The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-01

india gsd Ia very severe language and unueasured
" OF feb1ke, on the participation OF ministers OF the Cos
mise r
You also say. ''Clergymen have no business wh poll
tics, they say their rights and duties are confined 10 The
pulpit and the religious obligations of their pastoral re-
lations."
Alter speaking at large the subject you utter the
charge that the Senate have attempted "to aenriyeo
eersymen OF the "lbery of speech and of the press
The language s as follows:
" We hold, therefore, that the attack In Congress or out
o. Congress on The ministers Of The Gospel the
lkons press, Tor having exercised right Of c
Nenship-the right OF petition or remonsance-o be
only ana pneeed ior but an attempt TO muzzie
ana deprive OF The liberty OF speech aud of the press
class oil citizens entitled by law such privileges and
portion OF me population, and who are moreover bound
70 make known 70 The common of the
on ana TO heir iellowciizens the views they
,ea 70 aks o. proposed measure which casuisty
separate from religion morals"
That you desire TO be understood as charging senator's
with having made serious 'eHot 10 deprive ministers
OF the Gospel and the religious press oil the common
rights OF citizenship" is shown by the last four lines of
your article. They are as follows;
We can speak out without hazard, and do
nesy protest against this first effort deprive of
citizenship"
What does good John Fletcher sayi al do not ad
miIe the fashionable method OF advancing charges
without supporting them by particular proofs" Can you
submit particular proofs OF your general charges %
Now, my dear sir ! will not say that hope you will
De able 10 prove your grave charges to be ue 10 have
some foundation In truth; because, American,
lover OF representative government ought TO hope that
you could not and Also 10 be perfectly candid because
reading OF the whole debate in the Senate published
in The Congressional Globe of the 10th of March does
not allow TO say The very contrary of what you
charge appears 10 be true.
II am right, (and shall presently prove am,) how
terrible is the dilemma into which the abouonisls, with
their chinese alarm gongs have driven the TOO easily
alarmed editor OF the Official paper one OF the mos, re-
spectacle Protestant denominations in America They
crisd out that Liberty in danger that sacred COM
pacts were TO be dsegaded that effort had been made
,E II
OF citizenship and yourself honesty you rash
to believe them, and to give that belief expression
Against hope must believe in hope" that an unac-
countabe panic influenced your mind, and deprived you
for time OF the camness and caDdor which adorn your
natural temper
Of course, reverend sir you not here 10 listen
to the debate on the memorial presented by Mr. Eve
ret from some three thousand and fifty ceIgymen OF all
denominations and secis in the different States in New
bIaska BILL you must have gained your knowledge of it
from the published debate in The official Globe or from
some other report oil 1.-THE latter, suppose, else you
would have made declarations which YOU are unable
to sustain, bu, from which, in justice to the Senate TO
the Church, and to yourself. you will gladly hasten 10
recede at the proper moment. in credtable alike
to your character and to your talents.
now proceed 10 prove, by actual quotations from the
official report of the debate, that each who ami
madveried upon the memorial protest OF the 5000
New England minister's instead of making an "efor 10
deprive ministers OF the Gospel and the religious press OF
the common rights Of citizens" distinctly recognised
their rights as citizens" and censured the attempt to
exercise /" rights not beiongl ng 10 citizens"
Mr. Mason, Of Virginia. said:
That it is the right OF the citizens OF the United States
TO petition Congress- either house of upon any subject
that be presented them, is denied never
should be denied and such petition upon any subject OF
public interest should be received and treated with
respect which is due 10 citizens trust shall never
the day when the Senate Of the United States will
authors OF such petitions upon subset proper for eg
auon pending before the body coming from The people
the United ates, with aught but respect But
this petition 10 come from class who have aside their
character OF sihzens IL comes from class who style
themselves In the petition ministers OF the Gospel aud
ci'izens They come before usl have understood
petition wrong, beeVeas ministers OF the Gospel, not
citizens and denounce prospectvely the action OF
ate, in their language moral wrong and they
the emeriy in the presence Of the citizens of the United
States, TO invoke the of the Almighty whom
they profess to against Sir, ministers OF the Cos
pei are unknown TO this government and God forbid the
day should when they shall be known to H. The
great effort OF the American people has been by every
form OF defensive measures TO keep that class away from
the governments 10 deny to them TO class
ton Of the wisdom Of that measure in government
be found 10 this Ministers O the Gospel, repeat,
unknown TO the government Their mission upon earth is
unknown TO the government"
Mr. Mason, eminent jurist, and estimable as a
gentleman, to hold that the constitution OF the
United States, unlike that OF Great Britain, has not
recognised religion, either Catholic Protestant Chris
tan Pagan. Hence. it he Is right, when goes
and endeavors TO influence bis official action
by representing that he speaks in the OF and for
Juggernau the senator properly tells him that his ind-
vidual protest, as citizen, Is entitled TO be heard and
have such influence truth, right, and public policy
may command but II the proes, comes from him
as priest OF Juggernaut, both priest and Jugger-
naut being unknown TO and unrecognised by the con-
slunon OF the United States, he cannot, as SENATOR
lawfully allow "bs presty representations of the will
OF Juggernaut' 10 have any influence With him when
acting officially and under oath. So, also, il a senator
is approaches by NahoLaedan, a Mormon, a Chinese,
Jewish, Christian, or Pagan preacher, such, and
in the character o SUCH neither Though each were
"a clizen") may be legally allowed to speak 10 him in
the OF and for his God, il such speaking would
futnoe his senatorial action Tor such "presiy influence
upon political action not authorized by govern.
ment-though it is, acknowledge, recognised by many
other governments IN all parts OF the world And, be.
sides, people have not entire confidence ia political
pnest; many OF the people would be likely TO say that
such priests God may not have sent him 10 senators
to tell them how 10 vote a pending bill They would
even doubt whether il would be safe concede that
God speaks auhorilayey BY the mouth OF oil preach
ers
My dear sir, do you claim il your right, either as "a
citizen or ~ preacher, 10 speak TO senators God
and in His holy name, to announce to them, from lime to
time, how God Wills them TO vote Has any preacher OF
any denomination such right If SO, does he derive il
from God or IRON oar constitution
Allow me- reverend SIR TO say to you and 10 the whole
church. that scot at the idea that any minister as SUCH
whether he - Protestant Catholic Christian or Pa.
lgan has rights and higher rights the decision OF
political and legislative questions than has a lawyer,
doctor mechanic, farmef sailor, a manufacturer,
merchant, banker or a gentleman at large A cer-
lgyman is commissioned by Saviour go and preach
The Gospel to all nations but be is not commissioned,
except by the arch enemy and his mpudence, 10 20
legislator either State national, and in The ma Be
OF God Almighty tell him how to vote and how not to
vote, upon pending political questions. Such conduct
though perpetraed by all the clergy of The world
/ must take leave to denounce as blasphemous and
/ uhplly the The Bible When dtd