The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-03-14
A plagraes to Now Hampshire
Boston Pilot.I

ringraee to New Hampshire
Boston Pilot.I
By the Constitution of New Hampshire
the Catholic residents of that State are de-
barred from taking part in the State Gov
ernment. It is expressly stated in the
Constitution that no Catholic shall be Gov
ernor, Senator, OF Representative in the
State-and that a Protestant holding any
of these Offices, who becomes Catholic,
shall from that time cease to be qualified as
a representative.
The Constitution of New Hampshire
opens with the sounding words. 'All men
are born equally free and independent"
ETC., and runs glibly over a number of
polished platitudes, until it abilities itself
in an unworthy clause prescribing Catho-
lies from representation.
We appeal to the intelligent people of
New Hampshire, Protestans and Catholic,
to wipe away this absurd law, which be-
| lies the fair words of their constitution,
and marks the State as one of the few
civilized communities in the world where
| men are politically prescribed on account
of their religion.
Hampshire Bill of Rights run as follows -
ART. 3. When men enter into q state of So
ciety they surrender some of their natural
rights to that society, in order to insure the
protection of others and without such an
| equivalent the Surrender Is void.
ART. a. Among the natural rights, some
are in their very nature unalienabIe, because
no equivalent can be given or received for
them OF this kind are the Rights of Con-
science.
Nothing could be more becoming to q
Republican State than such broadly-intel-
ligent propositions as these. But when we
GENE to Article of the Bill of Rights, we
see the thin end of the bigotry- wedge enter
the wood. This article runs as follows =
ART. 6. As morality and piety, rightly
uuha lic.1 priY, inIaS lfr;y
the best and greatest security to government,
therefore, the
people of this State do fully en-
power the Legislature to authorize, from time
corporate, religious societies within this
State, to make adequate provision, at their
own expense, for the support and maintenance
Of public Protestant teachers Of pety, religion and
morality.
| But even this Constitutional! preference
for protestant teachers of piety" might
| be quietly passed by the Catholic citizens
of New Ham pshire-if no further enact
| ment interferred with their rights. In an
other part of the Constitution. under tue
head "Form of Government" the 14sh
| Article reads as follows:-
Ii. Every member of the House of Repre-
sen tatives shall be chosen bv ballot
shall be of the Protestant religion, and shall
cease to represent such town, parish, or place
immediately on his ceasing to be qualified
aforesaid.
On turning to the AMENDMENTS" of the
Constitution, we find that in 1852 this 18th
section was amended by altering the prop
erty qualification, but the religious qualif
cation mas dlioioed to stand.
In the 2Sth section of the 2nd part of the
Constitution the property and residence
qualifications of mem bersof the State SEN
ate are laid down after which folio We the
29th -
90. Provided, nevertheless, that person
shalt be capable of being elected Senator
tcho is not Of the Protestant religion etc.
Aud the Executive power of the State is
hampered with the same unworthy quail
fcstion. The 42nd section runs -
The Governor shall be chosen annually in
the Month of March. And no person
shall be eligible to this office unless he
shall be of the Protestant religion.
Is there no fair minded Protestant in New
Hampshire who will move the repeal of
toni Are the Catholics of New Hamp-
shire doing their duty We know there
are some Catholics who are moving in the
affair, but there should be not one man
careless in such a matter. By the Consti
tuition of New Hampshire, Catholics are de-
clared interiors by submission without
protest, they accept the degradation.
Now that the Centennial Anniversary of
our existence as Republic is drawing
nigh, it il full time that these absurd laws
were cleared away. There should be a
noble emulation amongst the United States
as to which was First in Freedom. How
will New Hampshire stand in line with her
sister States and hold such document as