The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-08-08


CATHOLIC ToLERAT1ox.-Judge Douglas
at a 4th of July celebration in Chicago, used
this language:
"The brilliant glory of Mary land had an
earlier dawn than the days of the Revolution.
Her earlier settlers when they first touched
her soil, established an internal movement,
which for all time will render the name of
Maryland re now ned as the first spot on the
American continent where entire religious
freedom was established by the voluntary act
of the majurity.'
To which correspondent of the Baltimore
Clipper thus replies:
The thoughtful and careful reader of his
tory will be moved with astonishment if not
regret, that member of the Senate of the
United States, OF acknowledged ability and
learning, should, in order 10 subserve party
purposes, ignore the records OF the past, and
thus violently wrest from the perse cuted
founder Of Rhode Island, that which impar-
tial history has long since accorded to him.
Great credit grant is due to the early colo
nists of Maryland, for an act, entitled, "An
act concerning Religion" in which the prin-
ciple Of religious liberation is recognized
that if Judge Douglas had asserted, that this
Measure of federation was the first legis a.
tive act which is recorded to have been passed
by ans government administered by the
Roman Hierarchy in favor of liberation o. all
Christian sects," he would ha> stated doubt
less what was true. But when he gravely
submits such statement as the above, in the
absence of refuiation. you will readily per-
ceive, coming as it does from such high au-
tbority, it will not fail of its influence, tend
Ing to mislead the minds OF the uninformed.
.l,o ~, ~
Il stupenduons error. The deleterious con-
sequences of which Judge Douglas may not
live 10 repair.
distinguished American writer, Yer
planch, has said that "the first legislator
who fully recognized the lights of conscience
was Roger Wllliams;" and Bancroft, than
whom a more reliable historian does not live,
says that Ro.er Williams 'was the first
in modern christendom 10 assert in its plenl
tude the doctrine of liberty OF cons cience,
the equality of opinions before the law, and
in its defence h. was the harbinger of Milton,
and the precursor and superior of jeremy
Taylor" Roger Williams never talked or
wrote of federation. He boldly claimed for
every man the right, the inaenable right TO
worship God according to the dictates OF his
own conscience. On the other hand, the
famous Roman Catholic law passed IN 1919,
of W hich we now hear so much, and in which
federation (thank God for toleration) is ex-
tended to other Christian sects, provided
that ''blasphemy against God, denying our
Savior Jesus Christ to be the Son.of God,
or denying the Holy Trinity, or the God
head OF the three persons was TO be punished
with death, and con6scation of lands and
goods to the Lord proprietory;" and I'd, that
whatsoever used ''reproachful words or speech
es con ernng the Virgin Mary, mother OF
our Savior, or the Apostles, or Evangelists,
or any of them, for the first offence was 10
forfeit E5 sterling, or in default OF payment
to be publicly whipped and imprisoned at the
pleasure Of his lordship or his lieutenant
general; for the Cd ofense to forfeit El0,
aud severely whipped and imprisoned as be-
fore described; and for the Sd otfense TO for
felt lands and goods and be forever Danish
ed out of the province" And yet the Sena-
tor from Illinois tells Us that fMary land is
the first spot on the American continent
where entire religious freedom was establish
ed by the voluntary act of the majority =
Well for such men as the great Channing,
the Senator himself, that they did not live as
citizens of Maryland in those days. Of
Rhode Island alone, whose founder was
Roger Williams, prosecuted Baptist preach
err, and not Mary land, could it be said with
truth that here R. ~ sis the first spot on
the American continent lChere entire religious
freedom was established by the voluntary act
of the majority"
RECOVERY OF Hon w. n. RrssELI.-Ti|