The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-03-05
GheGttetIiaeltter.
Religious Tests In POIltics.-The
North Carolina Expulsion Case.
a prominent citizen sends US the iOl-

your Daily Of the Sd, on God in Politics,
would DO pleased 10 see the balance OF
this article, II IL cut short and the
heading says that ThOrnC was expelled.
Thorne has my sympathy, and why
should he not"
We would say that the article Fe'pnb-
iished was from Raleigh paper Of the
24th Of February, giving the proceedings
Of tho North Carolina Legislature on the
previous day on the motion TO expCl Mr..
Thorne for his alleged atheism, Since
that We have seen nothing further on tho
subject save the Associated Press dis
patch that Thornu was actually expelled,
In regard to the sympathy Of our cor
respondent with the expelledm member, we
would say that we have no doubt that
most unprecedented people feel the same
sympathy, To expol q member from a
legislative body in this age Of the world
for no offenSe save bis opinions on relig-
iOus matters Is an occurrence calculated
to do harm to religion, The men who
introduced and pressed tho resolution for
rhorne's expulsion belonged to the class
who have zeal without knowledge, Had
they been really wise persons they would
have subordinated their zeal to their dis
cretion, knowing that persecution for con-
science sake always results In injury to
those who incite the persecution. TROrne
did not claim to be an Atheist, Ms was
charged against him. On the contrary
he claimed to be land proved that lie wAs)
member in good standing Of the "PrO-
gressive Order Of Friends" lEO also pro-
lesse,l, in tho presence Of the body from
which he was expelled, the following
crceIl, viz: that "therc Is but one living
and true God; everlasting, without body,
orparts, or pusslOnsi ofuilimitel power,
wisdom and goodness the maker of all
things, visible and invisible" And yet
despite this profession he was expelled,
1t tmakes no odds that his expulsion was
effected under a clause Of the North Caro-.
lima Constitution. The clause referred 10
Is relic Of the same illibOral spirit that
in one or two Of the States, until within a
few years ago, made Catholics ineligible
to Office, and that until comparatively
recent period prohibited Jews in England
from taking seats in Parliament. The
clause referred TO in lhe North Carolina
Constitution reads az follows.
"No person who shall deny the being Of
God, or the truth Of the RfOteStdnt relig-
ion, or the divine authority Of either tho
Old or New Tcstaments, or who shall
hold religious principles incompatible
with the freedom and safety Of the State,
shall be capable Of holding any office or
place Of trust or profit In the civil de-
partmcnt, within this State"
The reader will notice that the trainers
Of the North Carolina Constitution were
perfectly willing that any citizen should
deny the truth Of the Catholic religion,
but not Of the Protestant, which shows
how narrow and pitiablo were their views
Of tho qualifications that should belong
to public officer. Under the clause
quoted. some Of the most eminent
American statesmen would have beer
disfranchised. Thomas Jefferson and
Benjamin franklin, for instance, could
not have held seats In the North Caroline
Legislature. Perhaps very large num-
ber Of useful and illustriotls public men
WHO have figured in the most responsible
places Of our Government could never
have qualified under the Constitution o
that State as even Justices Of the Peace
Tho bigotry therefore Of such a pro
scriptive clause Is apparent to every I'm
prejudiccd mind. It's effect Is to maxi
hypocritcs Uf aspirants for public posi-
tion and to only debar honest men, wht
respect their oathS, from Office. How diff
isrent Is the spirit in which the organic
law Of Virginia, Under the auspices ol
Thomas Jefferson and his compatrlots
was conceived. The famous Bill Of Right
otthat State, adopted In The same year Al
the Declaration Of Independence, pro
claimed tthat religion, or the duty whicl
we owe to our Creator, and the manne
Of discharging II, can be directed onl!
by reason and conviction, not by force o.
violence; and thcrqfOreall men are equal
identified to the fee exercise Of religion
according TO the dictates Of conscience
and II is the mutual duty Of all to pfac
tice Christian fotbearance, love, and char
lily towards each other"
The other day We published an address
from the Pope, In which he deprecated
tie existence Of Protestant wotshil
within tile sacred precincts Of Rome
No doubt every Protestant reader re
sonted land very properly, tool hi
deprecatory remarks. And yet a set Q
pfotestants down In North Carolina, likI
30 many pharisees who thank God tha
they arc not as other men, constitute
= themselves infalliblo Popes, and pro
scribe such Of their iellow-citiSens as cai
not square their religious views by tlei
standards. il not shch legislation I'm
worthy of the age in which we livc2 w
can think Of II only as relic Of thI
Dark Ages Of the world, when men wdf,
sent to the stake and to prison for dariht
to exercise the rights Of conscience w
trust that the effect Of the discussion thn
will be aroused on the subject will be Il
abtoRate this unwUflhy clause from tn
North Carolina Consultation. -
BYayote Of 11S to 05, the House con
cutfed in the Senate amendment to th
Postal Appropriation bill partially re