Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-03-10
THE INTOLERANCE OF TIE DAY.

HE IN OLENANCE OF HE DAY.
One of TIE worst results of the new Order Of
Know Nohngs is the i'll and bitter feeling engen-
dcred between native and naturalized citizens. We
predicted this in the beginning of this unmanly cru
SADIE against natuYalzed CT liens; indeed what else
could have been expected? \ is reproachcd
and denounced because God ordained that he should
be born in Ireland, or England, or Germany-or be-
carse he was educated a Catholic, and chooses to
adhere to the faith of his athes he is told that he
is to be degraded from the right which the Constitu
ton gives him of holding Offices and places of honor,
profit and trust and that he is bound, as Catho
lie, in the last resort, be the commands of
the Pope as temporal monarch and false to the
land of his adoption. What groSser injustice, what
more singing insult could be offered to a man?
Strife must beget STRIFE railing IcW be returned for
raiIiug-hatrcd between and between the
champions of crceds will spring up and endure; and
the fruits Of these things may be--nay, will be
disregard of law and consequent violence and blood
shed. This is tge experience of all the past The
pages of history with accounts of contentious
and wars between antagoniStc defenders and propa-
gators of religions crccts. Human nature has not
changed The same results must follow here from
the same causes The son will be arraycd against
the father friend against friend; and who pre-
TESS to be governed by the mild doctrines Of the
Prince of Peace, will be ready to cOerce, and tram
pie down. and degrade those who may choose to
worship God in way differing from their own. Our
ancestors foreSaw this and hence the Constitutional
provision that L" Congress shall make no law respect
ing an establishment of religion or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; GEORGE NAslINGToN, look
ing 10 the great future for his country left record
his opinions in admirable conSonance with the Con-
sttution which he was so largely instrumental in
LATHAM 70 +]o +6Oii, off,
United States written in December, 1884, he said
As mankind became more liberal, they will be
be more apt to allow that all those who conduct
themselves as worthy members Of the community,
are equally entitled the protection of civil gov
crm!nent. | hope ever to America among the
foremost nations in examples of justice and liberai-
"; and presume that your tOllOw-ctlZcns will not
forget the patriotic part which YOU took in the ac
compishment of their revolution and the establish
of their government, or the important aSslS-
lance which they received from nation i'll which
the Roman Catholic religion is profcssed.'
Again, in letter written in 1879, to the General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United
States, in reply to addressed to him, he said:
"While all men within territories are protec-
ted in worshipping the Deity according to the die
of their consciences 1t is nationally to be
pecetl from them in return, that they will all be
cntious of evincing the sincerity of their profess
sions by the innocence of their lives and the bene-
iccce of their actions; for man, who Is profit
gate i'll his morals a bad member of the civil COM
munity, be true Christian, y credit to his
own religious society
Again, in letter to the General Committee of the
Baptist Church of Virginia, written soon after his
inauguration as President he said:
eff could have entertained the slightest appre-
hcnsion that the Constitution framed in the Conyen
ton where had the honor to preside, might posi-
bly, cndanger the igons lights of any ecclesiasti
Cal society," certainly never would have placed my
signature it and if could now conceive that the
general government might ever be so administered
as to render the liberty of conscience insecure, beg
You will be persuaded that would be more
Jealous than myself establish etfectual barriers
against the horrors of spr tua tyranny and every
species Of religious persecution.
Comment such language is not necessary it
is clear, full conclusive. And now WHO will stand
up controvert the opinions to oppose the prn-
ciI!es Of WAsHINGroN?
But, we are told, that though the Constitution
permits, in eyplcsS terms, Catholics to hold office,
still the people should vote against them, and that
this would not be prescription. This is substance,
the defence made for Mr.. Rayner and other Know
Nothings, by the Raleigh Star Why, what right
can be higher or more sacred than right guaran-
tecd by the organic law? But we will quote Mr..
Rayner himself in answer to this position. In his
speech in the Convention of 1885, in favor of reli-
gious liberation, he said:
Office that will not deprive him of the right Of
shipping God according to the dictates of his own
conscience Sir, the right of worshpping God, free
from all personal pains and penalties, is right which
can now be enjoyed in any country in Christendom.
An exclusion from the houors, the profits, and the
emouments of the State, is the highest persecution
which public opinion will tolerate in any Christian
country in this enlightened age. So that, if you
sanction the principle recognized in the 32d article,
you the rod of persecution with as unsparing
hand it IS used in Spain, the States of the
Church. And if you exclude sect, why not
another, and finally ali, except one? 1t was a fav-
orte saying of Napoleon that there was but one step
from the sublime to the ridiculous and on the same
principle, there is but step ON religious free
dom the most bitter and intocrant persecution"
Mr.. Rayner said, and said truly, in 1885, that IAN
exclusion from the honors, the profits and emolu-
of the State, is the highest persecution qohich
public opinion aciU tolerate IN any Christian
try IN this enlightened dge; and pray tell
what difference there is between exclusion by the
organic law and an exclusion at the ballot-box?
Tell man, and insist upon it-as Mr.. Rayner did in
1885, and as we suppose he does now-that he shall
have the Constitutional right to hold Office but shall
be practically excluded from holding office by the
agency of the ballot-box-why, what mockery is
that! Is it not attempt to set mere popular ap-
prehension, or whm, caprice, feeling of VEN
geance, ad0ce tile Constitution itself? l7.s.r.-
Remember, "Mcre is but one step from religious