The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-08-05

and that "the bill of rights legal check on the judi
ciary or in other words the declaration OF the soye-
eighty the people constantly pronouncing upon the Just
Interpretation of the constitution and the laws
This brings us to the object of inquirythe lawful
of combinations deprive any citizen OF State OF
his rights her bill of rights protected by her
constitution and maintained by her laws
There is not bill of rights appended TO the eonstu
ton any State in the conderacy which does not declare
religious freedom be indeeasbe inaienabe
raj right reserved each individual and which he has
not surrendered the State and in regard to which the
constitution and laws have control or authority what
ever Hence follows that the constitution or laws of any
State which impair restrain, directly or indirectly
Immediately remotely this right are as TO such proy
IONS void
If the doctrine thus propounded is sound and the author
tiles y which is supported TO relied on the only con-
stitution in the Unionhat of New Hampshircwhich
strains the freedom of religious liberty by conhnng the
right represent the people in either branch OF Its egs
those entertaining particular religious dogmas
void being in direct violation of her bill OF rights than
which not one of all the States distinct and abso
lutte its enunciaton of the principle contended for The
first article of her bill of rights declares
.When men enter of society, they surrender
up their rights to that society in order to in
the protection of others and without uch an equa
lent, the surrender is void.
Among the natural rights Their Gerry natur
unaenaJe equivalent be received for then
OF this kind are the rights Of conscience
Erery individual natural and unalienable right to
worship according the dictates of his own conscience
and reason, and no subject shall be hurt, oested
strained in his person. liberty estate for worshippng
God the and most agreeable to the dictates
of his own conscience for his religious profession sen
L., J.ktxr o% J;ot,, ,a.
lie peace or disturb others in their religious worship
A elections ought be Free and every inhabitant the
State having proper qualifications has equal right to elect and
be elected into Office.
If then the bill of rights dccaratory of the principles
by which the constitution and laws to be interpreted
one of two consequences oowsthe provision of the
situon which depryes any citizen, other than Of the
Protestant fah of the right to be elected to Office is
void or those other than of the Protestant ah not hav
ing received the equivalent equal rights for the surrender
of their natural rights by the declaration of the bill
of rights itself not bound by the constitution and laws
since expressly declares that without such an cquiva
lent the Surrender sroidD
has been said that the path of right like the bridge
AL Strata single hairs breadth to the right or left and
inevitably lost No human provision can estimate
the consequences liberty from the slightest
departure from the principles upon which it rests.
Are we prepared to depart from the principles which
have "made and maintained nation" and for all the
consequences which must flow from such departure
Are we prepared discriminate against the exercise OF re-
gious freedom by practically enforcing that which the
monarchy Of Britain has lately abandoned as untenabere
gious qualification for Officer Are prepared practi-
cay to trample upon the rights of the citizen under the
constitution and the laws by discriminating against both
and establishing test not known to eherthe accident
of birth 2
Let those banded together with such objects look sted
y the consequences and be taught by the example Of
the past Let them look at the wars Of and the
in the name of religion Is liberty to engender in her
womb the serpent brood Of sin and DEATH to nestle within
and her vals Is America destined to present
her conflict Of all and all opinions epitome of all
the past in bloody struggle for ascen dency?
Let those who lend their aid to kindle the fires beware
lest they too perish in the confagration Let the minis
tcrs of religion guard their focks from desecrang their
faith by dragging it into the political arena.
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