New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1855-12-11

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at Odd Felows Hall taking for his subject the connection
Of Christianity with the choice of Government officers
ths Of Territories the admission of new
States under the Federal Constitution.
As on previous OCCASIONS the audience was large and
Of the most select character.
Ths Bishop set out by observing that he thought the
topics he had chosen for his remarks would not be con
dered unbecoming the circle of his duties IS clergy
man, he claimed the right in with other citi-
xens to discuss freely any question Of public interest
He then proceeded to lay down the proposition that
the Federal Constitution directly recognizes necessary
connection between the branches Of our Gov
and the Christian religion by the nature OF the
oath Of office which 1t requires to be administered and by
the fact Of Its epjoning the application of the common
law Of England in trials by jury The very highest au
th critics decide that that based upon and
inseparably entwined with christianity The fact that
clause Of the Constitution forbids any religious test as
qualification for office does not alter the fact that it re-
cognizes christianity BY implication II 1t was not the
intention Of the trainers Of that instrument to require
religious belief the part OF persons taking the
oath Of office, why is oath demanded which calls upon
God to Witness where is the legal other proprety
Of person taking such oah when he repudiaes the
very basis upon which 1t stands and which gives 1t its
binding force
What would be thought Of President who should pre-
Fious to taking the oath Of Office profess his willingness
70 90 so put az the hane Time anior MS feoWcitzens
that he had religious belief which would make the
obligation sacred to him and respect for 1t whatever
in that Light Would such disregard of the evident
intention Of the authors OF the clause be met with storm
Of lndignatiNn from every part Of the land And yet If
it not the intention to impose the oath as religious
obligation why should the man be censured for frankly
declaring such to be his opinion in regard to 1T
With respect to the government of the Territories no
enc would doubt the power Of Congress to regulate them
BY passing laws for their temporal and moral welfare
There WAS right Of legislation vested in the Territories
but their must be to those Of Congress-
whose duty i was 70 exercise due vigilance and discre
ton In enactng such laws might conduce to their
safety and prosperity And for want Of such legislation
the Territories should become exposed to evils dan
gers Congress would be morally responsible for whatever
might befai them.
In such posion continued the lecturer stands the Ter
rtoy Of Utah at the present time Left entirely to them
selves the dsluded people inhabng that region had
built up government and institutions of their own and
,natea state OF things nsysr bsore seen upon this
on the inhdel construction of the Constitu
tcn has repudistes affinity with Christianity there
nothlng 20 prevent Utah from obtaining admission into
union 50 soon as he produce the requisite popu
aAon 70 snort time the breaking up Of the Chinese
may bring to our shores millions Of the benghted
pagsns Of that country What sto prevent them under
this construction Of our Constitution, from setting up
sne worsnp OF IDOLS among us! The Japanese may oolo
n,ae our country and establish their peculiar religion
Turks may md 1t convenient to plant and propagate
Mahomedanism among us and what obstacle are we to
oppose u We ooneede that our Constitution extends to
tnsm the privilege
y might be said that England holds dominion over
millions OF pagsns and experiences none Of these evils
nus there could be no analogy between her in that
respect and our own her system Of representation
dnsfent-they were allowed no voice In the government