M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-03-23
Opinions Of Good and Great Men
ON Know N0lhinglsm.


Read it, ye who hold your midnight
cabals. Let every true Patriot read
and hand it to his neighbor to read, in
order that tue Father Of our Country
may be heard on this subject:
Letter of VVashIngton'S.
GEORGE WAsHIEGToS was not only great,
but good man. The recollection Of the in.
estimable service he did his country in the
dark end trying hour of the Revolution alone
arouse within the breast Of the Patriot sen.
salions of the liyeliest character, and every
thing that has emanated from his pen is ac.
corded a deep degree of yenemtion. With
this fact in view, we reprint the following
letter, written by him soon after his inaugIl,
ration as President OF the United States. to o
certain committee OF CERTAIN church in Vir.
Iginia;
Gentlemen, request that you will accept
my best acknowledgements for your congrat.
ulation on my appointment: to the first office
in the nation; the kind manner in which you
mention my past conduct equally claims thu
depression of my gratitude.
"Alter we had, by the smiles of Divine
Providence on our eXeTtiOns, obtained the OBJ.
ect for which we contended, retired It the
conclusion Of the war with an idea that nv
country could have no further occasion for nv
services, and with the intention of Ltver en-.
tering again into public life; but, when the
exigencies OF my country seemed 10 require
me once more TO engage in public affairs. al
honest conviction OF duty superseded my for
mer resolution, and became my apology foI
deyiating from the happy plan which | had
adopted. II could have entertained :h,
slightest apprehension that the constitution
framed in the convention where had the hon
or TO preside might possibly endanger the re
ligious rights OF any ecclesiastical society
certainly would never have placed my sig
nature to it; and if | could now conreiv,
that the general government might ever be 81
administered as to render the liberty of con
science insecure, beg you will be persuaded
that no one would be more Jealous than nv
self to establish etIectual barriers against tn
horrors of spiritual tyranny and every spe
Icles oi religious persecution; for you doubt
less remember have often expressed my sen
tinents that every man, conducting himself
as good citizen, and being accountable tC
God alone for his religious opinions, ought tt
be protected in worshipping the Deity accor.
ding to the dictates of his own conscience.
"Whi!e | recolleCt with satisfaction that
the religious society Of which you are mem
bers have been throughout America unilormi,
ly and almost unanimously the firm friends
TO civil liberty and the perservering promo.
teH OF our glorious revolution, | cannot hes.
itate to believe that they will be the faithful
supporters Of free yet efficient general gov
eminent. Under this pleasing expectation.
rejoice to assure them that they NAV rely up-
on my best wishes and endeavors to advance
their prosperity; in the mean time, be assured,
gentlemen, that entertain a proper sense of
your fervent suPpications to God for my tenn.
poral and eternal happiness.
81 am, gentlemen, your most obedient servt,
GEORGE WASHINGTON"
An old Fogy Know Nothing, up
street, on reading the above letter, with
drew his subscription to the Washing.
ton National Monument, because the
Father OF his Country by this letter,
holds the doctrine that Catholics should
have the right to worship GoD accord
ing to the dictates OF their own con-
sciences. We have said, in our time,
that if CHRIST was on earth, these
Wing Know Nothings would oppose
him through their bigotry. As WASH
ington was the 'next best" man, don't
it nearly establish our position.