The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-02-14
Vermont Refuses Liberty of Conscience.
IN Y Tablet. !

backward IN tDlDgS concerning the mora'
and intellectual welfare OF its people. Dur
ing our struggle for Independence it was 80
lukewarm as not 10 be accounted by the
British as one of the revolving colonies
and only in 1871 fairly entered the Union
as State. This statement cannot be over
thrown by reference to a few acts of PROV
ess of the Green Mou:itain boys.
We should remember that the COnstltn
ton of the United States, whilst debarriDg
the Federal Government "from making
any law respecting the establishment of
religion or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof" did not prevent the several States
from passing laws to establish or prohibit
any religion in their discretion.
This right retained by the States has
been and is practically exercised to the de-
triment of that liberty of conscience which
we so vehemently claim as the birthright
of all Americans.
o. it's entering the Union, Vermont
used the privilege, left by the Federal
Government, to require that every sect
should keep the Sabbath aud have some
worship. This does not seem at first sight
a very severe requirement; and yet when
We see it 10 it's practical enforcement, we
see how it has been used for the violation
of the rights of conscience of many of it's
Inhabitants.
There are several State institutions in
which persons are confined by the arm OF
the law. AS long as people are free as to
the choice of their residence, if they are de-
MED the opportunity to attend to duties
imposed upon them by their religion, they
may be told to go where full freedom may
be granted them; bat wien, for the com
mission of a crime or the more unpardoD-
able sin of poverty, they are kept in an in :
stitution by the States authority, and
forced to attend so called religious exer-
cises absolutely repugnant to their con-
hap ~
their ina'ienable right. In the State prison
as well as in the reform schools in Yer
mont, Protestant ministers are invited to
take charge of the spiritual concerns of the
inmates, and Catholics are not only refused
the exercise of their own religious rights,
but are compelled to attend sermons aad
prayers by PrOte slant ministers, which
they are taught by their Chnrch to consider
heretical and displeasing to God. The
State undertakes to lay down the rule that
they must keep the Sabbath and have some
worship, and, not approving the kind their
Church would give them, tramples upon
that right which is inalienabe, of worship
ping God according to their conscience.
Lately an effort " as made to do away
with this injustice. A bill "to secure lib
erty of conscience to the inmates in all
State institutions" was introduced in the
State Legislature by Mr.. Smalley. Its
main feature provided that "no officer of
said institution or other person shall in
terfere with, OF attempt to influence, con-
troll, or change, the religious belief of
said inmates" The bill, though 80 just,
could not be passed through the house till
modified, and even then was rejected by
the Senate; and all because it secured the
the rights of Catholics.
10 Vermont, Catholics number about
"a 900 of 330, 900 Inhabitants, and, being
in such minority, are not supposed TO
have their rights respected
Oftentimes it is cast up in the face OF
Catholics that they are now clamoring for
equality, but that, if ever they became a
meiority in this country, they would cur
tail the religious rights of their Protestant
fellow citizens OF course this is sheer
calnmny, without any foundation. Yet, il
we reflect little, we can quickly discover
whence the apprehension comes. Protest
ants are inwardly conscious of their own
constant violation of the most sacred
rights of Catholics, whilst these are in the
minority, and hence dread that they would
similarly be dealt with if ever Catholics
were in the majority.
We know that these laws, trampl;pg or
the rights of conscience of Catholics, are
contrary to the spirit of our institutions
though not opposed to the letter of the
Federal Constitution, which merely debar:
Congress- from making any such law, willis
it has not restricted in this matter thu
power of the State governments. Yet sew
erat States claim and exercise the power
of violating the rights of conscience o.
their Catholic citizens.
We have really no right to boast that the
United States is a land of gious free
dom as long as the State governments cal
and do refuse the exercise Of their religious
rights to Catholics, and are thus guilty o.
the worst despotism.
The negative right claimed by Catholic
of not being compelled to attend services
by them deemed irreligious, as we'll as tn.
positive right to require the ministrationt
of their clergy, do not spring from individ
ual within or caprice, nor are they secre
claims: they proceed from the positive
precepts of their Church, which have beer
notorious long before this republic com
menced to exist, and Of which all it's intel
ligent inhabitants must have been cogniz
ant when they established the respeotiv,
constitutions of the States.
We have many steps to take to secure
the inalienable rights of conscience of al
our citizens before we can rIghtfully de
claim against the tyranny of other coun
tries in not allowing full religious freedom
within their domain.