The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1855-10-18

OCTOBER 10,
, most become afraid of themselves
So much 20 that very many Of theiI
state councils have wholly repudiated
!, il. This has been done in Virginia
South Carolina, and Louisians, and
|, believe in Maryland. It is no won.
der. Il is only astonishing that it haa
ever been adopted BY any body Of re-
7 spectacle men, in any part Of the I'm
len. We have been accustomed to
regard freedom Of fconscisnee, and the
libsrty to worship God, according to
it, dictates, - one ofths richest fruits
Of tie revolution, and the brightest
Jewel in our constitution, But this
rich heritage 10 sought to be destroyed
BY . new political organization in the
middle ofthe l9th century. The wise
ffamers Of our constitution made the
provision against any legislation re-
spccting IN establishment Of religion,
in view Of the warnings and admoni.
tons Of the post history of he world.
The struggles Of different seets for the
aseendency, had filed Europe at diff.
ferent times with the most lcselating
wa.s a.sl the most horrible exccsses.
Dungeons and psisoas ~ers srOwdcd
with the victims efreligious perseeu-
ton, and the gibbst and the stake had
literally reeked with the blood Of re-
ligious martyrs. II was to guard d
gainst similar scenes in this country,
that our government cut of all possi-
bility Of q Union between Church and
State, and left ell questions Of religion
and religious belief to be settled by
the consciences Of mankind. Since
then il has been one Of the proudest
boasts Of our people that the great
problem Of civil, a. well ~ Of relig-
ious liberty had been here demonstra-
ted, and that every man, woman, and
child, in this proud Republic, was at
entire liberty, to worship God accor-
ding 70 the dictates Of their own con-
sciences, with none TO modest them
therefor, and responsible only to God.
The "new organization" arc in effect,
whether they design il or not, seeking
to overthrow this cardinal and cher
ished doctrine Of the constitution. To|
take this question from the arbitra.
ment Of tho human conscience, and
commit it to the keeping Of . great
political party.
However unconscious many Of our
"Know.Nothing" friends may be Of
the fact, they are In truth claiming
to be conscience keepers for the A.
merican people. In this assertion
shall no doubt be fatty contradictcd,
and | am willing to concede that many
good and patriotic citizens, who be.
long to the "order," have no idea of
going to that extent. And yet insist
that such 10 the inevitable result of
their doctrines. They say they do not
want to put down Catholics, but to
keep Catholics from putting down the
protestants. This l. the current state.
msnt Of leading Know NotAiaes, and
taking it - expressed, maintain that
1t embodies the whole argument Of re-
ligious persecution, from the days Of
the reformation up to this time. 1t is
like the tyrant's plea Of dire necessity
for the slaughter and robbery Of his
subjects. It was to cut up by the
roots, this plea for war against sects
and creeds that the provision already
mentioned was inserted a. . flnda-
mental article in the constitution.
But let us see whether the effect Of
the Know Nothing doctrine is not a
violation Of the Constitution. The
language IL, that mo religious test
shall ever be required ~ qualifca-
ton for Office" The members Of the
new party take . solemn oath, upon
initiation, that they will not vote for
any Roman Catholic to fill any Office
Of trust or profit under the govern
ment, State or Federal. The Ian
guage Of the Constitution and this
oath are in direct conflict. Here are
two systems at war with each other,
and the triumph ofthc one or other,
must depend, a. q matter Of course.
upon the success or defeat Of the new
organization. tits vain to tell Us, a.
they do, that they have . right to vote
for whom they please. They are pro-
posing by means Of . great national
party, TO rule this country hereafter
upon the basis Of Catholic disqualifl-
cation, and Catholic prescription. II,
their party gains the ascendency,
Catholics will be ~ cifcctually dis |
qualified a. il they had been placed
under the ban Of the Constitution.-l
The letter will remain. but the spirit, |
the life and the soul of the instrument
will become extinct. Constitutions
only cmbody the policy Of the society
they were made for; and they may -
s6ectually be repealed, by any combi-
nation strong enough to control the
action Of the society, and which shall
lay down and carry out . different
policy, - II done BY formal conven-
tion Of the people. The effect 10 the
same, and the Constitution 10 equally
violated in either case; and in my e.
timation, the new order will be quite
- responsible in the forum Of con-
science, - ifa formal act Of Congress
.>->l -. H. 81 ..,:<l ~ -,