The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-04

"The above towns gave 1926 majority against
aboishing the religious test elected thirty seven
Democratic representatives to the Legislature, and
not one Wing; and gave Martin, Democrat, for
Governor, 2,202 majority over the Wing and Free
soil candidate; and yet the base falsehood is
widely circulated that the Wings prevented the
Democrats from abolishng the test, as it required
| a two-thirds vote, and the Democrats could not
quite obtain n two thirds vote. 1t is said figures
do not lie,' and with the facts before them re-
cord it is strange that men can be reckless to
this very NATTER
The insincerity of the New Hampshire
Democrats upon the question, and their desire
to perpetuate the disgraceful test, are further
indicated by the manner in which it was pre-
scented to the people, and by the impeachment
that was constructed to defeat the vote of a
bare majority. The taoo thirds rule, though
sanctioned by the practice OF the Democratic
National Convention, is essentially incompati-
BILE with the republican right of the majority
to rule; and it was by resort to this anti
republican contrivance that the New Hamp-
shire followers of General PIERCE managed to
defeat the demand for religious equality. This
is forcibly presented in the following remarks
from the Cleveland (Ohio) Forest City:
GA convention, called for the purpose of amend.
ing constitution, has varied and conceded pow
ers Among these may be enumerated
!. The right to frame constitution.
>. The right to decide the qualifications of voters
on it's adoption. --.r
3. The vote it shall require to adopt it.
CHOW, keeping these conceded rights of Consti-
tutonal Conventions in full view, and remember.
ing that the first count in the republican faith is
that the majority shall rule, let test the action OF
| the late convention in New Hampshire, of which
franklin Pierce was president. That convention
| was called to amend the State constitution. Its
powers were pr ecisely the saino other conven-
tons called Tor a like purpose Its business was
prescribed, it's duty to cleanse the body poll
tic; to extract the ulcers from il; to model it after
| the republican fashion. In that convention the
Democratic party, or the party calling itself De.
mocratic, had n decided majority. II had the
power to adopt or reject any pripciplc which could
have been offered. II exercised that power, either
directly or indirectly, to the fullest extent.
"Among the subjects which engrossed the atten
ton of the convention was the question of reli
gous tcst--tho eligibility of Catholics to office
| This had been the prominent idea in calling the
convention. II was a question that should have
| been met. But how did Mr.. Pierce and bis coad.
TUTORS meet IL BY evasion. ny parliamentary
trick. BY political juggery. By denying the
competency Of the majority to rule. They pro-
posed TO remedy one evil by infiicting another
well knowing that, while the wheels of progress
were thus clogged, the evil could not be reached
They professed TO concede to the spirit Of the age
yet accompanied the concession with condition
which cfTectoaliy crushed that spirit. If Mr..
Pierce, and the party with whom he acted. had
sincerely desired the abolition OF the religious test
they would have engrahed clause TO that effect in
the constitution, submitted the question to ma
joriiy of tho people, and from the day the conven