The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-10-03
the apealatosy statute. to prevent and pu-
,iisA ifs nrassnn

the ameaaatosy statute. to prevent and pu
lnish Its esasian.
I Q. rs further mems Of attaining thei
lohject. the individuals composing the Ameri
can party, have bourd themselves BY mutua
pledges, each to the other. TO unite their exer
lions for its acsomplishaent suppose saci
a pledge, either expressed OF implied, is III,
tie which conneets the members d every par
Ity. Az to their organization--the ritual
their particular modes Of proceeding, and o.
recognition. and the secrecy which has hith-
erto been observed in their preceedings--a all
which have given occasion for so much elo'
quent and ingenious defamation and dc.
lnnnciation--i am not required to express All
opinion for those, il is understood, have been
abandoned by their National Council. and nil
that il now required for admission into their
arler is the approval Of their principles. One
Of these, that which announces their determi.
nation not to vote for or appoint Rumanis,s 10
oiFce, has been the subject of much reprehen.
sion, and has been assailed as violation Of
the liberty Of conscience, which is scared by
the Constitution. The provisions Of that in
strument, which are supposed 10 be violated
are contained in the concluding clause Of the
third section Of the 9th article, and in the
FIRST clause OF the first article of the amend
ments. The FIRST, after providing for adni-
nistering an oath TO different public func-
tlonares, contains the following provision;
But no religious test shall ever be requr.
ed as qualification for any Office or public
trust under the United States."
The second declares:
" That Congress shall make no law re-
specting an establishment of religion. OF pro-
hibiting the free exercise thereof"
BY what process Of reasoning these prov
sions If the Constitution can be made to eun-
dict with The right o. tie citizen to the unli-
mited exercise of his owa free and uncontrol-
led will in the enjoyment Of his elective fran.
chlse, am utterly al loss 10 discover, and
have sought II ia vain, in such arguments
Of tie Directors u. have had an opportuni-
" Of peruslng. The FIST clause relates to
persons elected To office. and requires that
they shall have the oath of office administer
ed to them, without being subjected 10 any re-
ligious test. And this is the whole scope and
effect Of the act. II does not, even remotely.
interfere with the right OF an individual 10 ex.
ercise his own judgment in determining whe.
Their the religion Of the candidate, or the want
81 il, ought, or ought not, 10 influence him in
casting his vote for or against him. This
seems almost too plain for argument. Ifa,o-
be unsound and dangerous, 10 an extent
which would induce distrust in the ordinary
transactions Of life, il is no. only his right,
but his duty To withhold his confidence
aud bis vote. No provision II the Cunstita.
ton iorbds it. aud duty TO the country re-
quires il. ltw0uid be wrong in the Cavern.
ment II make this test, because il i al excr-
cise OF discretion which the people have not
in.fusted 20 them, ba; have reserved TO them
selves. Thus that which would BE- wrong in
the Government, is tie right and the duty
Of the citizen. How far Ibis may apply to
Romanists, is matter for tie exercise Of in.
disidual jugdment, and for that alone. |
would not feel that native American Roman
ISIS. trained in the principle, 81 civil liberty,
W = lance for. the Constitution aud laws.
aud devoted 10 the Union, would eome with
% lis scope. For the re.t, to show thar tie
view u Tie American parts is sustained by
maa 81 large intelligence, and I'll unduubted
p.c;y, ! srbjUin tie letter Of Me-. Wesley
tenlarklng oais HAL the attempt tores,rici lis
opinions TO the particular state Of affairs ex
istins * The time when his letter was written,
Is simpis futile, since i i perfectly obvious
that thry are u enduring applicability, at
least until Rpmaaists shall abandon those
Preeepts u their religion 10 which Mr.. Wss-
ley refers:
LETTEa ~ REV. John WESLEY.
sIs :-Sone time ago phamphle; was
sent me, entitled " An Appeal from from TIE
Protestant Association to the People Of Great
Britain" 4 day ur two since kind Of an.
sssr to this was put into my hand, which
pronnunses IFS style contemplate, reasoning
atiie, and Us ohjee, malicious. On the con.
ilary, think the style 81 il is clear, easy. and
natural; the reasoning, in general. strong
nd conclusive the object or design kind
ind benevolent. And III pursuance of the
>aiae Kind and benevolent design, namely. to
preserve our happy constitution, shall en-.
ieasor to confirm the substance 81 that tract,
~ few PLAIN arguments.
With persecution have nothing to do
petsecute no man for bis religious princi.
mr. sset t"tle VIC as OVuuutess Hechna
y religion ~ any man cas conceive. Bat
MS does mol tuuch the point. wall SET re.
igiDn. true or false. outof the question. Sup.
'ose ihe Bible, i sou please, 70 Be fable. l
nd the Koran 10 be the word Of GSl. con.
ider not whether the Rnmish religion is true /
4 ialse; build nothing on ene Or 81 oll,er
'npp"si.Ian. Therefore away With al your
.ommon place defamation aunt intolerance
nj persecution for religion. Suppose eve.
= word Of Pope Pius's creed 10 be true. /
suppose Tie couneil of Trent to have been
yet, I insist upon il, that no 90.
trnmehi, hUi Roman Catholic. ought to tile.
ate men u tie Roman Catholic persuasion.
al prove this by plain argument, let
im ahsserit that esn)--ti'at no R,nan Ca.