The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1852-07-03
From the National Intelligencer.
The Religious Test in New Hampshire

The Religious Test in New Hampshire.
The opening of the Presidential Cam
paign by the Democracy of Philadelphia,
on Monday night, reminds us, in one re-
spect, of the openining of that of 1874
in the same city, when our political ad-
versaries in their ardor to start with as
much capital as possible, in utter disre-
gard of tac.s, ascribed the enactment cf
the Tariff Of 1912 to Polk, DAllas &
Co."
At the Democratic Ratification NJ ct
ing held in Philadelphia on Monday nj ylit
last, over which the Hon. George M.
Dallas presided, he opened the meeting
with an address, in which we find the
following paragraphs:
II have heard it intimated to-day, for
the first time, that Franklin Pierce had
heretofore, while the Constitution of New
Hampshire was in process Of amendment,
joined in defending and retaining the
proscriptive feature it contained against
Roman Catholics. Now, gentlemen, this
is weak invention of an already fright
enened enemy; it deserves to be nailed
at once to the counter, as spurious and
base; and hope, by simple statement,
to crush it at once and forever.
cit is true that this Constitution OF
New Hampshire was disgraccd by an in
tolerant and intolerably odious provision,
commonly called '' The Catholic Test
which rendered the Catholics ineligible to
the Legislature and to the office of Gov
ernor. But it is equally true that the
most strenuous excrtions were repeated
ly made by the Democracy, perseveringly
led on by two Of her brig ghtest stars, Levi
Woodbury. and Franklin Pierce, to ex-
punge an exception to common right, SO
utterly inconsistent with the creed and
character of sound republicanism. Twice
did these just and generous champions of
civil and religious liberty succeed in OBJ
tanning from Convention, called at their
instance, and for that very purpose, the
abolition of this "test," and twice Gas
the Constitution permitted no change OF
its provisions. unless sanctioned by fuo-
thirds of the votes of the people, were
they defeated by the opposition Of COM
bined Wings and Abolitionists at the
polls"
We regret that we have to correct an
error Of fact coming from an authority so
eminent as Mr.. Dallas, who, in defending
the candidate Of his own party from po-
litical aspersion-if the charge referred
to be such, for we do not know what po-
sition Mr.. Pierce occupied on that ques-
tion-has been greatly misled in casting
upon the Wing party of New Hampshire
the responsibility Of an odious decision,
made by the popular voice of that State,
in which it is notorious that the Wings
have always been in a minority.
The facts in the case are widely differ
ent from what is stated by Mr.. Dallas
The very day, in March, 1851, when
the people Of New Hampshire rejected
the amendment to their Constitution which
proposed to abolish the property qualifi-
cation and the religious test, an election
was held for Governor, at which the
Wing candidate received only eighteen
thousand votes out Of poll of fifty-sev-
en- thousand. The vote was as follows !:
For Mr.. Sawyer, whig, 1S,43i
For Mr.. Dinsmoor, Dem, 27,i23
For Mr.. Atwood, Free Soil Dcn., 15.OS6
57,6Is
Mr.. Atwood was the regularly nomi-
mated Democratic candidate until within a
few days of the election, when, owing to
his free-soil predictions, he was thrust
aside, and MIR. Dinsmoor substituted in
his place. 1t is not probable, therefore,
that Mr.. A. received the support of many
Wings indeed, it is rendered certain that
he did not receive their support, from the
fact that on this occasion Mr.. Sawyer's
vote was nearly the same in amount as
the Wing candidate for Governor had re-
ceived at the several annual elections i'm
mediately proceeding that Of 1851.
Now, in contrast with the above vote,
we insert from our own columns Of the
3lst of March, 1851, the returns of the
vote on the several constitutional amend
ments submitted to the people. These
returns we originally copied from the
New Hampshire Patriot, and professed
to give the complete vote Of the State,
with the exception of one town:
Yeas. Nays.
On adopting the Bill of Rights, 1O.434 16,753
Relating the House Representatives, AHA 22,546
do do Senate, 6,O15 81 1893
do do Governor and 1t. Governor, Sob 1892
do do Biennial Elections, &C., 5,552 22,953
do do Election of County Judges, 7,44O 1876
do do Trial Justices, &C., 10,1l1 1921
do do Test and property Qual;f-
cations, 1852 17,122
do do Future Amendments, 9,O23 1857
do do Election of Judges, s. c., 1916 19, 1853
do do SuI't Public Instruction, 5,553 21,177
do do Commissioner Agriculture, 5,IS2 q ATT
do do Election by plurality, 6,29l 2O,9O1
do do Aboshng the Council. S,99S lS,209
do do Other alterations, 7,O4O 1868
That the Wings are not accountable
for the defeat Of the amendment abolish
ing the religious test and property quail
Goo<:o,, ,,,,e o1oo~1,, h.. n