The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1834-01-29
NEWPORT WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 20, 1894.

While your committee 10 not think
that corporations ought 10 be deprived
If tho power of holding property merely
because their object happens to be relig-
ious, they think this property ough, nj
wsys,o be under the control offs major
ity Of the corporation, without amy re-
gard to what may he their religious
creed, and they remain firm Ia the con-
viction that funds ought never 10 be Civ.
en- to the supper, Of any opinion wha,e-
YER.
j, is the fashion Of the time, for peo-
pie to join together in large bodies. for
the accomplishment Of some particular
purpose, and our country is covered
with such associations, some for one OBJ
ject and some for another. There is n
regular gradation and suhordins,ion Of
societies those in the towns are auxil-
iary to State society, aud these sgnin
are under the guidance of head socie-
ty, established generally in some one Of
the principal cities Of tho Union. These
head societies are under the influence of
a very few persons. and tho same men
are often at the head of several Of them.
They have tho control Of the printing Of
the books and papers which are 10 be
patronised by the association, and have
by this means an almos, dcspo,ic ioAu.
ence over public opinion, and the sen,i-
ments and religious education Of the RI
sing generation.
Your Committee are Of opinion that tho
prevalence Of this fashion 10 q matter Of Sc.
rious concern to all who feel an interest for
the future welfare Of the coantry and that
although the ends proposed by many Of these
bodies may DO laudable, the means are dan
gerous and liable TO great abuse. People
who arc often brought together in the meet.
ings of these bodies, and there act in friend
ly concert, are very apt to carry this union oi
feeling into politics, and there also 10 sup.
r-.--'.- --- ,.-" ."---
in tho habit Of meeting so oiten.
The influence Of the clergy, as a body
added to the control which ,hoy exert over
: lheso associations, appears to DO s'rcsdy
{ grea, enough for the proper support Of roli
, gion, without adding any more power or prl
vlleges by charters or legal ensctmen,o
. Their influence is greater than that OF an!
other profession, for this reason, that while
the professors Of law and medicine, are gon
orally from rivalry and opposition Of private
interest, prevented from act NC in concert
the clerical profession ina intain most con
> slant and intimate unioh, and the cxcr,ion
= of each individual member are contributed
= increase the influence Of his order.
Our land is called land Of freedom. Pol
h i,ical liberty to tho utmost extent we Ger
r tainly have, but there are many countrIe
now groaning under heavy political despo
,ism. where we believe religious freedom
70 enjoyed to much grentcr extent than
y ours, where religious opinions are Puslishe
;, without any restraint, and are fairly eanvn'
n scd without personal or sectarisn repronci
&c where man doth not love his brother ma
d the less for being Of different religious be
Is lief, provided that belief 20 honest, and
evidenced by on honest life. Such you
b. committee believe to be nearly the preser
~ (Repo,f continued on our nszt page)