The Arkansas advocate., 1830-04-28

Ian religion made is way into the world Tn opposition to all human governments. Punishment, tortures, and death were inflicted in vain to stop its progress But many of its professors, as soon as clothed with political power, lost the meek spirit which iheir creed inculeai- ed, and began to iaHict on other reli- glons, and on dissenting seets of their own religion, prosecutions more aggra- Vated than those which their own apos- tics had endured. The ten perseeu- tions of Pagan Emperors were exceed- ed in atrocity by the aassacres and nur- ders peFpetrated by Christian hands; and in vain shall we examine the records ot imperial tyranny for an engine of cruelty equal to the Holy hqaisition.- Every religious sect, however meek in It's orlgln, commenced the work of per seeution as soon as t acquired political power. The framers of the constitution recognized the eternal principle, that mans relation with his God is above human legislation, and his Tights of con- science unalienable. Reasoning was not necessary to establish this truth; we are conscious of tin our own bosons, tis this consciousness which, in defiance ot human laws, has sustained so many martyrs in tortures and in flame. They 5eA that their duty to God was superior to6uman enactment, ,and that man could exercise no authority over their con sciences; It is an inborn principle which nothing can eradicate.
 The bigot, in the pride of his athori- ty7 may lose sight of it-batt strip him eif his power; prescribe a faith tohim which his conscience rejects; threaten him in turn with the dungeon and the faggot: and the spirit which God has implanted in him, rises up in rebellion and deties you. Did the primitive christion ask that Government should recognise and observe their religious institutional All they asked was to{eratio4a; all they com plalned of was persecution. What did the Protestants of Germany, or the Hu- genots of France, ask of their Catholic superiors? Iolem55on. What dc the persecuted Catholics of Ireland ask oI their oppressors? TolerafioR.
 Do not all men in this country enjoy every religious right which martyrs and saints ever asked? Whence then, the voice of complaint Who is t, that n the full enjoyment of every principle which human laws can secure, wishes to Wrest portion of these principles from his neighbour Do hepetitioners allege that they cannot conscientiously partici- pate in the profits of the mail contracts and post offices, because the mail is carried on Sunday? Ifthis be their mo- tive, then t is worldly gain which stim- ulates to action, and not virtue or reli- zion. Do they complain that men, less conscientious in relation to the Sabbath obtain advantages over them by reeeip- ing their letters, and attending to theil contents? Still their motive is worldly and selfish. But if their motive be tc induce Congress to sanction by law theil religious op12ions and obser0ances, ther their efforts are to be resisted, as 1T their tendencyfatal both to religious and political freedom. Why have the peti tioners confined their prayer to the mails? Why have they not requested that the Government be required tc suspend a5t it's executive functions or that day? Why do they not require u. to enact that our ships shall not sail-- that our armies shall not march--tha1 officers of justice shall not seize the sus pected, or guard the convicted? They seem to forget that Government is a. necessary on Sunday as on any other day of the week. The spirit of evil does not Test on that day. It is the Go yernment, ever active inits functions which enables us all, even the petition CTS, to worship in our churches in peace Our Government furnishes very few blessings like our mails. They bear from the centre of our republic to it. distant extremes, the acts of our legis latiye bodies, the decisions of the judi ciary, and the orders of the Executive
 Their speed is often essential to the de fence of the country, the suppression 0 crime, and the dearest interests of tht people. Were they suppressed one da, of the week, their absence must be oftei supplied by public expresses, and, be sides, while the mail bags might rest
 themail coaches would pursue theirjour
 ney with the passengers. The mai
 bears, from one extreme of the Unio
 to the other, letters of relatives ant