The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-05


ed at 81. Marys, in Maryland, old Father White,
Jesuit, threw himself upon the ground, and,
with sobs Of gratitude, inaugurated for the first
time in the history Of the world, perfect free
dem Of religious worship to all sects and to all
creeds. Ten years later Roger Williams fol-
lowed his example in Rhode Island The seed
of federation thus sown was, however, of slow
and tardy growth The other colonies Of Anne
RIGA struggled to smother it, and there was no
precedent for it in the Old World. Yet, by de-
grees, il put forth its shoots, and the common
political necessities of the Revolutionary pc
rioG gave an impetus to it which it could not
otherwise have received. 1t is only within less
than century that lis adoption has been view
ed with favor, and certain religious disabilities
have existed upon the statute books of New
England States as recently a. twenty-five or
thirty years ago The pride and boast of the
federal constitution is, nevertheless, that it lays
the basis Of entire liberty of conscience, and it
could scarcely have been supposed that in the
present enlightened age there would have been
found men willing to oppose it. Yet Mr.. Thur
low Weed in recent number of the Albany
Erea,ing journal promulgates wholly reac-
tionary theory, and, under the pretext Of APP
peal to purely political events, INDUCES in most
intolerant sentiments.
Under the heading "Mr. Chas. O'Conor"
the following article appearci in recent num-
Der of Mr.. Weeds paper
This gentleman, in his speech Of Saturday, tho 18th
inst, uses the following language
rocs se lies should nsver be d hd upon mora
ons' include the whole circle Of rel sous opinions
On this pircipc the Protestant Reformation in Swift
zcrand in Germany in England, in Scotland must have
been wrong, and ought TO be condemned
On this pi ucile the liberation of Holland from the
Spanish yoke was unjustifable, and ought to be con
deuneG
On this principle the freedom OF England from the
oppression Of the Quarts could have boon Effected
Eor would this country Lave been peopcd by our Puritan
forefsthers.
On this principle christianity be enfcebed in its
efforts and tendencies TO promote liberty and civilization
and sustaining government like ours for making
kings and queons nrsng fathers mothers to the best
interests OF markind.
The principle Of freedom is holy one;
but the nucleus of persecution for con-
science sake, around which mistaken, short
sighted fanatics, instigated by the vicious
ambition of bloody priestcraft, have rail-
lied during 40 many centuries Of the worlds
existence, ought always to be condemned.
The enforcement of moral or religious
opinions by the strong arm Of the law has
done more to deluge the world with blood
than all other causes put together. 1t is equal
ly hideous wherever it presents itself. or under
whatever gnise. 1t sulies the page of English.
Swiss, Scotch and German history, no less than
it disgraces the annals Of Spain, Italy, Turkey
or Egypt From the time OF Egyptian priest
craft, down to the period of Woodworking in
Salem, temperance law fanaticsm in Maine and
Massachusetts,, and the anti-slavery intolerance
Of the present hour, it has been the in
strument which despotic clergy has ever
employed to secure its oligarchic supremacy
over narrow minded, credulous and bigoted
followers. Scheming intolerance has foisted
the principle .'c,yuS regio eius rcliyio" upon
every system Of belief that has existed since
the beginning of the world The most bloody
wars that have desolsted the earth, and the
direst calamites that have befallen mankind
have had their origin in the jealous sticking
for religious absolutism of reverend monopo-
lists of ecclesiastical power
The right of every man to perfect liberty of
u
was not imagined to be possible until little
over couple of hundred years ago, and Its nrst
practical development was seen in the United
States, in the colonies Of Maryland and Rhode
Island. 1t may safely be asserted that there
never has existed nation, Pagan or Christian,
Of any race. cline or creed, until the constitu-
ton Of the United States was framed, in which
the noli me tangere anathcmas Of its pseudo
religionsts have not paved the way for foul afro
Cities which this enlightened age repudiates as
monstrous, unnatural and infamous. War,
slaughter, carnage and rapine, even to "saw-
ing his enemies, and driving over them chariots
armed with iron, and dividing them with
knives, and making them pass through brick
kilns," were part of the ordinary persuasive
measures adopted by King David to enhance
the beauty Of the Mosaic code in the eyes Of
idolators; and these latter asserted the dignity
of their craven images through the medium of
"burning fiery furnaces" ''lions dens," and
driving the whole Jewish race into captivity.
The first four centuries Of the modern era wit
Christianity; yet the latter no sooner attained
power than ManichGans Donatists, Arians,
HISTORIANS, Eutychians, Priscillianists, Pels-
gions and Catholics seemed to vie with each
other in inficting cruclties upon those who
differed from them in opinion. Enlightened
emperors, like Theodosius, Justinian, Gratian
and Yalentinian, dishgured their statute books
with enactments Of death, Punishment, civil
disabilities, fines, disgrace and Imprisonment,
for offences ranging between the extreme
Of teaching "heresy' and the slightest dissent
from the prevailing doctrine. At a later pc
riod the stake became, and continued for cen
turtles to be, the natural and inevitable destiny
Of advocates of liberty Of conscience. Hang
ing and qunrtcring began to be fashionable
under Elizabeth, and drowning afterwards OBJ
tanned favor a. certain cure for witchcraft-
The wholesale saughters of The thirty wears