The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1840-11-21

IN human shnpe; nor can they any where
find supporters, except it be among wretches
Of kindred feelings 10 those who figured IL
the days OF R"bespierre, Danlon, and Marat
These arc our views on this subject, nor are
they inconsistent with the spirit Of our Con
stltulion, or the laws BY which we are gov.
crned. But here we stop. Against the bloody
spirit of persecution we raise our voice.
Against furnishing a man OH account Of his
religion, with the exception already men
toned, we enter onr protest. Against The
civil authority prescribing any religion what
ever. we wage interminabe war. They were
not established for this purpose, and when
ever they do more Than merely TO protect us
in the Lawful exercise Of the rights Of con
science, they transcend the limits Of their au-
thorily. aud ilamp!c upon our rights.
Composed as zee are Of variety Of Ici-
gious denominations, we hold that each Of
these has a right 10 worship God according
TO the dictates of their conscience; nor will
we stand by will, folded arms, and see the
rights OF any one Of them invaded. Yes, be
their creed Jew, Catholic, Or Protestant, as
it is their right 10 be either. so il is onr duty
to protect them in the exercise Of it; and this
we will do, spite Of the snarl of the biIot, or
groW of the fanatic We can remember
~ u, a.
~ land; and WE can rccollec,, too, when this
was the condition of the Catholic in North
Carolina But, thank God this time no
longer exists; for now the odous disqualiii-
cation is removed. We trust that we shall
never again be called upon TO witness such a
triumph Of wrong over right-o dark and
maevolcn, bigotry over sound and liberal
principles. Aud it is partly on this account
that the Native American Association here
have excluded the subject of religion from
their discussions. This is subject on
which no man at our meetings speaks. This
is subject with which no man there inter
ferrs. II is no! for any purposes Of this
inh-il is not to recommend the faith oI
any religious dcnomina'ion-t is not, in
word, for any poemical purposes whatever
that oar Association was formed, or our press
established. 1t was formed upon another
basis 1t was formed to enable us to govern
ourselves BY the Natives of onr own land.
al tl,a
of the insolent and arrogant Foreigner. twas
formed to call upon Congress to repeal our
this vexatious and nsolent sway. II was
formed to give to the Natives exclusively the
Offices of our Government, and thus shut out
the impudent Foreign claimants for them.
These are some Of the objects Of our Asso-
cation, and not religion. This we leave to
Divines. Ii is for them-for them commits
stoned from on High--for them charged with
the behests of their Lord and Master-ror
then. TO propagate the Gospel, and announce
to mankind the glad tdings Of eternal life
THIS is their mission. 1t is noble one, and
we trust they will reap the reward Of their
of the Naive American, We can 90 no far
Their. Oar sphere is Politics; our object, the
rnle Of Naive Americans; our means, the
moral and physical, which bountilul Pro,i
dence has bestowed upon us; our end, the
independence ami happiness of our Native
fellow -ctizenS. When, therefore, other Ma
tive American Associations shall propose u
union with us, it must be upen our princi-
piles. R.lig on does no. enter into our As
socia, m GA the contrary, it is even for
bidLlen, by the fifth article of our Constitution
as subject Of discussion. Hence, we can
not aAa,i, it, nor will We CO milne with any
Assoc! .ijon which does We know our own
rights, and we Will not tanely see them as
sailed We kaow the rights Of others, and
when tnev are iavaded, we wall protect them
We ka3v, too, that there are no rights
which are more dslr to nj IN, than the rights
OF conscience. lie feels that he has the right
to worship Goa according to the dictates Of
his conscience. lie feels that religion is his
own all .r, aaI that, if wrong in his choice,
he is Responsible TO God, and no, to man, for
his error. Ii, therefore resists any restrain,
which is pu. upon this right, an spurns
with Indignant contempt the principle which
sanctions i, S1ch is man; such are his
rights; an | To- will support them. To us,
who compose the Native American Associa
ton of this city, it is matter of no conse-
uucnce whether those who are members Of
it are Catholics or Professionals; but to as, il