The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-22
POLITICAL CONSISTENCY.

If there is anything of which the democ-
racy have particularly boosted, it is of their
reverence for the constitution and laws,
their advocacy of religious federation, and
of the equality of the native and foreign
born citizens in civil, political and relig-
IN New hampshire with governor and
council with such unbounded respect for
the law that they assume judicial powers
in order TO determine that one candidate is
voted for by other than his full christian
name, and that another has not resided in
the state seven full years and with a
chief Justice, who is so great a slickler for
the independence of the coordinate
branches of the government, that he is
said to have advised the governor and
council to 60 ahead with the throwing out
OF votes, and make democratic majority
in the senate, because the court could not
undo the completed act, the senate beng
the .fnaljudge of the election and aualifi-
cations of its own members. We see them
sending a missionary to Vermont, three
years ago, to instruct our foreign born citi-
zens that they could not consistently vote
Tor Henry Wilson because he was said to
have been "know nothing" and, ipso .tacto,
the enemy of foreigners and Catholics.
We see them in Connecticut, in state con-
venlion assembled, resolving that it is an
insult to his faith, an infringement on his
right as an American citizen and contrary
TO the principles Of the democracy, to re-
his religious faith.
We have no particular fault to find with
these principles, they are all very COM
mendable, but the democracy have a queer
way of showing their consistency in their
application. We need not 90 down to
North Carolina to find an illustration in the
action of the house of representatives, hay
ing democratic majority of forty-six, ex-
pelling member because his idea of the
Deity didn't exactly accord with those of
the maiority-we have a better example
nearer home. The constitution of the
United States provides for religious tolera-
ton, by declaring that religious tests shall
not be required for holding office, and that
no particular religion shall ever be estab.
lished in the country. That was before
the days of democracy, but that party,
when in power, endeavored to improve ON
these principles in New Hampshire, and
they therefore declare that liberty in mat
tiers of religion is natural and unaienable
right that no person shall be molested on
account of his religious sentiments ; and
that no subordination of sect can be cstab
lished BY law. All very proper and com
mendabe again, but, unfortunately, it is
only contained in the ''bill of rights, which
has been treated merely as a string of gilt
tering generalities without force or mean
ing, something like well-worded pre-
amble to series of resolutions, and design
cd to catch the ear and withdraw the at
ten,on from the application thereof which |
Is TO follow.
When we come to examine the constItu- |
lion in detail, we find what meant by this
natural and unalienable liberty in religion |
ana administration on account of religious
belief. Under the constitution OF that
state, Catholic is ineligible to the offices
of governor, councillor, senator represent
alive, and we know not how many more
offices. This has been the organic law of
the state for years, and in It we find an H.
lustratlon of the consistency of the New
Hampshire democracy. In 1851, a consti-
tutional convention was called and pro.
position submitted to the people abolishipp
this religious test, but, although the state
was democratic by nearly two to one, the
amendment was defeated. This is the only
ever offered the people of
New Hampshire of voting upon this ques-