The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-10-01

MIR. EDITOR: propose to analyze the new
party which has recently erected its hydra head
III Baltimore, for the purpose of asccrtnining if
possible the attractive and cohesive power which
BINDS those heterogeneous and heretofore dis
cordant elements upon common platform.
Some suppose it to be n resurrection of the de-
funet Know Nothing party but that is impos.
sible, unless they have abandoned the funda-
mental principles oftheir previous organization,
which excluded all aliens from partcipating
with them, although their present candidate for
Governor, D. Morrison Harris, was the great Mo-
gul at that time, and q majority of their old
leaders sympathiZe with them now We there
fore must abandon that theory and search deep.
or Tor the cause ofunity among them as no body
of men composed of different naationaltics and
political crceds can act in harmony or couiunc.
ton, unless there is some principle or idea upon
which they can all harmUnize 1t is true some
may be actuated by the same motive which i'm
pels ilock of buZzards TO circle around n car
cass, but that alone is not sufficient; and we
are forced TO the conclusion that sectaranism
is the plank in their platform upon which they
unite. And inasmuch as they could not dis
cover any stain upon the moral or political
character of Mr.. Carroll, they aim their shaft ut
his religion, and attempt to strike him down,
because he knecls at the same altar where his
Industrious ancestor worshippcd one hundred
years ago, and implored the aid of Heaven to cs-
tablish that civil and political liberty under
which they now live and enjoy. They profess to
apprchend great danger ofthe Catholics gaining
the ascendancy Let us examine what the
Catholics have done in Maryland when they had
the ascendancy, which can justify this crusade
against them.
1t is n historical fact, beyond controversy,
that the rulers of Maryland, from its incpicncy
as colony down 10 the revolution, which en-.
braced one hundred and thirty years, were Cath
oics in religion; and as they ruled under the
feudal system their power was unlimited. and
certainly the time amply sufficient to display
vindctive or intolerant spirit, if they had been
so disposed. And inasmuch as the only method
by which we can judge of the future is by the
experience of the past, we therefore challenge
those gentlemen to examine the past record of
Maryland during the nsCendancy of the Catholic
rulers, and point out some of those hpinOus
crimes they desire us TO believe they are capable
of committing.
Are those gentlemen aware of the fact that to
Catholic belongs the credit of first promulga-
ting to the world the principle of liberty of con-
science i'll religion? This idea or principle first
obtained tangible form in the charter for gov-
crning the colony of Maryland. This charter
was drawn by George Calvert, a Catholic in re-
ilSion lie inserted therein that no man should
be molested for his scctarian preferences there
fore Catholics and Professionals of all dcnomina.
tons were left in the full endowment of their re.
ligous faith If George Calvert had done no
more for mankind than promuIgate this idea of
tolerant Christian State, he would be entitled
national government has established what he
projected for the colony of Maryland.
am not the advocate of any particular de-
nomination, but when party attempts tomake
nvldious distinctions, aud proscribes men for
their religious belief, say Maryland, when un-
der Catholic rule, will compare favorably with
any of her sister colonies in regard to spirit of
liberation. This intolcrant party unfortunate.
ly for themselves made n great mistake when
they selected Maryland for their battle ground,
and equally unfortunate in the time and also in
their opponent, John Lee Carroll, who not only
inhcrits the patrmonial estates and name of his
Industrious ancestor, but also his virtues, and
Is now battling TO sustain those principles of
civil and political liberty which Charles Carroll
contributed greatly TO establish
1t is clearly the duty of men of all denomina-
tons who desire to keep Church and State scpa.
rate, to rebuke this intoerant spirit, and strike
the fangs from this monster which no man can
tel upon what denomination its vengeance may
i"ii Ill thc future lvURoS.