The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1857-03-07

" vi
government will live. and rise to glorious
Immortality: bu, if it is destined to fall on
evil times and be ruined, then We desire,
while the smoke Of our burning nscciids, and
the fragments of our wreck are floating by,
that our countrymen may know that We put
forth our hands. in fccblencss it may be. to
arrest the evil. This is the position Of the
American party: and for this the gentleman
from Maryland Mr.. BOWIE brands it with
prescription.
But it is more than time that should turn
to the last point in the gentleman s speech
which propose to notice. 1t is the charge
Of religious intolerance.
| In submitting my views on this branch Of
the subject it may not DC Improper to state
that there are leading men in the American
party who differ with me. Of this class l
may mention my distinguished colleague
| (Alr. KENSETT) Of the st. Louis district. |
will therefore he understood as only prnpo-
| sing to give my own construction as to its
policy.
And here must he permitted to express
my regret that the gentleman saw fit to .lve
out the proof of his charge. had heard it
made on the stump, with apparent sincerity;
but the proof has invariably been wanting.
had never expected to hear it in Congress un-
| Will WIG pioOi. DuI hS'S
affirm. that neither in the speeches which
heard during the canvass, nor in the gentle
mans speech OH yesterday, have been able
to discern even the trace Of an argument in
| proof Of the charge alleged. The truth is,
there has been no attempt AT argument, unless
there is argument in abuse, Or in drollery, or
in staggering gesticulaton.
| What do we say in our published platform
Of principles on the subject of religion! We
say plainly and distinctly, mo religious in
tolerance" We did. | adult, in our first
platform, express a determined resistance to
the aggressive policy" and corrupt tcnden-
cies" of ecclesiastical domination; but We
never have proposed, nor do we now propose,
to interfere with any mans rights Of consci-
encc. We have said and still say, that there
shall be "No union of Church and State, ~ in
this country, for the Church has always been
corrupted by the foul embrace. How was it
affected when Constantine united its powers
with those of the State History symoolizes
! its spiritual condition by the apt and appro-
pirate figure Of a ''whited scpulchre "-beau-
| lful without, but within full Of dead mems
bones. How has it invariably been affected
under Similar circumstances; aud how has it
scourgcd the State for seeking and securing
the unholy alliance? Look at Spain, groan
ing under tne l"sh oil tiie ehurcn LOOK a,
Galileo' whose genius IL tortured on the rack;
LOOK at Latimer ana hidley' whom II burned
at tne STAKE LOOK at inc horrlo inelulsiuoi''
whose gazing weight II dared 10 lay on the
word beholu u wiciding inc axe ana
wearing OH us bloody edge M oeheading men;
because they dared 10 read their bioies, ana
interpret us meaning tor themselves oee II
IN ireland. aiVihg from inc aoor OF inc s'ar'-
ing peasant MS only COW, ana seillhS hef 'ot
nan ier value to raise tithes ior ire support
oi fro'eSeant Clergyman "hom nc never
saw! Ana IN addition TO th's' see the priests
OF his own church, as they meet MN 81 the
cradle; watch them, as with Jloocrhg ana
eiencncd teeth ana hungry stomach they doe
nm through lile to the grave; yes ana oe,
You'd the grave: with their demand Tor money
Hear them asking Tor money when the infant
Is oapli%.u; near Them asking LOT money
when the boy Is confirmed; near them asking
Tor money when nc goes TO conIesslon' near
mem ask'ag ior money whei they grant I'LL
lndn'sc'cei near them asking Tor money wheh
lhey v'slt lhv SIGN near t.e'h mem. asslns Ioa
money "neh l'ey grant 'he cement Oh eAtre,he
uhc'loh 10 lhe uyins' near lhem ASKING lor
money "heh 'hey perform the las. sao oii,ces
10 ,he deaa' ana hhaiiy, near ''eir heartless
ana eeaseleSs demand LOT money from INC
friends OF the ocpaItea. nnlil me monk ana
inc mass 81, nave eAtractco MS Soui from pu'sa-
| WI hHe wy 49, W III "o'"S ~ euo "a