Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-10-11
NUMBER 200.
FOR THE AMERICAN ORGAN.
Review of Reverdy Johnson's Letter.
wAsursoros CRY, Sept. III, 1856,

credit from the mere force Of paternity; hence,
though they be palpably erroneous and grossly
absurd passing quietly along and undisputed, they
are, In the course Of time, regarded as indisputa.
bic. This Is a misfortune in society, because II il
often productive of much evil. II seems highly
proper, therefore, that those who have regard for
the right information of the rising generation
should correct such errors, as far as practicable,
and before their banefu influence has becn exten.
sively diffnsed or permanently established
MIR. johnson, from hastily writing, ! presume,
has been guilty Of some mistakes In his letter,
which, for the reasons above stated, will proceed
to point out
lie holds out the idea, though he docs not say
20 10 direct terms, that the Constitution Of the
United States declares absolute, Unrestricted
unqucstoned enjoyment in every religious opin,
ion" II this represents his meaning correctly,
and 1t is very common notion, | have to say that
it tnds no sanction In any terms of the constitu-
ton. That instrument as originally adopted re-
fers once only to the subject Of religion and that
Is simply to declare, in reference to the admins
tration Of the oath aermation to certain officers
to support the constitution, that "no religious
test shall be required as qualification TO any
Office OF public trust under the United States y and
once again, in the first amendment, 1t expressly
forbids the exercise Of power by Congress over
the subject OF religion. BY the first, no one sp-
pointed to any Office under the United States Ia 10
be prohibited to take the oath of office and occupy
the place on account of his religion and, by the
second, the people reserve for themselves or their
several States the exclusive right to egisate con-
cerning religious matters. For my own part,
could wish sincerely that the same restrictions had
been imposed on the States.
MIR. johnson founds an argument upon the as
sumed and false positions, that the American party
form combination to affect the rights Of certain
citizens, and, "because merely Of their religious
opinions"
It is truly astonishing; il s sad to witness,
that man Of Mr.. Johnson's high standing and
character should adopt the invented slang of
set of malignant reptiles that sink away from
truth as owls apd bats from the brightness of the
sun, instead of taking time to examine for him.
self and ngenuously representing the principles
OF the American party as they are portrayed In
their own platform. His argument on this point
being based on false ground, have no argument
to offer in reply; but will reiterate our declare
tion, that we are not combined to affect the rights
Of any, because of his religious any other opin-
ions or, indeed, any rights whatever of any one.
Why are our opponents so pertiuacious in mis-
representing our principles Ia IL because they
cannot understand plain EnglishG Not tall but
simply because they dare not meet US on the true
ground. Knowing that truth is mighty and will
prevail, they employ the disingenuous, the base
means OF misrepresentation to keep in their igpo-
rance those honest men who have no knowledge
OF our principles, save through anti.Americsn
demagogues and Tory newspapers.
Referring TO the Roman Catholics and their iils,
settlement in Maryland, Mr.. johnson says:
"What would they (the Protestant sects) think
If, constituting they (thc Catholics) once did,
majority, the Catholics were to unite in such
warfarei"
The Catholics do constitute majority IN
many countries, and have done so for centuries.
defy Mr. johnson to designate one Of these, not
under antiPspal influence, where such war as ho
unjustly accuses the American party Of waginp
has not always been waged against Protestants
But we wage no war against RomaDists; we have
no design or wish TO deprive them OF any right or
liberty they now possess We only wish in u o
exercise Of our own rights to prevent them, if pos
sible, from subjugating this country and govern
ment, more completely than il now in TO the au !.
thority and dominion Of the Pope Of Rome. And
who can have the face 10 say there Is no danger,
when we see such powerful combinations including
the Executive Of the United States with all its d.
pendents and such men as Mr.. johnson, all arrayed
and len ling their power and influence TO the beast
and laboring with might and main 10 undermir o
glorious constitution, and destroy the civil and
religious liberties Of the peoplef
Mr johnson Is in error when he says the Roman
Catholics once constituted a majority in Maryland !;
that flying from religious persecution, one
amongst their first acts OF legislation was a pro.
vision for perfect religious freedom" lis irno-
rance Of the history Of his own State, Ia this par
ticular, Is astonishing
The Roman Catholics meyer constituted niaio-
rity In Maryland, and they never could have enact.
cd law intolerant Of Protestants. When Lord
Batimore's colony Of two hundred arrived they
found settlement Of Episcopdians already In Ma
ryland equal In number to their own and which
had been fourishing there for four or FIVE years
under the authority both OF the Crown and of the
government OF Virginia They we're represented
in the House Of Burgesses at jamestown, and the
Rev Richard James Of the Church OF England,
was their pastor. According TO the narrative Of
Father White, one of the Jcsuits that accompanied
Lord Baltimore's colony, the Protestants amongst
them constituted about one-thrd Of their number.
These, with Clayborne's settlement Of Episcopali.
ans, made the whole number of Protestants about
270-whie the Romanists did not exceed 1870 or
l40; and although Clayborne's settlement was
afterwards considerably reduced, the immigration
Of Protestants from England and Virginia was 10
much greater than that of the Romansts that the
latter never at any time were equal 10 the former
consequently, and as the charter granted by Pro-
testant king, gave equal rights TO all the inhabi-
tants Of Maryland, whether Protestant or Papist,
rather favoring those OF the established Church
the Roman Catholics Of the colony, had they pos-
sesscd the numerical power, could not have made
any law in:olerant Of Protestants, that would not
have been palpable violation Of the charter
From first to last they lived and acted under re-
sistless Protestant influence Then why this la
bored eulogy Of Roman Catholic toleraton in Mary
landl Simply ~ curry favor, by fattering sect
which in the Of ages can point only TO this
merest shadow oftocration offset 10 lbs nev.
er-ceasing intolerance. Indeed, could anything be
made Of II, il Is really too meager to merit the ap-
pellation Of even . the shadow Of a shade.'
As to the religiousl persecution from which Mr.
johnson Gays the Roman Catholic settlers Of Ma.
rylsnd fed, Il Is purely ideal There was no rcaL
ity In IL. No one has ever been able to show that
any one Of them ever suffered in England, either
in his person or estate on account Of his religion
and everybody knows that Lord Baltimere him
self who planted the colony, never sat foot on tho
Maryland soil, prefening the prosecutions with the
roast beef and plumb pudding Of Old England to
The rnIinins frnellnm and nrixntinns OF New Marx-