Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-07-03
TEE RICHMOND ENQUIRER
rVFsDAV MORNING, JULY 3, 1895.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
vy = RICHIE s. ROGER 4. PRYOR. Elhloh@'
MORNING., JULY 3, 1870.
THE rlREbRAND OF RELIGIOUS lNTOl-ER.
ANCE.
The Philadelphia Know Nothing National toun'
Gil, by rejecting the Louisiana delegation ami D!
establishing proscriptivc religious test have rArS. =,
q storm Of indignation in louisiana winch w"
sweep Sam with the bosom Of destruction u'"H''
than that of tho Old Dominion. The Ne" '''""
See, a Know Nothing organ, refers 10 'hee'o""
ZION of the Philadelphia Platform and declares 'nu'
tis equivalent to Il declaration OF reilsiouS persee"'
hon in the future. 1t then proceeds win inc Hollow
IN, language. which is plain and Ineligible to every
,pa md which moods neither explanation nor COM
aertary: 49,.
"The s,bi.m, therefore, if we ar, we'll Informed, be-
tween the Known othings of the North and those Of
our own State is absolute and complete from mus Jay
forth. Sc;lins else could be cSpected; no other re-
sui, Wa readable. Rather than march under inc
banner Of i. party which violates the Constitution
and every Il mrcratic principle, by proclai'iIhs ren'
Cious intolerance and pointing out the erecu u =
i,res number Of citizens for the anlmadverson ana
hate of other sects. our people would prefer 10 Win
draw from political struggles altogether and remain
utter strangers TO public life. !Nor'orrr, ssser0' 81
nsm, ice are persuaded, are dstcrmtncd 10 gre PFac-
GtG"t tto" tv t'''
css!c candidates.
AZ the New Orleans Delta justly reads the Ian
gunge. the Creolcs of Louisiana prefer the rule oithe
Democratic party to the triumph Of the prescription
is:s, and will coalesce with their political Ghtag"; :-'s
sooner than s:march under the banner on which ar"
Inscribed the formulas Of ancient bigoted Pur!tanisi,'
TIE right to worship God as they think proper, UNI
Ssrii.s nil Other rights, according TO their reading oil
the Constitution, and its nbrogation would be eQuiva-
!ens 20 tho destruction Of all personal liberty in the
Cn;ted 3tstes. But the know-Nothins Boo goes
Still :4r.her and properly declares that it is not tho
Ca,holics alone, but every patriotic citizen of all
Creed. and pa-ties. who denouuce the petsecatln:,
manifesto at Philadelphia. 1t says:
1T il not the Catholics a'one who copdcnn the ac'
tion Of the Philadelphia Council: but e:cr. citizen, to
whatsoever creed or patty 10 may belong, who loves
HE country sincerely. and would regret to see II retro
grade to a Pact which has stained human history
No j; shall never BE- said thar Il party when pro-
claims religious iatole: ance, can assert control over
other systems, diftrcnl in views and Intent. lh"'
party must revise its programme or-perish
In connection with this interesting and important
auhiec.-involving tho pstce and good order OF So
cie:y, the stability of our institutions, and the purity
end safety Of religion itself--we have reRd an eloquent,
able and powerful! pamphlet written by Nr. Gayarre,
ono Of the excluded delegation from Louisiana. They
were not ouly excluded from the Convention, because
the Order in Louisiana does not adopt the religious test
against Catholics, but they were refused even a hear
sag before the Convention. Consequently, Mr..
Geyarre, with the appreciation OF bis colleagues,
caused his views on the subject to be printed in a
pamphlet which lie delivered TO as many members Of
the Convention ss he could.
Nj. Gayar-e is one of the most eminent citizens Of
louisiana, and his appeal to his Know-Nothing con-
5yere,, and his whitening rebuke of their religious
S:so,ry and fana:icism, will ring through the land
with tremendous power. We truly regret that We
canug. find space for the whole Of this mastery pa
per. We can only give circulation TO q few pas
cage. .aksn here and there, bearing with powerful ef-
fec. spon the great question of religious freedom. We
sail especial attention to the passage in which Mr.. G.
Gissects. and exrnss. &" public Indignation, the
rnou.;rous ..r,sio6 OF "6rother' F:ournoy, the
Xlow.N Nothing candidate for Governor of Vir-
ginia. A fsw months hence, NJ. Flournoy will
bitterly rue the day when, in this eHi. L.ened nine
te, III century. aud on the soil of Virginia. Immortal
lad in history for ao,hins morn 'hA- 81" tn"mns
Jefferson, act for religious freedom, he da:id I" put
firth doc:, res v~iolative of the Constitution and Bill
ut R...h.s, and sub Sersive Ct c"e-" ,:!nclpie ana feel'
Sui. tina, hos characterized the bearing of Virginia.
This blessed Old Dominion has e~fiectuaily stamped
her frp, unou the afro tious arrogance, and the great
Leader OF Virginia Know othingism has been con-
.is,:vd TO oblivion, b. the Indignant voice of the peo-
ole. We are charitable enough to regard with favor
Sr. Old maxim, "!S4y rothing but good 81 the dead
hat o;,er States are to cast their ~suffrages, and we
desire them TO profit By tie eloquent lesson OF Nir-
,;o;s's renud;atiou of religious intolerance and perse-
eut;on. Let them study II odious and m.schiavouS
bearings of Know othiagism in Virginia, and the
DISASTROUS fate of ito leadsrs-and they 40. like Vir-
s!uia, will rally to tho banner Of civil and religious
liberty, aud will drive from their bordsrs the pesti-
le.rial herosies Of the worst party that ever ~disgraced
the confederscy.
With these remarks. we isi the attention OF every
sound thinker and putri, TO the following remarks Of
III. Gayare:
AT once, ~;nercror,, I come 70 the question, and l
call your earnest attention - Tint clense IN our con-
stitation, which excludes from Any. participation in
our v~oli:icsl right, mere ;hsn II million and a lalf Of
our native citizens. J lhcam tLat part og the constitu-
:,on which refers 10 RUmaA Gatf.lics, and which lit
"a useless TO disguise III establishes what may be right
IL called q religion. test. lac policy Or propr!cty OF
che introduction o: S '~'ruligiOus test" either directly
or Indirectly. ia the politics, and consequently, in tue
national government Of this country, | consider rs
the most important question Ehlch mas been ralsei IN
these United Sts;es since the adoptiou OF tile Federal
Constitution. lis a question, Whose decision one
vev or the other will have in is imHediate, collat-
erai, or incidental consequences, as great aia ipiIence.
cot only on the Jtstinies Of this continent, but also OF
tina rsst of the globe, az our Declaration OK lndcpcn-
a.,ce i,s.lf. Tee mere .ac. of :us having been scri-
md ,nou.rd, in the nineteenth century. III this gt-
gentle republic. claiming 20 be the light OF the world
aud a mUIcl for al other governments. constitutes n
star,.inr event in the history OF mankind. L APP
proach il therefore with II feeling of awe and solemni-
X. and | pray taa. It may To discussed here with as
lnuch pstrioiis.n. u ;sdum. f"rbearance, worldly fore
sight and Christian charity, - wero manifested in the
aucust hady that framed the Constitution under
which we have become tho inost prosperous people
that ever existed.
BY establishing political disabilities against Ro-
man Catholics, the evident intention Ut the "Ordrr"
"a 10 eradicate Roman Catholicism from the laud Of
freedom. Ii would be heterogeneous and uunanly to
de nv il. or even 10 equivocnte OH thus poin:. IL this
necessary for tho safety and prosperity of this people!
Ion Il b.. donel Can we execute such Il measure II
determined upon1 Can we adhere systematically to
spch O. line OF policy, and at the same time remain
i.ns ia the Constitution Of the United States! Nay
admitting that We possess such n constitutional right,
yon,d it he " $50 10 exercise II ! What would be to
ovr party the consequences OF an open war declared
by i. against Catholicism
If YOU retain, as ono OF tue fundamental primer
pies Of the American party, the clause introduced IN
Sour constitution in relation TO Il particular religious
creed, YOU Gre attempting 10 do nc tdct0, what you
canuo; do Gr ;Ure-to do by party enactment what
yHu cannot do by legislative cnactmen:-to do by
party legislation what Congress cannot do by nution-
Fl iISishtion. asa party, IN direct flolali"u o. aHpe-
rial provision Of The constitutions, you prohibit the
Jrse fTsrr'se Of az establishment Of religion, by ill.,
rictinS disabilities on hose who profess it,. This is
what the American party Goes. and wha. Congress
eanoot do. The Federal Government cannot require
c religious test rs Il qualification to my office of trust
or profit under the United States. Tie American
parry requires that test. !, is only by u miserable
quihbic, unworthy of the dignity OF the American
character, and not BY any sound argument. flat we
ean endeavor TO establish that this is not a violation Of
the constitution OF tho Cmiled States, because il is a
well settled principle Of jurisprudence in every conn.
try, that tie law does not pcrmmt todo INDIRECTLY villa,