Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-12-30

and the brute force of majority will be-
the only excuse for your repeated violations
ofour rights. Is it pretended that 1t Will
assist to.render more perfect our proceeds
ings? Is it pretended that it has added tol
the honesty and republicanism Of Dur laws2;
Will any man pretend that the 4saa zzE
fEegfsfatufes were better than those preYi-
Gus? No! every one knows, and we dem
ocrats especially, that a viler General AS
sembly never met in Ohio, than the one
which commenced this practice. The
bank law, tax law, and the frauds in chang
ing legislative districts, the prostitution Of
every constitutional provision for upholy
and base party purposes, were the charac-
teristics of those General Assemblies, that
first introduced public prayers in the legis-
lative halls; and the men generally, who
voted for prayers, were the ones who were
found the deepest concerned in those iniquit-
GUS proceedings. They hypocritically
prayed in the morning and perjured them
selves in the afternoon. What more nat
ural then, than that such men should at.
tempt to put on the garb of religion to de.
ceive the people? Such men must do some-
thing to keep up a borrowed and, deceitful
religious character; and, perhaps, it is the
object Of the resolution before US, to save
some pretended saint from discovery of
his real character, as christian and man.
Once more, ask, what good has it done?
What good will it do us? And insist that
the friends of the resolution should give us
strong and good reasons for these continued
innovations on the former practices of our
government. Do you pretend to be better
than the trainers ofthe Observation-Disclosures
than those who for forty-two years follow
ed them? No! no good can be ascribed to
such prayers as you will have here. Prop
er prayers would no doubt add to our pro.
ceedings. But such prayers must be pri
vate: not public. They must be the out
pouring of honest hearts for such only are
acceptable to God, as shall show here
after is't
But hear some one say, if it will do ne
r good, it will do noharn. I cannot agree
to any such proposition. 1t ,UiN do harm
because it violates one Of the first princi
pies of our governmental principle which
, is co-extensive with American constitutions
and especially the constitution under which
! we act; and lest some Senators may have
forgotten that instrument which but yester
: day they have sworn to support. | will
read from Art. 8, Sec. 8, of the Constitu
: ton of Ohio:
Sec. 8. That all men have a natura
: and indefeasible right to worship Almight,
7 God, according to the dictates ofconscience
: that no human authority can, in any cas-
d whatever, control or interfere with tn
. right of ofconscience; that no man shall b
compelled so attend, erect or support an
: place Of worship, or to maintain any min
l. istry, against his consent.
q Am notmade to attend place Of wor
l. ship, for what else will the Senate chambe
= be, while public prayers are held here, bu
n place Of worship? The preachers VIII
s. will be here, will hold religious ceremo
II ny which my conscience disapproves, an
l. is not that violating the rights of consc
IS ence? The rules Of the Senate provid
7, that any member may have call of tn
7, Senate, and majority may bring in al
d sent members; and thus myself and other
l. are forced to attend places of WORSHIP
], which, if we could avoid it, we would ratf
o or not attend. |, for one, have strong rt
,. legious scruples against public prayers.
10 know them to be mere prostitution Of
Q, holy religious ceremony. But my feeling
ID will not be- needed; on the contrary the ms
n jority will trample them under foot, as
o they were fancy ideas. TO show the Ser
10 ate that they are not such, | will read eel
/, tain portions of the new Testament, fror
l. which have formed these opinions
n There, in holy writ, have | learned then
10 and in accordance with them has a mothe
70 now in her grave, and my father educate
Il me. Twas always taught to despise h,
il pocrisy; | was told to pray alone in m
h closet, as is prescribed in the text which
e. will read, once more appealing to all, N
r. to blame me for introducing SO good bool
It, in such place. 1fit is inappropriate, Il
s. the responsibility rest with those who ha,
$, introduced the prayer resolution.
y Mr. r. then read st. Matthew, Cha
is ter 6, verses 5, 6, y, 8 and 9, as follows:
J. S. 'And when thou prayest, thou shalt not
h the hypoclites for they lovoto pray stan
- ing in The synagogues. and in the corners of u
70 streets, thai they may be seen of mon. -Vcrily
Is say unto you, 'fhey have their reward.
is 6. But thol, when thou prayest, enter into Il
We closet: and when thou hast shut thy door pray
= thy Father. which is in secret; aud thy Fathe
- which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openl
'lS 7. But when ye pray, use not vain repetition
as tho heathen do: for they think that they shu
10, be heard for their much speaking. f
I'D ata
m your Father knoweth what things ye have ne
~ Of before yo ask him.
US 9. sAfler this manner therefore pray ye: o
n Father which art in heaven hallowed bo thy mar
an And then continued:
n? Here is the prayer Of the founder of o
y; Religion here are his words! Is yo