The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-10-01
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The following article was written by a
whig member Of the late Convention, called
to Revise the Constitution Of the State Of
New Hampshire. and was published in the
IN. H. Statesman,the whig organol the State,
Feb. 25. 1851: tBt@ eaARg V4,s
''The Bib question relates to the religious
and property test. The provision requiring
certain officers 10 be of the Protestant reli-
lgion, has never operated TO the prejudice Of
any thus far, and there is no injustice in re-
taining j, as all Catholics who have come
have come in the face OF The provision. and if
Prolesiants. wish 10 continue the disability,
they have an equitable right SO TO do. It is.
therefore, a question of expediency and cour-
tesy, whether it be abolished or retained.
have less fears Of any disastrous results than
many. l have no sinister reasons for fiat
tering The Catholics, and shall be satisfied
with the disposition of this amendment,
EeEen irejected' The property test has been
a very great eyesore to many--not many,
however, except prolessed politicians, who
have not found their business sufficiently
lucrative 10 afford them The needful. 1t is
one eyidcuce Of a mans fitness TO manage
the concerns Of others, that he has well con
Quoted his own. And in this country any
well-cunducted business will give a man the
requisite amount, before he ought 10 leave il
for the business of othrrs cases of mislor-
tune, of course, expected. The State never
has suffered for the want OF the talents oi
those excluded from office by the property
tests. 1t is desirable, to my mind at least
that our public officers should have an in
tereSt either in the soil or some other perma-
nent property, that when they tax others
they may tax themselves, and others alsosir
turn may tax them. My notion is that, il
4 il is Tie province OF property to be taxed,
those who own ii should have an ascendant
voice in taxing it. 1t is represented a'
govelling TO make wealth a test of fitness
for Office, and furnishes theme for, decla
nation for some, 'ad cdptundum vulgui,
(which shows sometimes a weakness III grea
men. We have right TO The whole of t
mans, character, TO judge OF his fitness 10
office; and one who cannot, or will not
accumulate the small piltance required tt
make him eligible, had better be suffered tc
remain in, a private station, lest bis want o
! ability. or will, should be as conspicuous
and disastrous in public as in private lile.-
Universal suffrage is enjoyed by the citizens
Of this State, and five adopt universal eli
gibiity TO Office, oppressed woman may sool
: hope TO obtain her rights,las well as indo
lent mau. ~ think very many Of our old
: fashioned men will regret the abolition o
: both the religious ndpropertyite tests.
Il DO ....UHFf .ff.t~fF EEf Ia. X - "
a Such are the sentiments openly avowe'
r by leading whig politicians in the middle @
7 the 18Th Century, and yet whig partial
(; papers have the hardihood to charge Fedel
i alism and religious intolerance ueon Dtmc
J. Gratis Do 81. .e-H..r q#.- ,a s.
+ Such are the, opinions promulgated by
member of Convention of which Frankli
Pierce was President, and in which he spok
against both. property and religious test
and yet those papers have the reckless al
dacity TO charge him, land the party TO whic
he belongs, with having fapored those te sis
Must not every honest man--be he Catt
!, olic or Protestant, be- he rich or poor--reco
with disgust, from contact with such shame
! less hypocriles 1aits did.