Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-06-26
wmte LIE 80. , rA,LEp.

As soon as the telegraph had announced
the nomination OF Gen. Pierce, the whig
presses announced that he was in favor of
religious test and opposed 10 Catholics
This was evidently gotten up in view of
the probable selection Of Scott who belongs
TO that church, as their candidate. II was
gotten up moreover without The slightest
foundation, but upon mere supposition, and
with recklessness OF truth and decency
which is the usual concomitant of these
SANDERS Of the enemy. Such misrepresen-
tation always recoils with deadly effect
upon its authors.
The following letter is from Hon. Ed
mund Burke, formerly Commissioner Of
Patents, and lately was an associate editor
Of the Washington Union. He lives in the
State Of New Hampshire, where he is one
of the leading men, highly esteemed in
public and private life.
WASHINGTON. June 10, 1852.
C. Nj. HALL, Esq, Sir II have received
your letter, informing me that the opponents
of Gen FRANKLIN PIERCE, the dcmocra.
tic nominee for the office of President of the
United States, are busily engaged in circula.
ting The siory, that he is opposed 10 the
Catholics aud in favor of the Religious Test
lha, has so long disgraced the Constitution
of the State of New Hampshire.
So Ear from there being any truth in the
story 10 which you allnde, the fac, is direct
" the reverse. | have been personally ac.
uuainipd with Gen pIBRcE for nearly TWEEN
TY YEARS, and can say that, while he is Il
consistent believer in the Christian Religion,
know Of no man more enlightened, liberal
and ,oleren than he is, on all matters con.
cerning religious faith and practice. And
especially with regard 10 the religious test
in the Constitution of the Stale of New
! Hampshire, his fellow citizens of all shades
of religious opinion, may rest assured thai
no man has been more unceasing in his op
position to il, nor more untiring in his effort:
10 GET i, expuuged When the late Conven
,ioE for amending the Constitution Of New
Hampshire assembled, Gen. PIERCE wa
elected President Of the body, and no, onl,
voted in favor of abolshng The religion
test but descended from the Chair and ad
! voca,ed lis expurgation in an able and elo
I quent speech
= In connection with this subject il is pro
:
per for me 10 add that the Constitution o
=, the State Of New Hampshire was adopte
in 1888 Since then no change has bee
made in lha, instrument With the excer
y ton of The religious test and property quail
ficaliou touching certain offices, il is one q
o the most thoroughly democratic and libels
S constitutions in the Union. When il wa
Il. adopted it exceeded in these respects, tn
n constitutions Of most, if not all, of the oihe
:, States. And the two obnoxious feature
above alluded to, in ,ha, instrument, hav
long since become nulliiy through III
force Of public opinion among the INTEL
> gent people Of that State AT the presel
! day, in New Hampshire; it would be gene
i ally regarded as deeply discrediable 10 rLis
Is an objection TO candidate for office @
IS account Of his religious faith or wan, of pr
e pery. Practically, the religious Test al
,s property qualification are abolished in Ne
Hampshire. am, very respectfully, 20,
a. EDMUND BURKE.