Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-08-28


cut they have passed laws inhibting per-
-citizens-from voting, unless they
can read and write. VIII any person
contend that these prescribed individuals
can vote for members of Congress p
Certainly not, Clearly demonstrating
that the right of suffrage and the time
of naturalization are entirely different
things, and are not dependent, the one
upon the duration of the time of the
other.
Now would ask, gentlemen, if Con-
gress were to pass a law that all persons
born in the United States and twenty
one years old, should be entitled to vote
for members of Congress, and Massachu-
sets having prohibited persons Of this
class from voting because they could not
read and write, thereby excluding them
from voting for members of the "most
numerous branch of their General AS
sembly, could these inhibited persons
vote under the Congressional enactment?
Certainly not, it would be palpable
violation of the federal constitution, and
the Congressional enactment would be
nullity.
Now, gentlemen, if | have been able
to demonstrate that the main stag of the
know-nothings has been broken and scat
tered to the winds-tbat their PROPOSE
ton is legal impossbility--ought they
not, in common honesty to abandon a
party who claimed their support and
their suffrage for proposition utterly
untenable-utterly futile
In reference to the religious test which
seemed at one time to be leading fea-
ture in the American PLATFORM" j
thank God it seems to be abandoned by
the intelligent of all parties; for if there
IS any right more dear than others to
American citizens, it is the right to wor-
ship his God as may best suit his own
conscience; and it is our glorious privi-
lege not to be questioned as to the exer-
else Of that right
The union of Church and State is ev-
er to be deprecated it has always led to
the most unfortunate results. Religious
intolerance is the most cruel and vindie-
tive feeling that ever animated the hui
man breast; it has estranged the dearest
friends; it has severed the ties of con-
sanguinity; it has shed the blood of the
innocent; it has clothed a nation in
mourning. / trust in God that my coun-
try may never feel its dreadful and ma
lignant consequences.
But, gentlemen, San, IS dead. / did
not come to preach his funeral sermon.
Many of his deluded followers have
cursed the day he ever was born and /
have no doubt that many who swore thew
loved him lever dearly are now ready
to sing
Oh, no, I'll never mention him,
His name is never heard -
And as it is common to throw the
charitable mantle of forgetfulness over
the errors of our deceased friends, SO we
may charitably hope he knew n6thtua
of his terrible errors.
The question agitated by our republi-
can friends upon the subject of slavery
is altogether a different affair, gentle
men. 1t is supported by persons too re-
spectacle and too numerous not to de-
mand at our hands fair and candid con-
sideration of its merits, as well as ma
ticnt examination of tho grievances of
which they complain; and / firmly be-
iieye that by proper feeling on the
part of all, North and South, It will
eventually lead to the settlement of this
yexed question, and proper guarantee
for our constitutional rights
The Democrats have taken tho onIv
true national view of this question-tbot
Congress has neither the power 10 estab-
lish or prohibit slavery in the territories
OF the United States that they are the
common property of the people, and have
been secured by the treasure which be-
longs to the people, or won by the yalor
and blood OF the soldiers Of the country.
both North and South and that to pass
laws which would operate upon the emi-
grants who might wish to settle in sucb
territories from any section Of the Jnion
would be invidions aud wrong; that en-
igration should be untrammelled. mai
when sufficient number Of persons shall
have settled in such territory as would
entltle them to admission into the Union.
that the citizens in such territory alone
have the right to determine for them |
selves whether slavery is to be tolerated
or not, without control from any quarter.
p" Hands off," gentlemen; let legitimate
emigration and settlement decide the
question.
Could anything be more fair-could
anything be proposed that would seem
more consistent and proper?
] must confess that / have feared that
this contest in reference to the question 1
OF slavery in the territories was only a /
masked battery" behind which our Re- |
publican friends meditated an attack upop
one OF the compromises Of the Constitu-
ton. | mean that portion Of Il which,
IN making up the ratio Of our Federal
Representatives, allows three-ffths Of the
slave population to be counted to make
up the number.
II ever our Northern friends shall un-
dertakc to carry such proposition ne
would strike out this constitutional right
from the Southern States, no human
power could prevent dissolution Of the
Union NO man South, who had Tho
slightest regard for the rights Of the
States, or Of constitutional obligations,
would for moment remain in the Union
when the majority had set aside her con-
rights, and when numbers had
oyer-ridden the most solemn obligatiq.- ,