Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-04-30

tefs OF every class, from Roman Catholics
from members of the Church OF England
nat every man ought to have the liberty o
forming his religious opinions from the i'm
presslons made on his own mind; that ha.
v, .,hg formed that opinion, he ought to be al
s iicGfty TO entertain 1t freely, to maintain il
WITHOUT interference, and to worship his God
III Ills own manner, without any restriction or
observation whatever; and that anypenalty or
'is'iaahhcation imposed upon him, is of the
nit'ufe OF persecution, and is an offence 10
God, and aninjury to man Thear, hear. hoar!l
nat, sir, is the principle on which [ brine
Forward my present motion. At the same
''lhe' am ready fairly to admit that there
arc CERTAIN exceptions to the general princi
PIE mus broadly laid down. | will illustrate
eiiese exceptions by Il reference to another
Icase;-fhat OF the principle of ;;on-;nteria-
renee IN the internal concerns of foreiUn
nations. The general principle is non-intc,f;,-
renee; but There be any thing in the char
acter ana conduct ola foreign nation which
inenaces the tranquility offs neighbours. in
reference then becomes perfectly iustiGiable.
so with religion. If any particular religious
ooctrlne comprchcnds political PRINCIPLES
i0Stiie To the Constitution, hostile to civil
i'oefif, hos:ie TO the allegiance due from ev
r SUBJECT OF tic Crown, in that case the cues
! iloIi ceases TO be religious question; and
You have right 10 interfere and impose
sucii restrictions as you may deem necessary,
because you do not impose them OH RELIGIONS
opinlons; you impose them on political doc
trines hear hear, hear!l. Having said thus
much generally, proceed, sir, first to state
the history OF the Acts OF disqualification.
ana secondly to inquire whether there is any
liihS IN the circumstances of the present
/ tiiiie WHICH renders the continuance ofthose
! t%ct8 necessary. And first for the history
u Is well known 10 every BODY. that soon nj:
icF the Reformation, that in every struggle
mat took place in Gllis countrys religion and
politics were invariably connected. We are
informed by historians, that the great object
CT Philip the Second was not only TO main
tam what he considered 10 be the right roli-
gioil, but to maintain the ROYAL authority
winch that religion upheld The converse
was tiie case IN the reign Of Charles the First:
VINO maintained the cause Of the Church of
England, because he thought the rnainte-
nance OF mat cause, the sirest method Of
supporting the Royal authority. Hume de-
ciaFeS' mat to the struggles Of the i-arituns
we owe Nhaf we possess Of civil and RELIGIOUS
liberty. 1t was principally the Prcsbvteri3n
and independents who carried on the war
against Charles the FIRST. 1t wag natural.
therefore, when his son recovered his LEGAL
rights, that one Of the first steps which he
'ook' should be to endcavur to apply check
10 lhe power ol those who knew he had con
tFibated TO the dcposal and death ofhis iatEIer.
III TIC preamble OF the Corporation Act it
was stated, with reference 10 the desirea
nleness, that the succession in Corporations
should be perpetuated in the hands of ger
sons well affected so his Majesty, and the
established Government. That notwit;l-
standing all IL. MS endea~ors and uDparai-
! ieicd indulgence in pardon,ng ali that was
past nevertheless many evil spirits were still
working Ii was to counteract the working
'i theSc cti! spirits, that the Corporation Act
was introduced; providing that commissions
CTS should be appointed 10 see that no per
sons should he allowed to enter into any cor
poranon without taking the oalils Of AHcr.-
ance and Supremacy, as well as am oath de
Caring that they did not consider it Lawful.
upon any prctcncc whatsoever. to take arms
against the King, and that lhcy abherrcd the
trditorous position oftaIling arms, by his au-
t:iosiiy, against his person. or against those
WHO were commissioned hy him" In the
course OF discussing the measure. however.
some difference took place between the two
Houses OF ParIiancut; the House Of Lords
wishing to give the Crown the power OF re-
tang the authority OF corporations in its own
hands. Tins thc House 5fCommons resisted:
and at length successfully; conserving how
| ever, TO the admission of clause, providing
that no person should be admitted into any
Office or place contemplated in the Bl with
out previously taking the Sacrament of The
Lords Supper, according to the rites of the
Church of England. Sir it's somewhat re-
lnarkab'c that Hume, il his History of En-
gland, seems to have consilcfcd Ibis clause
as OF so little consequence, that, although nc
gives an abstract of the Act generally, he
mover thinks it worth his while to mention
! this particular clause. So far was the Act
from contemplating the exclusion of DisScn-
tcrs from situations of trust and honour, that
| there are now above fifty sitting in this House.
One authority ofthc period when the Act
was passed argued, that it was not intended
! to eNclmde the Uisscnfers from Cnrnnratinns