The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-08-19

paIATIne
II The paatine Of Durham is well known was an
perin ~ mPegio All writs issued in the of the
bishop his cot had jurisdiction Of all offences and all
offences alleged to be- not elsewhere in England
against The htHg, but against the Bishop IF Durham
and the power OF pardon absolute in him When
then, the power of establishing judicial tribunals of APP
pointing the judges who 10 try offenders and of par
donng offences, placed in the hands of the propre
ary he not invested with full power protect his
roman Catholic subjects and strike dead every law
might be eveed at them and did not enable him to
paayze the Church of England Mary and build up
\ the Roman Catholic church,
Seventh section II this section has reference religious
matters 1t is absolutely intoerant aud establishes the Eps
copal church in the province 1t tantanount to
affirmation of all the sanguinary laws of England then in
force against Catholics and Protestant dssenters.
Uncontrolled by The other sections of the charter, and
by the character of the grantee and the objects he had in
view in founding the colony such Interpretation is iney
table but before stated do not believe il designed
to be applied TO the laws relating religion and there
fore reject the alternative construction mentioned above
In these views, confirmed by the early practice of
the province where the Roman Catholic religion in
stanty planted Calvert would hardly Instant the re-
cepon of the charter violate its provisions and do u
der the eye of the King for il OF public in
terest that he about sail for the New World and OF
nooriey that he carried with him the Catholic priests that
accompanied him. and that his first comrades in the colony
Roman Catholics.
But if it be asked how liberation possible in those
early days if not in virtue of the Characterization that
embraced as well the Puritan the Catholic by
reference to weknown feature of the charter While
the charter declared that Interpretation Of il should be
made whereby Gods true and holy Christian religion
according to Mr. Mayors translation Gods holy rights
and the Christian religion should sufer by change
according Mr. Kennedy, provision made 1or
submitting the laws ordinances, proceedings of the
province either to the King Parliament by which omis
sion the security against niaetons of the charter
very materially diminshedperhaps, in great many
rendered altogether unavapg 1t has been ntimated that
this omission not accidental but rather Intentionally
made to strengthen the hand of the proprietary against
supervision which he chose to have little exercised
possible This defect in the charter complained of
and represented by the commissioners of plantations in
1888 to the House of Commons II seems however to
"A IV n Nutb ays
Chalmers can afford decisive proof than those ma
teria omissions that Sir George Calvert the chief pen
of the grant, for the rights of the proprietary
carefully attended but the prerogatves Of the Crown
the rights Of the nation were in great measure overlook
ed or forgotten
II was then because Sir George Calvert careful TO
exclude from the charter right of revision Of the laws in
the King Parliament in England that the early settlers
of the province enabled establish liberation in de-
ance Of the Characterization in its true sensetoera-
ton to alnot scky paraytic liberation, alive all on
one side, but insensble and dead the other but
healthy, vigorous tocraon which, with either would
clasp brother.
have now, sir, considered all those objections to the
title of Roman Catholics to the authorship of religious toll
Grafton in the Maryland province which seemed to TO
have most force in them have written in the spirit
of controversy but in the spirit of digent inquirer after
truth. shall be much gratied to peruse anything
which you may write in reply, il you shall be of opn
ion that this either deserves is susceptible Of
ply But in this question feel no special interest and
therefore, with this letter the discussion terminates my
part can only say the have investigated his
tory the anl persuaded that the effort at this late
day to bege opinion that ii is not of Roman Catholic
origin, ought not to succeed
The Roman Catholic descendants of the early settlers Of
this Stateyou and know many Of thcm--answer faith
fully to the character OF forefaers capable OF the generosity
and pety essential to the enactment of that religious ooa
ton which we boast OF part of the mpershable re-
of State. Thus nobly sired do not wonder |
that the distance Of generations the greatness of their
parentagehns not faded out in them. Already to your
mind sure the venerable forms of some of those
to whom | alude have presented themseves-models Of
the perfect Christian and the perfect gentleman Before
own mind they now pass in stately professions the Wig
orous birth OF more virtuous days.
One word more In your letter to you deny that
Maryland the first of the colonies that recognised the
ndeieasible rights of conscience.
This letter has grown such length that do not feel
liberty extend it beyond its present limits The solution
of that question would require expenditure OF patience
on the part of the reader that am unwilling to subject
him to, and an expenditure OF labor my part that an
unwilling to incur.
The principal question between Isl is liberation in
Maryland OF Roman Catholic origin. That have dis
cussed
For the rest leave to the authority of Judge Story
and Mr. Bancroft, impartial historians who could have
object in giving the credit Of liberation TO State If it
not its due
Tits certainly very honorable the lcrality and public
spirit OF THE PROPRIETARY that he should have introduced
into his fundamental policy the doctrine OF general toera
ton and equality among Christian sects tor he does
appear to have gone rthcr and have thus given the
earliest example Of aegisiaor inviting his subjects to the
free indulgence of religious opinion This anterior
the settlement of Rhode Island and, therefore merits The en-
rlad rah q deAg The rst recognition among the colonis
Of the glorious and indeieasble rights of conscience
lStorys Com ON Constitution book !, CHI o sec. log.
Calvert deserves to be ranked among the most wise
and benevolent awgivers of all ages He the first in
the history of the Christian world to seek for religious
cury and peace by the practice of justice and by the
exercise of power to plan the establishment Of popular IN
situations with the enjoyment of liberty of conscience
advance the OF civilization by recognising the right
full equality of all Christian sects The asylum Of Papss
the spot where in n remote corner Of the world on
the banks Of rivers which yet had hardly been explored
the mild forbearance of proprietary adopted religious
freedom as the basis Of llc State Raacr@t n ti
Who among his peers could vic with him in honors ?
firm supporter of prerogaiiyea friend to the Stew
artshe was touched with the sentiment Of humanity, an
earnest disciple of the Roman Church, OF which he ener,-
ted the expeditions of truth MS ntlibehe Grsi caoag
legislators, established an equality among secs'
f. Bancroft, D. 23e.
II, then Story and Bancroft to be credited, this
grandest discovery in politics this grandest discovery in
the We, only halfexploed region of mans rghtsthis
great truth; by the light Of which many other grea,
truths stand revealed that every man shall worship God
according 20 the dictates Of his consccncewas FIRST
recognised in Maryland and FIRST proclaimed by Roman
Catholics
That truth hath since been recognized throughout
land; often baed 1t returned again and again TO the
ict and when in the progress of century and half
thirteen States had so developed that they in
don declare their independence the great principle of
loiseiiqn roseessly work had wrought in its chart
liable Offices ltga, nsed4 Of oiug epel.na enc from The
other BY opposite religions tey'Yere pEcprei 10 maze i
& lopap9 strnggle against common enemy. Having
yanuahed him they prepared TO compromise their OPP
posing views and firm that perfect uion which has made
us She powerful! nation nov
That great truth fra, pracsed the banks oil the little
stream Of st Marys, and first cnunciaed in legislative
language in the act of 1919, has blessed us-our whole
~, nl o!.u pdaptt