The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-04-18

I
gious persuasion, or profession, or fol-
his religious practice, unless under colo,
Of religion any man shaU disturb the
good order, peace or safety ofthe State.'
Here, then, as everywhere, and unde,
all Governmcn is the supreme law tc
which all others are subordinate-the
public safety and the public peace.
beg that you will not for one mo,
ment suppose that in quoting the above
provlso mean to impute to you or your
congregation any design to do an ght,
under the color Of religion, to disturb
the good order, peace, or safc'y Of the
State. have no such thought. But
however unobjectionable may have been
your purpose, gentlemen OF your in elli-
gence must, on reflection, readily per-
ceiye that in such times as these, and in
loyal community like ours, with its
scnsibilities profoundly stirred by the
sufferings and sacrifices, the mourning
and death, daily being endured for that
flag, and under it, no hing would be more
likely to provoke breach of the peace
than to witness any demons ration to-
wards it savoriug even of indignity or
insult, and its military guardians suffer
ing it to pass without rebuke.
rcgre': gentlemen, that for such rea-
sons as you have indicated, or indeed.
for any reasons, the condition of things
to which you so feeling refer, should
now exist in your Church. That your
'pcoplc are sea tered" that your 'slarge
and hourishing Sabbath School cannot
meet and that your " children 90 with
cut tina, religious Sabbath training so
beneficial and so important to the rising
generation" But who is responsible
for this state of things Surely Gen.
Schcnck has issued no nterdlct culcu-
lated to scatter either your school or
congregation. If when on the morning
Of the Sth of February some of your con.
grcgation manifested their disgust at the
sight of the flag, or as you have express
ed it, "may have objected to it," and
upon their conduct, taken as the express
sion of the congrega'io ion, Major Fish pre-
dicated his first order; if you, or the
official members of your society repre-
sentlng the congregation, had rebukel
the conduct of the few who manifested
this contempt, and had disclaimed all
in cnion to offer insult or offence to our
Government or the flag that represents
it, feel authorized to say that the order
you deem so obnoxious would have been
Immediately revoked.
But instead Of that your official mem
bers, convened in consequence of the
order, after reciting its purport, resolve,
" That by reason Of such order and
interference we decline any longer to
ocbupy the New Assembly Rooms;''
thereby authorizing the inference that
instead of rcpudiating the course of the
few objccting members you approved and
adopted it as a congregational right, and
determined to abandon your Church SER
vices and Sunday School at that place
as long as tic flag was there displayed.
As a matter Of course, after this Off
cial action, when you selected another
concert room, the flag was ordered to
follow you. TO have done otherwise
hpuiu IdNC Dtcil DuI w SuUcE an easy
evasion of the order and contempt of the
authority that issued it.
Even now, ] will venture to say, not
withstanding the past action of your Off
clal members, f they will still rebukc
the expression of contempt referred to,
and disclaim all hostility to the Govern
mcnt or the flag, your congrega ion and
schools may again come together and
ENJOY all the advantages they ever did
If you refuse this, and will not toler-
ate the presence of the flag, but, rather
than either, choose to suffer your people
to be scattered and your children to 90
without religious instruction, an intelIi-
gent community, especially jealous of all
It's religious rights, but still perfectly
understanding the principles on which
they rest, will be able to determine
where lies the fault.
| am, very resp't., your ob't. svt.
a. w. BRADFORD.