Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-09-18
Who is Responsible for the Religious Test In
New Hampshire. s


The following extracts from a letter of the Hon.
Edmund Burke-than whom Cthe Albany Argus truly
savs1 no man is better acquainted with the history and
politics of New Hampshire-ceaEly define the rela-
tive position of parties in reference to the religious
test which still remains "a stigma, to use the Ian
guage of GEN. PIERCE on the Constitution of that
State -
" The Constitution of New Hampshire was adopted
forty years ago, while the Federal party IN
the ascendecy this State. 1t the constitution of
the federal party, was FRAMED, ADOPTED, and
for many years administered by THAT PARTY. All
its odious features the work of the old federal pdrg
of New Hampshire.
Since the democratic party have gained the ascen-
dancy in that State, repeated efforts have been made
to call a convention to alter and reform it. The ques-
ton has several times been put to the people and
ted down-THE GREAT BODY OF THE DEMO
CRATIC PARTY VOTING IN FAVOR OF RE-
FORM and the great bodg of The federal (Now WHIG)
party VOTING AGAINST 1T.
Within twenty years the question has been referred to
the people no less than three times, AND IN EVERY
INSTANCE DEFEATED BY THE FEDERAL
PARTY, aoho, almost to a man, VOTED AGAINST
ANY CHANGE IN THE CONSTITUTION.
On the last reference of the question to the people,
EVERY DEMOCRATIC PAPER IN THE STATE
ADVOCATED an alteration in the COMMUNICATIVE
cry FEDERAL PAPER OPPOSED IT."
Speech from Mr.. StephenS-HiS position Defined.
Hon. A. H. Stephens addressed large concourse of
people at PARIS Hail. in this city, Tuesday night
last on the political questions of the day, taking
casion to define very explicitly his position the
presidential issues He declared his position in strong
terms, that Gen. Scott ought to be Observation-Disclosures
4 InteHigencer Sept. End.
Z" Against Gen. Franklin Pierce or his opinions, he
said, he had nothing to object-he had objection to
make against Mr. Pierce's votes in Congress on the
d slavery question He believed him to be eminently
conservative the southern question, and said that
he placed confidence whatever in the abolition
newspaper reports of Mr. Pierces New Boston speech
i He declared the democratic nominee to be strong
friend of the compromise measures. "While IT, con-
tinued Mr.. Stephens ''was stumping the State of
Georgia. in 1850, in favor of the Union and the Com
promise, Mr.. Pierce was stumping the State of New
Hampshire in favor of the same principles
In regard to Gen. Scott, he said he should certain
ly vote for him. He alluded to the State elections
in Pennsylvania and Ohio and showed conclusively
that in these States the very men who conduct
ing the State canvass in opposition to the Compromise
and particularly the Fugitive Slave Law, bore upon
banners at that time the name of Winfield Scott fol
:. President, and that these same men, with Seward
and Greedy of New York, and of the same stripe
from other Northern States, the who finally
secured the nomination of Gen. Scott, and triumpheC
over Mr.. Fillmore and Mr.. Webster. He would moi
say that Gen Scott had never uttered word in favor
of the compromise but he had been able to fine
word in its favor from him, and he had searched very
s dhgentythat Scott's speech at Castle Garden was
delivered before the compromise measures as they fl
naly passed, introduced in Congress--that thu
Castle Garden speech approved the resolutions the1
e pending, which were originally introduced by Mr. Clay
and which, Mr.. Stephens declared, he would not have
voted for, because, among other reasons they made
II provision for fugitive slave law HI dscredited en-
trey the authenticity the purported speech Of Gen
Scott to the Mississippi delegation, lrich first appear
ed at Matches and has since been extensively circulated a.
: the Southern Scott papers He thought that Gen. Scot
at ,cOud be gerry far from attaching has signature to tia
% SEeech"