Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-12-20
AMERICaNISNI.

During the last term of the Wayne County
Court, James NJ. Porter, President Judge
charged the Grand jury against all combipa
tions Of persons banded together by vow oath.
or ether obligations, for the purpose-1rhethe5
Gcco.7Dl lishea or nol--of depriying any citizen
native or naturalized, of any right OF nights
given and secured to him by the Constitution
and laws of Pensylyauia or of the U. States
He told the Grand Inquest that no oath or oh
LEGATION taken to do an unlawful act was, or
could be- binding in law or conscience, though
no person could be compelled to swear that
he himself was a member of such combina-
tion. still he could be compelled to swear who
OF others were if within his knowledge, not
witbstanding he had taken an oath 10 keep
such knowledge secret, as such oath was clear
lv Illegal and void, if the secret was to be kept
among the members of an illegal combination.
Judge Porter is well known in our State aS
one of the most willy demagogues and tricky
politicians within its borders. In good stand
ing with no party, he has always made himself
prominent by efforts to ship into power through
chinks and dissentions. Thus he became Sec
refarv of fhe Navy under the Tyler admins
tration. but held office only until the u. States
Senate had an opportunity to reject him. The
above charge is 4 fair specimen OF ms Sophlst-
~ which he carries even TO the bench. He
knows well enough that no combination exists
to depIive any naturalized citizen of conStitu-
tonal rights, for the privilege OF voting and
holding Office is not a right but is regulated
differently in different States, and persons may
be disqualified from both. He knows too, that
| electors have a legal right TO say for whom
| they shall cast their votes, and have as broad
| a privilege to prefer natural born to an adopt
| ed citizen or Protestant to PapiSt, as to Sc
| Iect between the white and q coloTed man.
! The Constitution Of Pennsylvania prescribes
| that s.no person who acknowledges the being
| of q God aud future state Of rewards and
| punishments shall on account Of his religions
| sentiments, be disqualified 70 hold any office
| or place OF trust under this Commonwealth" =
Bat this does not debar the electors at the polls
| from voting against any one who entertains re-
| Iigious sentiments which are thought to be an
| ti-republican. If there is any apparent conflict
between the Constitution and the elective fran
| chise the ballot box Is the arbitcr, and the viii
| of the majority is the supreme law. ne iUn-
| damental charter of our State prevents any le-
gislation to disqualify q man for religious sen
| timcnts, for that would be an incorporation Of
| Church and State, but it was never contemTla
| ted that the choice of an elector between diff
| ferent religious sects shall be debarred. H(
may vote for a Methodist in preference TO
| Baptist. Trinitarian instead OF an Unitarian
or a Protestant instead Of Papist, wIthou
violating the Constitution. Al this hue anc
cry about Illegal combinations, unlawful oathS
and secret associations, are ''weak invention
OF the cnemy'' to distract attention from ID
main point of controversy, which Is that al
| Papists in this country are subjects OF IN
| Pope, which potentate asserts that the ho
mish Church has the right to dissolve IN
tie of subsection and the oath of fidelity, an
and therefore Papists are most dangerous an
| untrustworthy American citizens,