The weekly American banner. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1855-18??, 1855-08-17
YAzoo CITY. MISS. FRIDAY. AUGUST II, 1855.

DIT w M blackst0ne, In his commentaries, pub.
ished twelve years before Wesley's letter, says !
that the laws against Papists were "seldom ex.
'erted to their utmost rigor. Nor is that all
he shows that they were not directed againsti
the religion bnt the politics Of Papists They,
with all other non-conformists, were subjected |
to unjust laws on account of their religious
principles. Wesley opposed this warmly, in
deed was great Header in the cause of religious
liberation, and explicitly states that he would
''persecute no man for his religious principles;
let there be as boundlesaa freedom in religion
as any man can conceive He then shows
the distinction between the religious and polt-
ical dogmas of Rome, and even for the latter,
says in a subsequent letter he would not have |
Papists prosecuted at all, but only prevented |
from doing hurt. Blackstone says Vol. 4. p
| 55) "As to pdpists what has been said of the
protestant dissenters would hold equally strong
for general liberation of them; provided their
hseperation from the Church of England was
founded only upon difference of opinion in relig-
ion, and their principles did not also extend to
subversion of the civil government. II once
they could be brought to renounce the suprema-
lcy of the Pope, they might quietly enjoy their
seven sacraments, their purgatory, and auricu- |
lar confession; their worship of reliques and i'm
ages; nay, even their. characterization. But
while they acknowledge foreign power, supe-
rior to the sovereignty of the Kingdom, they can
mot complain if the laws &c that Kingdom will
not treat them upon the footing of good SUBJ
ljects." So you see then the Know Nothing
English" Wesley as you contemptuously call
him. is not the only one among the good and
wise Of old England. And Blackstone goes
farther than the American party, who do not
propose to make any laws which win not treat
Jour Popish brethren upon tie footing Of good
tsubjcots
Again you say, This very adulation of John
Wesley and his letter evinces, that they [the A
merican prints are not 'over much honest in the
expression of their affection for all that is naiUe
and of hatred for all that is not This is Ger
), tainly calculated to deceive the community
The Anne rican party feels no latred for foreign
:, ere. True, there are, with US, as with all otler
parties, rash and unthinking men, who cannot
]. oppose politically without hating: true also that
:. the abusive epithets heaped continually upon our
party and all its members, have provoked some
of eur speakers and presses into the occasion
abuse ofintemperate and abusive language (which
we always regret to hear or read. We think
- all sweeping denunciationsof parties classes are
'0 unjust and unbecoming. But can you so under.
y stand us as to think we admire less than yoarsel
- Shakespeare, Burns, Moore, Emmrt, La Faye tie
20 Wesley, or any other foreigner who was great o
% goodg We think no less Of good qualities becaus
- they adorn born in other climes; norans mor
u nlrSsssd qualities because they degrade native o
o'I America. DID the trainers of our constitution
u Ute foreigners? They have excluded them fr.r 1
90 noffice of the President. But, you will say
was political o ry which actuated them. Elk
- actly the same motive actuates the American pal
ty And after the constitution was framed, it wa
p- deemed expedient to extend the disqualification
the the Office of Vice President-not because OF
~, nation commenced hating foreigners Stillatt
. the celebrated Virginia Legislature Of '98 and q
VI recommended, more than the American party d
oe mand, that the constitution ought to.sbe
= amended as toexclude foreigners from both hcu
les of Congress and all judicial and executive of
' ces. Was it because they had learned to ha
1 foreigners? Not at ALL but because they thoug
the time Lad arrived when public policy require
no' the step which they recommended. We think
= too; and we regard ourselves the best friends
:, the foreigners. We think we show them Z
lu', greatest affection when we attempt to preser
ua' for them an asylum from oppression in their n
no. tive lands, one where their own children may
ellis joy every right, privilege, and blessing, which
ous derive from our forefathers.
- But more of this hereafter. Having, as
&c think, pointed out several particulars in viii
can community" should you, on investigation, be s.
re- isfed that we are right, we trust you will ma
~ the necessary corrections. Your arguments
1n. viii notice elsewhere.
and EelnI Rights. We find in the anti Americ
,,;.h organs one argument which, although triuml
sien antly answered fifty times over, continues nev
rave the Constitution guarantees equal rights to- Pr
wa estants and Roman Catholics, and that men
consequently guilty of violating the Constitut
nau' when they combine to withhold their votes Fl
en- Protestants or Roman Catholics for Office. \
ONE might just as well say that the Constitution "a
and antees equal rights to higs and Democrats.
that men are therefore guilty of violating
oned Constitution when they combine to with
acy, their votes from Wings or Democrats.
-. SANE Ifeedomof political opinion as Of reici,
opinion; and 1t IS no more violated BY the q
Inc bining of men together not to support for 81
en- members of q sect whose teachings tney cons
zz1l<s war with our Republican institutions thath
I. ccm( alton r. tosy vote for politicians whose