of
battle; there's no plan of attack nor of defense, that
I have not tried in warring against Protestantism. I
want not to discourage you; by no means would I
abate your ardor, yet allow me to say, 'tis my cool and
deliberate judgment, that the time has not yet come
for unmasking our designs. I'm seriously apprehen-
sive, you under-estimate the strength of Protestant-
ism-be not deceived, we shall encounter a formidable
antagonist. But while I regard the measures you pro-
pose as premature, yet if you are unchangeably re-
solved upon them - I am with you."
Scarcely a fortnight had elapsed, after this ecclesias-
tical body had closed its session, when an assault was
made by the Romish clergy upon the Public Schools,