Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/119

 ULYSSES SIMPSON GRANT 91 him of the credit of his labors after they had puri fied the revenue-service. But these efforts signally failed. In September, 1875, Gen Grant, while attend ing an army reunion in Iowa, offered three resolu tions on the subject of education, and made a speech in which he used this language: &quot;Let us labor for the security of free thought, free speech, free press, pure morals, unfettered religious senti ments, and equal rights and privileges for all men, irrespective of nationality, color, or religion; en courage free schools; resolve that not one dollar appropriated to them shall go to the support of any sectarian school; resolve that neither state nor nation shall support any institution save those where every child may get a common-school educa tion, unmixed with any atheistic, pagan, or sec tarian teaching; leave the matter of religious teach ing to the family altar, and keep church and state forever separate.&quot; This was published broadcast, and was received with marked favor by the press and people. In 1876 Samuel J. Tilden, of New York, was nominated for the presidency by the Democrats, and Gen. Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio, by the Republicans. When the election was held in No vember, the result was in dispute, and a bitter con test was likely to follow in determining which was the legally elected candidate. After an exciting