Wilmington journal., 1875-09-24
EhEk, Be

We regret to see that an prtiinauc .
has been introduced into the C3uven-
ton, proposing to disqu ,lifY p2rso is
OF certain religious faiths from hold
ing office in the State. Not that we
suppose for one moment that such an
ordinance would be incorporated into
the Constitution of the State, but
nevertheless, it is a matter of regret
that any one in this day could tolerate
or one moment the prescription of any
one for his religious views
Before 1885 our Constitution bris-
tied with prescription of citiz MS, on
account Of their religious principles.
A Constitution adopted during the lat
ter part of the eighteenth century, by
the descendants Of those who hai been
forced to flee from their homes and
prosecutions, wou'd yery naturally
confirm some retaiiatin5 features.
The Convention of 1885. howev +
BEGAN the work OF reform IL this par
tlcuH.r. After long and able dabAt,
that body repealed the cinuse dIsqual=
flying the Catholics from holding from
uftice. he great ability ,rd influence.
of Judge Ga 'ton, himself Al III anbrr Of
Convention and Catholic, cantrihn-
ted to this result. The absurd prem
clicss7 ugninst the Jews cDntitu"I to
ext in Our Constitution until 1850.
WHEN through the t1,rrts Of Ir. b. f.
Moore of Haieigh, Mr.. w. n Wr g., :,
of Wilmington, and other Influential
members of that body. this
blot upon our funiamentai la"
W Is ohIiterate,i And now there ire
NJ religious I, sta for Office, and price
freedom IF console nee. and entire re
iigiOus liberty nle tolerated by our
laws We regret therefore TO see that
any one delegate should desire again
TO engraft the prejndiccs of Il past age
upon the organic law OF the State.
1t may not be wondered at that per
SONS who have never been thrown
with or had never known any of our
Jewish fellow citizens, except indeed
such as find their way into remote sec
tions of our State, should ret lin prcju-
dices which their fOrefather5 had han
! ded down. But it is different with us
In our own city, among the most en-
tcrprising, liberal and patriotic citI-
| zens are the Jews. There IS no com
mercial or industrial enterprise which
! substantial endorsement and aid.
! Strike from the business Of Whining
| ton the capital, t. enterprise and the
intelligence contributed by our Jewish
fellow citizens, and its commercial
importance would be gone.
Ashort time since Our people Of every
shade of relig g.cus opinion collected to
gether to celebrate the laying Of the
| cornerstone of the first jewish Syna-
gogue ever built in North Carolina.
The enterprise has the sympathy OF
MANY lis com pletiOD will BE- a sourc"
Of pride as its progress Is watched with
interest.
On tue occasion referred to Hon. A.
NJ Waddel the orator, of the Masonic
fraternity, under the auspices of which
he cornerstone was laid, well said :
Masons have laid a corner-stoI of
this Temple with the same spirit OF
cordial good will which would inspire
them in like service concerning any
other edifce erected for the advance
ment of the welfare of society !; and it
certainly does not diminish the pleasure
with which they do it to believe that
those who will devoutedly worship
here the God of their fathers will al
| ways be good and useful feiIow-cIti
zens. Even in communities where
they have no place of public worship,
it is proverblal that the Jews, as a
class, are orderly, industrious and in
telligent members of society. Let us
be grateful, my friends, that we live in
a land of religious liberty that we are
citizens of a country in which there is
10 unity of Church and State, and
where there are no manacles for our
! freeborn consciences, but wter every
man may exercise, unmoiested, a
GpardiaaShi3ao 20 o1afu INC 6111I1u aGi1i -