The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-11-17
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN MARYLAND.


RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN MARYLAND.
In the comments which we made upon Ga
vazzi and his lectures we alluded 20 the fact
that Maryland, founded under Catholic aus
picesn was one of the first, if not the first Of
the American States that guaranteed to al
men, without regard to religious belief equa
civil and political rights-setting thus nobl,
example of federation in u prosecuting age, tina
is we'll worthy of being remembered to tn,
credit of that Church in this country.
Gin Enquirer.
The Enquirer in claiming for Catholicism
the principle of religious liberation, will not find
itself sustained by any consistent Catholic. Ha,
it forgotten that wherever the Pope has SUI
preme power, freedom of religious worship and
the liberty Of propagating religious tenets, not
approved by his Holiness" are prohibited, un
less where reasons of state intervene! Has il
forgotten that the Principle of federation ii
secuted in this country by Brownson, by the
Shepherd Of the Valley, the Boston Pilot, the
FreemanS Journal the Catholic Telegraph ex
cept in cases where to attempt It's violation
would be to provoke consequences dangerous
to the Catholic Church, The Catholic HER.
archy must laugh in its sleeve at the attempts
to attribute federation to a Church which
claims infaliblity, denies the right of private
judgment, and asserts the supremacy Of the
Spiritual over the Civil Power
Listen to the language of the New York
| ID - Io-r L.
der the auspices of Archbishop Hughes:
81 would conclude by observing that it is
easy to show that, while the Catholic Govern
ment of the entirely Catholic community is mol
bound in order to be consistent to ITS principles
10 tolerate any other religious teaching, the
Protestant State, though having no Catholics
established in it's realms could not, without de.
nying the essential principles Of Proteaanism,
oppose the introduction of Catholicity or any
other religion"
liberation is the law of Professionalism In
tolerance is the law of Catholicism This is
true. But the Journal ought not to confne
itself to negative. If the Church of Rome be
infallible, it is not only not bound to tolerate
any form Of belief pronounced by it heretioal,
but it is bound to suppress it by all the means
at it's disposal. The Shepherd of the Vdllsy a
Catholic paper of the West states the case
frankly:
Heresy and unbelief are crimes, that is the
whole Of the matter; and in Christian coun.
tries as Italy and Spain, for instance where
all the people are Catholic, and where the
Catholic religion is an essential part of the
public law OF the land, they will be punished
as other crimes. Here the law does not take
cOgnizance of them, because the law does not
recognise the truth Of the Catholic religion"
But, if the Catholic Church could contrive to
control the legislation of this country--in other
words, make it Christian" as the Shepherd of
the Valley phrases it-heresy and unbelief here
also would be regarded and punished as crimes
We like this open way of dealing, and must
say that these Catholic journals have a clearer
conception of the nature of Roman Catholicism
than the Cincinnati Enquirer
Now US to the statement of that paper con-
corning Religious Freedom in Maryland. Let
us not overlook the facts of history HLDRETH
in his severe, unimaginatve history, is the best
witness on this subject He is no sentimental
list, no religious bigot, no politician, no dealer
in clap-trap He never suffers himself to be
mys'ifed, or attempts to mystify his readers.
So far as our Colonial History is concerned, he
is better authority, we presume than any Amer
lean author. The reader, by turning to chap
ter viii, first volume of his work will find full
account Of the settlement of Mary land. A rapid
| ., kola oft ha ota 70 Of e.
in England OF that time, in which the strife
between the Established Church, the Catholics
and the Puritans was not for federation, but
Supremacy. The Church of England was ir
the ascendant, struggling against both the
other parties; but, as against the Catholics, she
was sustained in her seventies by the Puritans
and melted to new restrictions.
At the time of the settlement of Maryland
! the public mind of England was profoundly
excited against the Catholics and the idea
of establishing colony in which Catholicism
should be established by law, and Protestant
ism forbidden, was not even dreamed of
, George Calvert, subsequently Lord Baltimore
, was u secret Catholic for many years; but h,
, at last, with frankness which, Hildreth says
r must be taken as proof of his sincerity" avow
> ed his adherence to the Catholic faith. After
one or two unsuccessful attempts to colonize
he obtained from Charles the grant of a prov
nce, to which he gave the name of Maryland
) Before the patent had passed, he died but th'
| charter, carefully drawn up under his inspec
y ton was issued to his son. The Enquirer, il
the article from which we make an extract
represents that this charter guaranteed fresdo"
of religious opinion, sc. If such had been thu
case, it would have proved nothing in favor o
E the liberation of Catholicism, for the simple
reason that provision against Protestantisn
would have at once put an end to the colony
, Professionals controlled England and all it's col
onies and we're prosecuting Catholics as they
I had been prosecuted by them. IL would ther
have been sheer madness for the latter to at
? tempt the prescription Of the former, who were
completely dominant.
But, it seems that there was no such prouis
ION an tie charter Hildreth presents us with
> an abstract Of it, and closcs with the remark
"Whateyer might have been the intention o.
, Lord Baltimore, or the favorable disposition Of
{ the King there icos no guarantee IN the charter
nor, indeed, the least hint Of any liberation ~
religion, not authorized by the Iaw Of England
The introduction of such provision, especially
= in favor Of the hated Catholics would have
been altogether too abhorrent tn English feel
!. ings"
: A short time after the settlement of the COL
!. ouy, deputies met in assembly, to form con
- stitution, and pass laws. One bill created four
{ teen f;lonies punishable with death--amone