Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-10-11
Neither Father White nor any other writer Of that

40 far as he was concerned In it. doubtless 10 was.
Mr. johnson refers 10 the act OF 1919, " con-
corning religon"-calls Il Fan act OF perfect reli-
gious freedom and saysit was passed by the Ro-
man Catholics Bozman--the States historian
shows very clearly that majority OF the members
of the assembly which enacted that law consisted
of Protestants The Governor, the Secretary, and
every member OF the council who--jointly--at that
time formed the upper house, were, with perhaps
single exception, Protestants. Considered as
whole, however, IL Is an act really not worthy OF
contest, gave only TO deny ito paternity.
Mr.. johnson gives garbled extract from this
not to establish his own erroneous assertion that
Il "was provision for perfect religious freedom"
will here give other extracts from the same
act, and the reader will then understand what are
Mr. Johnsons ideas Of perfect religious freedom"
He will perceive they In strict accordance with
those of the church he so zealously defends.
a5 Extracts from the aact concerning religion"
passed April 81, l649. (See Bozmans History Of
Maryland, vol 2 IL, PIP. 66l, 1872, '63.
SKc. 4. Whatsoever. person or persons within
this Province, and the islands thereunto belong.
Ing, shall from henceforth blaspheme God that is,
curse him, or shall deny our Saviour Jesus Christ
to be the Son of God or shall deny the Holy Trim
lev, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, or the God
head Of any of the said three persons of the Trim
ity or the unity of the Godhead, or shall use, or
utter any reproachful speeches, oids or language
concerning the Holy Trinity, or any of the said
\ three persons thereof, shall be punished with death
and confscation, or forfeiture OF all his or her
landa goods to the lord proprietary and his heirs"
SEC. Z. .'Whatayer person or persons shall from
hencefOrth use or utter any reproachfu words or
spceches concerning the blessed Virgin Mary, tho
mother Of our Saviour, or the holy Apostles or
Eyangelsts, or any of them, shall, in such case,
for the first offence, forfeit to the said lord pro-
prietary and his heirs lords and proprietaries of
this province the sum of five pounds sterling, or
the value thereof, TO be levied on the goods and
chattes Of every such person go offending; but in
o,se such offender or offenders shall not then have
goods and ,chattels sufficient for the satisfying of
said forfeiture, or that the same be not otherwise
speedily satisfied, that then such offender or Of
tenders shall be publicly whipped, and be impris-
oned during the pleasure OF the lord proprietary,
or the lieutenant, chief governor OF this prov
incc for the time being" For tho second offence
the penalty ia ten pounds sterling, and If not paid
the offender was to be publicly aud severely whip
ped, and Imprisoned as aforesaid. And every
person or persons before mentioned, offending
herein the third time, shall for such third offence,
forfeit all his lanis and goods, and be forever ban
ished and expelled out OF this province"
SEC 8. i" And whatsoever person
or persons shall from benceorth upon any occasion
of offence or otherwise, in reproachfn manner
or way, declare, call, or denominate any person
or persons whatsoever nhabiting, residing, traffic
ing, trading or commencing within this province
orwithin any the ports harbors creeks or Ravens
10 the same belonging, an hereto, schismatic,
idoator, Puritan, Presby ie,ian, Independent, Po-
pish priest Jesuit Jesuit Papist, Lutheran, Calvin
ist Anabaptst, Brownist Antinomian, Barrowst,
Round-head, Separatist, or other name or term In a
reproachful manner relating TO matters ofrelgion,
shall for every such offence forfeit and lese the
sum Of ten shings 'sterling," &c. But If this
was not paid, and the offender had no property out
of which il could be made" then the person or
persona 80 offending shall be publicly Uhipt and
shnll suffer Imprisonment without bail or maiDprise
until be or she or they respectively shall satisfy the
party offended or giieyed by such reproachfu Ian
guage, by asking him or her respectively forgive
ness publicly" &c.
SIC. 4. For violating the Sabbath "by frequent
swearing, drunkenness, or by any uocivl or dis
orderly recreation, or by working on that day when
absolute necessity doth not require"--ior the first
offence a forfeiture OF 2s. Sd. sterling. Second
offence, IS. And for the third, l0s. and if the
offender failed 10 pay and had no property out Of
which Il conld be made--for the first and second
offences he was 10 be imprisoned ill he made pub
lie acknow ledgment, DC. land for the third
offence and every time after, shall also Be psbiicy
phiptn
IL il from the fifth section that Mr. johnson
uuotes--but not ltcrnlly-the provision that INC
person within this province protesting 10 believe
In Jesus Christ, shall be any way troubled modest
ed, or dscountenanccd for, or In respect of his or
her felgon, nor IN tne hee eAocisc uereoi
"ezeepf as IN This prese,t act is before declared
and set FORTH
The words In italics, which belong TO the sen
tence. and are important In the controversy, are
altogether omitted by him. ] make no comment
on this act, or Mr.. Johnsons laudation OF It.
leave them 10 speak-to the reader for themselves,
only adding, however, that II Il fills the measure
OF lis idea OF perfect religious freedom" Il may
d. fora Papal, but beg leave 10 assure him its
cIpscity Is far too diminutive for an American
standard.
And, supposing this act 70 have been passed by
the Roman Catholics--against which, however, ]
regret 20 say, the evidence Is quite clear what
credit did they deserve fnr i'll The king had been
beheaded neatly three months; the government OF
England was In the hands OF Presbyterian Par
lament, and all controlled by Puritan army, with
Oliver Cromwell at the bead who was, even then,
almost The Dictator Of the kingdom. Grave charges,
preferred sometime before against Lord Baltiu orc
and his Roman Catholic government, were pending
with doubtful issue, causing him 70 tremble for the
safety Of his proprietary rights. lie knew that the
Protcstanta la the Colony outnumbered toe fatho-
iics that the Kent Islanders and Providence peo-
ole continued disafscted: and, that his nyeterate
enemy Clsybornc, stood high In cromwel's favor,
and v as isborng necessarily for his ruin. Fore
seeine the Kings fall and the destruction OF the
monarchy he bad already taken the precantion
10 conciiate the ruling powers OF England by
changing the government n Maryland from
Catholic 10 Protestant, and sending the draft
OF a law concerning religion" for enactment
In The colony. modelled after an act pending
~ the time In tbs Presbyterian Parliament
and psper prepared by the officers OF the
army in favor of religious liberty, and submitted
by them 10 the people Of England. IL was under
such circumstances as these that the bloody act o.
1919, 20 lau9ed by Mr. Johnson, was passed ~
Maryland.
And What was Il, after ALL II formed no guar
sntec for the ininre. II not in the nature Of
charter or constitutional provision; II did not &c.
cure the people against an inquiston or any un'
Just ecclesiastical impostions practice; but like
any ordinary penal act. simply projected individu
ala In the exercise of their religion against the mo
lcs.tiou Of other indiyiduals--proyided Il agreed