THE PRESIDENCY AND THE CHURCH.
THE Chicago Alliance claims that it is the duty of the Church of this country to exert itself to the utmost to secure the election of Mr. Garfield, on the ground that he is a Christian minister, and the first one ever nominated for Chief Executive. Now we have a very high opinion of Mr. Garfield as a public man or a private citizen. We have been much on the "Western Reserve," and our knowledge of him is such that we cannot sympathize with those who assail his character. But we do see the force of the remarks of the Alliance. We do not believe Mr. Garfield is one whit more of a Christian than Mr. Hayes. And if he is elected we do not believe that his administration of the government will be at all affected by the fact that he has been a minister. We hope it will not. We think he is a conscientious man, a patriot, and a statesman. He would no doubt fulfill his constitutional obligations to the best of his ability, as a statesman, and without any regard to his previous church relations. And every conscientious officer will do the same. If we urge a man's claim to office this year because he is a minister, we need not be surprised if a man is put forward next year because he is an infidel. And whereunto will it grow?