New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-20

ful. Viewing from tne AnsDo, -. - ..,no. 20
The popular theory Of religious liberty We eanno, zee.
too grateful for the blessings il has conieneul ioi
protp.c, j, pres nts to other portions OF nunnsn.
DEVELOPMENTS, indeed, cannot give; ls hlsso,y, ~
,Le nror,4r sense cannot write; for thai inFoFe.
Is,;dr. ~ logical sort which no one living can s.1Ie
mon any Of the received hypothesis either 81 Europe
or America. ...of,l
II will be seen that Mr.. Davis il very careini
how he commits himself However, he concludes
that il as we'll to make little hay while the Jun
shines, without stopping TO inquire TOO cur'oa'V
whether the heat come from above or below just
now liberation seems to work well, and the idea 10
popular. twill help sell book. 1t VIII hgure wen
on title.page So here we have The Day'stAfo Oh
American Freedom-the birth and early growth OF
Toleration in the Province Of Maryland.
The same spirit presides over the seventh chap
ter. entitled THE Act concerning Religion, con-
tanning an analysis of and comment upon the famous
MARYLAND federation act OF 1919. 1t is rather diff
scult TO say which Mr.. Davis finds most commenda-
ble-the fifth section Of the act, which secures 10
the people of the province believing IN CHRIST
a certain cramped and narrow liberty OF reigous
opinion and worship, or the four preceding Sec
tons which BY way of preface to this grant OF tol
GRAFTON, punish with death and forfeiture OF goods
and lands those who blaspheme God or deny 'ha'
Jesus Christ is the Son of Cod or deny the Holy
Trinity or the Godhead of either OF It's three per-
sons. or the unity of the GOdhead; with fine whip-
ming. and for the third ofense Punishment, those
who speak disrespectfully of the Virgin Mary or
the holy apostles and evangelsts; and by me or
whipping, those who proiane the LORDS DAY oy
"uncivil or disorderly recreation" or work. In
defense Of these provisions it is to be Observed that
Mr. Davis resorts again in note (p. GAY to the
idea that celebration in the most strictly logical
acceptation exists only in state founded upon ma
ked atheism"
So much for Mr.. Dayis's philosophy; let US now
give two or three specimens of his fine writing
The act of the Assembly Of l649, I" concerning
religion is thus introduced
The time at length arrived for them also TO OIL
cate at the altar of religious FIRE DOM and 70 take ther
own rank among the foremost spirits OF the age. Nea
the close Of the session, within the range OF
villages ard the blaze of Indian council hres they
took counsel We suppose, not only OF each otnef,
but also of the true Father of Lights, and there by
solemn act they indorsed that policy which ever since
has shed the brightest luster upon the legislative an
mails of the Province. ?. 80, So
The following is an exultation over the passage
of the act:
The pious emgrsnt of every name who believed
only in Christ would securely sit under his vine or
bower or It'll more unpretending root, ana the weep
ing penent at his rude altar or humble hearthstohe
might offer up his confession aud his prayer 10 the
children OF sorrow and to the victims OF persecution to
men of various races, of diverse languages, and OF
many religions, the voice Of our early legislature was
Ike the sound from better wOrd-lke second
evangey from the skies. LIP. $50.
After mention of the ancient wills on record as
4 :..c,~ ,,o,,
treated to the following sentimental flourish:
But more beautiful are they than precious. For
they touch our hearts. They breathe the spirit of pa
rental affection in all its depth and wild intensity
They point from the rude home where the weary pill
grim Of the forest lies down to die in bis humility to
bright and everlasting mansion prepared for him III
the skies This day they speak-voices from the
deaG-a willing testimony to mighty truth in the his
tory of a continent, and to sublime doctrine of the
Christ an religion p. 1885,
The biography OF Leonard Calvert, the first Gov
ernor ofthe colony sets out from this high key note:
In the history of Maryland see the union of the
hero with the pilgrim; the combination OF mission
derived from the laws of human destiny, and ex
pressly given before the Fall with the magnidcen
and sublime sentiment which soon became living en-
bodmet uudtrthe form of religious liberty lP. III
The biography of Mr. Walter Peake, one Of the
famous Assemblymen of 1649, afterward hanged
for homicide committed when he was drunk,
closes in the following pathetic strain,
Thus persisted and passed away upon the galows,
in the spirit Of Catholic penitent after life Of toll
some, heroic sacrifice in the wilderness one OF the
men so honorably connected with the mos, sublime
and magnificent conception Of the Seventeenth Centu-
~ Pope Alney was the name of his executoner-
the only fact which gives him claim to any place
upon the page OF our cOuntrys history
But though it is stated in the text that Pope AL
ney's only claim to fgere in "Our cOuntry's hste
tory" is the fact of his having put the rope round
Mr.. Walter Peake's neck yet our author, out of
the superabundance Of his antiquarian learning, in
forms us in a note that this Pope Alney stood, at
this very time, convicted of stealing, but sub
ect of respite, several persons having upon their
knees begged his life of the Governor"-this
self, being compelled, 1--WE suppose to keep his Of
tense in memory meanwhile to hang others.
Mr.. Davis has heart not insensible to female
charms. He acknowledges at the close OF his pre-
face his obligations TO a number of ladies whose
companionship has occasionally lightened his Ia
bors, whose bright sympathies-it is his own lam
guage we are using-haye occasionally shed
sunshine over his heart in the hour Of toilsome soil
tude; whose aid and whose many kind offices will,
be tells US, be sweetly and sincerely remembered.
Possibly it is in the hope of touching the fances if
not the hearts, of his female readers that he in
dulges from time to time in such rhetorical esca-
pades as We have quoted. ESQ., we think it indi-
Gates very insufficient estimate of the amount of
understanding to which our fair countrywomen
may lay claim.
The next point upon which we shall touch is the