Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-07-10

Try, wouid arragn before you the leaders of the
cn''e" AhctIcah party, and demand to know from
what teacher or what text-buuk Of American doctrine
'heJ navy 'conca 10 oand themselves into a faction
practicay tpusiranclllsc and eXconmunicate II large
body of the people of Americal demand their nre-
ccdents III the history OF common country for a.
tempting TINS enormous fraud upon whole clQss of
citizens, VINO nave become citizens upon the faith of
the Constitution and the Laws. call upou them to
tell US by what authority they have ATTEMPTED
to SOW discnrd and TO intame every hatred ma.
licc and all uDcharableicss between brethren
of the same family, children Of the same common
country! "Amcricnn Pnty!" Are We not all Amc-
ricans! Or are our Constitution aud our Laws hut n
solemn cheat and dcusiun! And arc those who. in
accordance with their requirements and by virtue of
their authority, have become American citizens not
indeed Americans, but still aliens and sojuurncrs
strangers and enemies in our midst against whom all
true Americans are to band themselves in dark aud
secret cOnclavcs and by vast league, bound by
uuths and mustered by tnsmaric signs, TO hunt them,
and all who recognize their cqua! rights from every
post u trust and honor To make them feel that this
il not their country; that here they but
and by suficruncc; that here they have come only to
be governed-gOverned by those who will still be
alien to them, since here "Amcrcans must rule Ame-
rlca." Miserable watchwurd of delusUi and folly.
Wrctcled sacrilcge to the American name! What is
America and whnt arc Americans! Let the answer
he Numbered i'll their ears by the Constitution and
the Laws. Let it arise Ia cunlOund them, from the
broad bosom of our country, from the whole volume
Above all perhaps, that which has most spread cheer
funess and contentment throughout the land; that
which has most impressed men with the consciousness
o freedom and thus inspired them with all its enrr
gy is that religious liberty which leaves every man
To worship God according to the dictates Of his own
conscience with none earth to make him afraid
This, indeed comes home to his heart and iningles
with every tender tie and memory of eurth and every
hope OF heaven This, indeed, is the crowning jewel
i'll our country's dindcm. Its mild and heavenly
lusre has chccred muny heart in distant regions,
aud weaned it from all the associations Of kindred
| ana of place. HERE, thavc men sai) here at least
there perpetual dissolution Of that unhappy union
between Church and State which, whatever the
Church and whatever the State has ever and every
where, i'll other hands than those Of Deity himself,
been fruitful OF misery and oppression Here at lest
the duties and the rights oi the citizen towards his
country and his Government belong to 4 sphere
widely and forever separated from TINT of his religion
Here at least shall eyer govern that divine prccet Of
the Saviour, no held the trbuc-muney in his hand
and with simple truth cououndGd the casusts: "RES-
DER uSTo CESAR THE THINGS WHICH ARE Ca
sAR's, AND UNTO GoD THE THINGS WHICH ARE
Gob's."
This doctrine of perfect religious freedom, Of the
entire and final separation of all questions and lntu-
enccs of religious creed from every thing that direct
ly nr indirectly may give color or direction 10 public
affairs, tome temper to the laws, statue, hue or
complexion to the social political relations OF the
individual ctizen-this is grent fundamental Anne
| rcan doctrine, vital to the American name. Whose
denies it, Or in words admitting it, practically assalls
its fullest and widest operation i'll spirit and IN TRUTH
may dare to call himself American, may perchance
| trace his lineage To- some immortal namc upon the
scroll of independence, if such apostacy be nagna-
bic, but he il true Americana and by and by,
awuking from his dclusion, he shall repent in sack
cloth and ashes his desecratiou Of his country's
name.