Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-07-31

NO. go

conceaing their political designs are said
to have their branches and auxiliary soci-
cites in every city, town. and village, and
to be in alliance with this great northern
sectional patty, which psocIains open war
upon the institutions Of one-half Of the
States and upon the Constitution of the.
United States. 1t is not Surprising that po-
itical society, whose efficient secret organ.
ization enables them to CONCEAL their plans
while they hold out Inducements of pow
er and patronage to persons to assume their
proscriptive obligations, with the assurance
that they can conceal the hand which
strikes the blow, and thus avoid the odium
and responsibility OF the act, while thfy
revel in tue spoils Of viciory-l say it is
not surprising that such a political oIgani-
zatlon should prove formidable. and even
irresistible in its first efforts, when the spe-
clic objects and principles of the society
were unknown to the community, and be-
fore the people could be aroused to Just
sense OF their danger. | speak CT the SO.
ciet3 and Of its principles bf action here
ard #herever else they have triumphed in
the recent elections; tor am not aware
that am personally acquainted with any
! one man who has taken upon himself their
obligations and enrolled his name upon
their books
! No principle of political action could
have been devised more hostile to the ge-
| MUS OF car institutions, more repugnant to
| the Sonstitution than those which are said
to form the test of membership in this So
ciety of 'know-Ho,hings. To prescribe
a man in this country OH account Of his
birth place or religious faith is subversive
of all our ideas and principles of 81 vii and
| religious freedom. 1t is revolving to our
sense of justice and right 1t is derogatory
| to the character of on: forelathers, who
were all emigfants from the old world,
some at an ea.iser and some al later period,
They once bore allegiance to the crowned
heads of Europe. They, too, suffered the
| torments Of civil and religious persecution,
the fury OF which tore them from their ma
i've homes end forced them to seek new
! ones on the shores oil America. Indeed,
the settlement Of this continent, the deyel.
opmeut of the thirteen united colonies the
declaration of independence, and the es-
tablishment Of this glorious republic, may.
all be traced back to the accursed spirit of
persecution. The Pilgrim faith ess fled be-
fore their prosecutors from England to Hol-
Hand, and thence to Plymouth rock, that
they might be permitted to worship God
! agreeably to their own faith. The same
spirit compelled the Quakers TO seek re-
fuge in the wilderness under William Penn
whose name they impaired to the country
they inhabited, and from which the good
old commonwealth Of Pennsylvania has a
risen III her glory and maiests.s
| VDur otcn hpuuftEi,l c,t,- ,f SoI:ladal.xl,.as
stands a living monument, and | trust il
may stand an eternal monument, of their
gratitude to God for having removed them
| from the scenes OF their troubles TO quiet
and peaceful home on the banks of the
Delaware, which, IN the fullness OF their
hearts and in faith that the spirit of religi-
Gus persecution would never again reach
them nor spring up among them, they call
ed the "CiTY OF RRoTEERLx Iowa
[Cheers and applause.
! The Catholics, who ii turn, were op-
pressed and pursued By those who had
felt the rod Of their power, found an ssy-
lam upon the banks of the Chesapeake.
and called their little colony after their
tarorite Queen Mary, to which circum-
stance :lie State oil Maryland owes her
name and her origin.
The gallant cavaliers, who, after having
prosecuted the pilgrims and driven them
from tue kingdom under Charles L., were
in turn routed sad pursued By Cromwell.
with his invineible army Of Round Heads.
until they fled 10 Virginia. where thew
established the Church Of England.
! Ehr Euguenots, who settled in South
/ cafoiina, We're also refugees from iesigi-
gious persecution. lhl,s i. will be seen
tha. The different colonies were the refre-
sentatives Of the various religious seets ia
Europe, who had each beer prosecuted
and had nearly all prosecuted each other
in turn, until, by the strange vicissitudes
Of fortune, hey were driven from their
native land aud forced 10 seek an ASYLUM
upon this continent. where each could be
protected IN the worship Of God in ac-
cordaa,e With the faith he had embraced.
In proportion as they bersme tolerant and
luSt IN matl.rs Of religion they became
liberal and enlightened in respect 80 the
true principles OF civil government -.
4 w hen the revolution broke out 'in detence
of their religious and political rights each
and all of these colonies rallied under the
= banner OF their common country. The reyo.
lutiOH Catdriisiitu tlCft lNutpSnQchcc, by
converting the dependent colonies into
distinct sovereign States. Ne, il was rot
until the adoption OF the Constitution Of
the United States that their Liberties were
consolidated and placed on firm and sure
basis. In the Constitution it was provided
that mo RELIGIOUS TEst SHALL EVER BE
REQUIRED As QUALIFICATION TO ANY OF.
FlcE OR ruBL!o TRUST UNDER THE UNI
TED. STATES. immense applause.
= This provision was adopted unanimous.
ily. Twas the common ground Of Justice
aud equality, uren wE;ch all religious de-
nominations could stand in harmony and
security. Il expressed in plain language
the principles Of religious liberation, the
correctness and necessity Of which had
been thoroughly vindieated in the history
and experience Ut each of the colonies
1t was heartily concured in by Protest.
ant and Catholie--by Puritan and Oaya-
'l-er--by Quaker and Huguenot--each and
all of the religious seots and denomina.
tons agreed upon this great principle as q