The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-06-25
speech Of General Pierce on the Cath

| speech of General Pierce on the Cath
! asCa y Ollie Test.
We are enabled to-day TO publish III
lspeecho Of Gpneral Pierre in the Conyentioi
Of New Hampshire in favor Of striking od
from the Constitution of that State the tw
lilliberal and odious features of the propert
| qualification and the Catholic erclusion.- :.
We ask our Catholic readers, TO read ihes
noble sentiments Of Gen. Pierce, embodiel
inthat speech and his unmeesured denunci
fation oithe disgraceful disa bility against th
Catholics in the old New Hampshire Consti
tuition, and then ask themselves if the mai
who thus boldly and eloqueatly stood u
for h-irfishls should be made the victim
uf their just hatred OF The odious provision
he was so manfully laboring 10 remove re
j II will be perceived from tirr r5marKs q
Gen. Pierce that The Catholic exclusion ii
the New Hampshire Constitution has beer
a perfect dead letter, at any rate for great
many years. 3ael
MIR. Pierce, OF Concord, said that he could
ccnrur heartily in all that the gentleman
fiom Portsmouth had uttered except bis last
remark. It was quite obvious that, 50 lal
rom having taxed the patience Of the COM
miltee. his speeches upon both the great sub
Ijec,s embraced in theresolutions under con
Isideration had been listened TO with uhqual-
| a., M h. - a..
the weight of his high character and the
power Of lis orguments into the scale on
the side Of right in cause where tliere was
Lesituncy--wnrrc the judgment of mem
bers was not definitely lormed--where there
was q shade Of doubt as TO The result; but
because it was desirable that the grounds
on which we proceed in matters Of such
grave import should he stated, as they had
been, with singular force OF reasoning and
beauty Of illustration. 1t was also service
well rendered, not less in vindicaiion of the
past than of the present. The:molives Of
The present. The motives of the fathers OF
he present Constitution and Of the people
in 1892 had been placed in their true light.
So much was due TO them. 1t was also due
10 this Convention andto the people whom
they represent, and due TO the reputation Of
the Stale abroad, that il will be well under
stood that both ortthe provisions-the reli-
giousrtest end the property qualification
had been dtdd letter, al least as long as the
Chairman Mr.. Sawyer had participated TO
any extent in tie councils OF th' State
They had been practically imperative from
Mr.. P.'s earliest recollection. The Chair
man would rem mber that many years ago,
al a time Of high party excitement, il was
suggested that member of the House of
r. presentativcs occupied his seat without
the reqdisite property qualifications. But
two objections occurred at once TO any ac-
ton upon the subject: the first was tina in
.vestiga,ion and action, instead oil REJECTING
one member, might probab vacate twenty
seats; the second was, that no member could
probably be found 10 move in a matter SC
utterly rppuenont to public sentiment. ~.
The religious test had unlleniably been a
stigma upon the State, al home and abroad.
1t had been repeatedly named 10 him, an II
once at least ina foreign land, as unworthy
Of the Intelligent and LIBERAL spirit of our
countrymen. Although he had at times ftlt
keenly The mproach, he had uniformly re-
fprr-d, as he had no doubt other gentlemen
had done, toolherf parts Of The Constitution
illustrating The true and free spirit of Our
fathers, and 10 these as, at least for many
years, blank. The great question OF reli-
gious toleration was practically settled, and
settled in manner never 10 be reversed
while we retain our present form OF govern
mrnt, more than thirty years ago. The pro-
visions now claiming the attention Of the
Committee could hardly be sod to involve
an open question. They had .becn the sub
tject Of discussion in every lyccum, evrry
academy, every debating club, every town;
and there was perhaps no subject upon
which public opinion and public feeling was
so uniform and decisive. The substance
il substance they ever had-hoving long
since pass d away, he rrjoced that the prop
er occasion atlengh orriver to dispense will
The form. 1.