The North-Carolinian., 1850-01-12
FA Z ETTEVILLE n. c..
JANUARY l2, 1850.

TOLERATION.-The Legislature of Massa-
chusetts having either refused or neglected to
charter Catholic College in that State, so as to
give to the College the advantage of a corporate
body, several Catholics addressed note to the
Hon Levi Woodbury., OF the Justices of the
Supreme Court of the U. States, requesting his
opinion in regard to the rights of Catholics to-
establish schools and colleges
The Judges reply we find in the Washington
Union. 1t occupies three closely printed col
umns OF that paper. We call it masterly
The Judge is Protestant; but he treats
the subject in such manner that no one from
rc.dins would discover his predictions.
He argues, of course, that Catholics have the
same rights and privileges guaranteed to them
by the laws Of the country, that arc enjoyed by
any other class or sect; and hence that the Col
lrse referred is clearly entitled to the Act of
Incorporation asked for.
In this opinion, he mentions the existence of
clause (it did exist, but we do not know whether
it does not y in the Constitutions of Mas
sachnsetts and New Hampshire, prohibiting any
but Protestants from holding certain offices of
State. He says he cannot account for the inter-
polation of such a clause, whe,. every other part
of the constitutions rcpudiate such sentiments,
except upon ground, to-wit: that at the
carly period at which those constitutions were
formed, the enemies of American indepe ndence
tanntcd the Republicans by saying that the alli-
ance with France was intended to establish the
Catholic religion in this country, and those quail
fcations were introduced to disprove such de-
sign, Gust weak man, on being charged of
something OF which he is not guilty, but being
annoye ed by the charge, will do something ridic-
uou> to di>prove it
But there is sentiment expressed in this
opinion, by Judge Woodbury., which have
long entertained and the conviction Of its truth
has been fully established in our mind.
In speaking Of the necessity Of religious tolera-
to-, and the free exercise Of all matters Of con<-
cience among Christians. he says:
1--WE can thus demonstrate that the very
abundance of sects is a great security
against Overgrown power aud oppression
by anv one OF them. ard can. as we should
and can III this way onl y-uphold with
success and 1mrartiaIity, the great ?rinci
pie Of equal federation guaranteed by our
fathers to all christian denominations -
In our opinion, there is no greater truth, than
that the Church. as we'll the State, is purer
from beIng subject to TIE Surveillance of public
opinion which cannot be the case where the
Church is above the State, by legal enactment.
The Judge continues:
involves. as we have before seen. equal
protection bv law to all. and constitutes
one of the chief corner stones of our free
institutions Well m,.ht our fathers
establish it. not only from their own sor
rowtul experience III a different course.
both in suffering and nflict'ns persecution.
but from the beauty and justice ot the doc
trine itself Of equal federation and equal
protection. and from the reciprocal advan-
taucs derived from it in our revolution.
and which was then foreshatowcd so strik
inyIy in battle and public councii-wh'cf
has since been repeated in every station IN
societv-Catholic Carroll then signing the
Declaration of independence. and defend
ing our liberties il Coneress-Cath"lic
Lafayette bleeding for US ut Bran'lywlne.
aud hundreds Of the same faith helping us
to conquer at Chippewa and t" plant our
fac on the battlencnts of Mexico, and
myriads of them to aid in less brilliant but
not to be forgotten triumphs-such as fell
iny our forests. building our railroads and
canals. and filling every department ut
useful industry"
fS55~ The Seratc of the Ohio Legislature has
been in pretty much the same fix that the :.
House of Representatives was IN, owing TO the
equal division of political parties, and contest
ed election. Over three hundred ballottinSs
" ere held before election. \ wing succeed
ed at last by compromise.
The contested election in the Senate (tWo
| members claiming the same seat) has gwen rise
to some of disorder. Such has been the
case for the last two sessions, and is caused oy
the operation of an act for redistricting the
State: an act passed by d whig majority for the
purpose of perpetusting. if possible, wh'= as
cedancy.
nG- Crazy people congregate at Washington
city There is something in the atmosphere
there that seems congenal to high fightS OF IAN
CIV, Some weeks ago, crazy man broke OUT IN
the gallery o, the Senate, with the declaration