The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-11-27
RELIGIOUS OSTRACISM.


and by men who never gave religious lib
erty thought in order that they might be
able to protect it, had been worn thread
bare and become exposed before it had cast
off its swaddling- cloths. The Republican
party and the Reform organization had
given the lie to similar charges brought
against them by placing upon their tickets
the names of some of their Roman Catho-
lie fellow citizens, and those charges had,
long before the end of the contest, come to
be considered by most sensible persons as
unworthy OF serious reflection. 1t was well
known that the religious rights of no man
or class of mon in the State were in any
danger from the designs of any other man
or class of men. The safeguards which
had been thrown about those rights by our
constitution were recognized as amply suf-
ficient for the exigencies which they might
be called on to meet, and great majority
of the people had tacitly agreed to look
upon the Juror which had been raised as
simply a catch penny cry of sundry polisi-
clans.
Three weeks after the day of election,
however, comes Tile Cecil Democrat, paper
which has been highly commended for the
very sensible and independent manner in
which it has discussed certain phases of
State affairs, and reiterates the farcical
charges, urging as a reason for the hearty
;oI ho -.
State ticket, that it "saw him ostracized
on account of his religion" John Lee
Carroll ostracized! And pray who ostra-
cized him? What single privilege of his
did anybody undertake to abridge? What
man in the State of any reputation, or what
combination Of men ever uttered one word
about prescribing Mr.. Carroll on account
of his religious belief, except Mr.. Carroll
himself, and he in an address chiefly noted
for its lachrymose winnings, and for its slurs
upon one Of the noblest societies Of Amer
ica9 What man, except Mr.. Carroll-and
Mr.. Reveidy Johnson in most profound
and elaborate essay upon the Vatican de-
grees and Papal infallibility, what person,
we repeat, ever limited at the idea of MIR
Carroll being excluded from political hon.
ors, or any other honors, because of his
creed Is there a man within the confines
of the State who was prevented by physi-
cal force, or by the force of public opinion,
from depositing his ballot for John Lee
Carroll because that gentleman adhered to
the faith of his fathers? Not one. In his
journey through the State, was not Mr..
Carroll everywhere accorded the most gen
uine hospitality and given most respect
full hearing, and by men who differed from
him not simply on the score Of religion
Was there single paper published in Mary
land, Of any shade of political opinion what
ever, that, at any time during the campaign,
urged its readers to vote against Mr.. Car
roll because Of his being Roman Catho-
lie? Did his Catholicism pave the way for
any unjust reflections upon his merits, or
any aspersions upon his character? Did it
prevent him from receiving every vote to
which he was legally entitled? Nay more;
did sit prevent him from becoming 1.-THE
successful victim" of the most infamous
system of fraud by which our people every
where were betrayed? Who answers these
questions as they should be answered brands
the SANDER upon a noble-hearted and intel
ligent people as it should be branded. In
all conscience, is it not time, when men re-
ceive their rights, and more than their rights
as Mr.. Carroll has, to stop this gable
about the " Infringement upon liberties ?"
That men, here and there, did vote against
Mr.. Carroll because of his religious persua-
sion is fact not to be denied; but it was
indiuidua! action entirely, and beyond the
control of political bodies, without their
sanction or advice, and contrary to the SEN
timent of the people as an entirety. There
was no attempt on the part of any one, to
coerce or persuade men to oppose Mr.. Car
roll for such reasons. In fact, it was but a
bugbear that Mr.. Carroll and his support
ers conjured up in their moments of terror
They raised the hue and cry, and he alone.
of all the public men of the State, con-
sidered it worthy of more than passing
notice.
That the Roman Church desires the in
PRODUCTION of religious subjects into politi-
cal discussions, and, as church, is sup
porter of certain political measures and
movements We do not for a moment doubt,
but for reasons which are apparent, it has
not, as yet, dared to show its hand. And
woe to it, and to the public men who lend
it their assistance, when it takes such open
political steps. If it ventures to throw
down the gauntlet, the people of this ma
ton will be found prepared to take it up
That Church and those gentlemen will be
made to understand that Church and State
are and must remain totally Independent of
each other in this country, that the sup
port of the one by the other is contrary to
the spirit and the letter of our organic law,
and wholly at war with the fundamental
principles Of republican institutions they
and it will be taught to recognize that the
relentless deductions of reason, the aggre-
gated wisdom of ages, and, more than all,
the memorable logic of fact are unalterably
in opposition to their designs. The Pro-
testant people of this land. while they accord
to every man perfect freedom of thought,
speech and action, and the right to worship
as conscience may dictate, will, neverthe-
less, insist that adherence to any particular
religious denomination shall not be an addi-
tional reason either for support or for con-
demnation. That portion, at least, of our
countrymen does not desire any special
political preferments for such reasons, and
it holds itself in readiness to battle against
any organization that does. Those inten-
lions recommend themselves to every lib
eral- minded man, and ice support them in
the spirit in which they were conceived.
We shall ever lend our humble aid to the
forces which are in opposition to bigotry of
every kind, shall denounce illiberality wher-
ever found, and shall labor for the extern
sion of those principles of federation, of
that broad, comprehensive catholiclty Of
feeling which extends the RIGHT hand of