Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-08-12

uuueHL oui'Sy oH AohS'ouo H'S''y, as
"a Justly cherished privilege of the A.
merican people," Far be it from my
heart ever to indulge in such accusa-
tions. But, after all, if religious free
dom be such blessing in America, il
would be equally blessing in other
lands,-in Italy, and Spain, and Austria.
Now, would Bishop Hughes extend this
boon to those countries Will he come
out and advocate the extension Of this
"iustly cherished privilege" to the pop
oiation of those States? fhe does, he
shall have the admiration and applause
of all freemen throughout this and all
lands. But he will not. He cannot
He dare not.
Whatever may be urged about the
abuse of 4"religious freedom" every
page of the New Testament shows, that
this was the right for which the first
christians contended and suffered. 1t
was only after the corruption of chris
tianity, by an unholy alliance with the
State, that professed christian could
be found so utterly apostate as to advo-
cate the right of propagatipg religion
by coercion. The weapons of apostles
were not "carnal but spiritual" No
sooner, however, were church aud State
combined, than other arms were EN-.
ployed. The sword aud the musket,
bayone,s and gunpowder, the inquisi-
ton, the axe, the scaliold and the fire
these were the arguments to enforce
truth, and to compel men to be o.lho-
dox.
Upon these dismal scenes-scenes
which have rendered the history of fchris.
tianity the darkest page in the annals OF
the world-arose, at length the Relnr-
nation. But. alas, how soon was that
Reformation tarnished and shorn of half
its glory. How soon was its power
paralyzed. How have its fair promises
been bligh,ed. Aud whyl Because
the Reformers, themselves, had no just
conceptions of soul liberty. The wick
ed union Of church and State was still
maintained and hence, Protestants
were foundi and are still found, perse-
cutting each other with rancor as in!
ve,era,e aud cruel, as that which they
had execra,ed in the church of Rome.
This is not the place to speak of the
noble spirits, who first compre!iended
and advocated true religious freedom.
My communication has been extended
beyond all my expectations. But |
must not finish before vindica,ing The
title of one christian hero to an honor,
of which Archbishop Hughes aid 9TH
ers have sought to deprive him.
In an oration TO which ! have more
than once already adver,ed Archbishop
Hughes thus speaks: "lf civil, but espe-
cially religious liberty be clear and just
ly cherished privilege of the American
people; the palm of having been the first
to preach and practice it is due, beyond
all controversy, to The Catholic Colony Of
Maryland" Now, no. only would ! not
wish to withhold fromlhe Catholic found
ers OF Maryland their due praise, but on a
recent occasion, when addressing some
of my fellow citizens, l delighted to honor
them publicly, especially, did ] rejoice TO
applaud the patriotism and virtue and
manliness Of Cecil Lord Baltimore. That
nobleman, however would have been thu
last man to flch from another his hardly
earned glory; and uei.her Archbishop
Hughes, or any one else. must be allowed
to perpeirate this injustice inhis name.
The spain of having first preached and
prac,iced religious liberty in this country'
is not due 10 the Catholic founders of
Maryland, but to the Baptist founders of
Rhode Island. "Roger Williams" says
Bancroft, 'swas the first in Modern Chris.
tendon to assert, in its pleni,ude, the doc
trine of liberty Of conscience and equality
OF OPINIONS before the law; and in its de-
fence, he was the harbingpr ofMilton, the
precursor and superior Of Jeremy Taylor"
iSee Bancroft's History ofthe U. States,
Y. l. p. 376.) Such is the verdict of a
history, and single glance at facts will
attest its justice.
In ndeciding this matter, the firs question
is one of dates. The archbishop says,
"The Catholics Of Maryland BY priority Of
time have borne away the prize;" but in
con.roveri5e facts refu,e this assertion.
| have now before me the boosted statute,
ofMaryland. ltwas passed 81 of fApril,
l6+9. Now, in 1886, more than ten years
anterior 10 this date, Roger Williams
founded the townofProvidence, ",obe,p
in his own language, "a sheltprfor persons
ofconcience.' In l644hepub-
lshed his celebrated treatise, "Thr
Bloody Tenet,p denouncing the sins Of
persecution for religion. Lastly, in 1917
tpo gears byore Tie Maryland Lam, the
civil code Of Rhode Island was enacted,
procIaiming 10 all men perfect liberty in
!.
The question Of priority is thus far set
tied. But is comparatively little
When we examine tho Maryland Statute,
we find that it not only does notrecognize
the riphts circumstances in man, but sane