Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-07-26
Judge Hoadly's Religion
His Views as Expressed in the Ohio
Constitutional Convention.
From the Cadiz Republican.

From the Cadz Republican.
Judge Hoadiy placed himself on rec
ord MS to his religious opinions, in the
Constitutional Convention. On March
4th, 1874, the adoption Of the preamble
to the proposed new constitution came
Preamble and Bill Of Rights had report
ed in favor of adopting the preamble Of
the constitution Of 1850, which is as fol-
lows:
We, the people of the State of Ohio. CRATE
full to Almighty God for freedom, to secure
its blessings and to promote our common well
fare. do establish this constitution"
Rev. w. G. Waddle, the msmosr of
the Convention from Harrison county,
and who was member of the Commit
tee on Preamble and Bill Of Rights, pro-
posed the following ss substitute for
the above:
''We, the people OF the State cf Ohio,
grateful to Almighty God for our civil and
religious liberty, and invoking His blessing
for the future, do establish this constitution" p"
A long debate ensued on this substi-
tute lasting throughout the morning and
afternoon sessions, many of the MEM
bers expressing their views, and the
substitute being finally voted dswn. We
copy the following from speeches mnds
by Mr.. Waddle, and by Mr.. Hosdly, Oh
the subjsct Mr.. Waddls said:
REMARKS BY REV. W. G. wADDLE.
l think, as citizen of the State Of
Ohio, that the good people of this State
are under obligation to recognize not on
ly the fact that God has treated Them
kindly and we'll, but are alss uRder obli-
gatlons to seek the centinuancs of His
fayor-to recognize the fact that they
are dependent upon Him for prosperity
and peace Ia the future. Ii 10, Mr.Pfss-
ana we ought to recognize it, that, "Ex-
cept the Lord keep the city. the watch
man waketh but in vain" In the sub
stitute which have the honor to pre-
sent, l think this dependence is express
ed, properly expressed: 1--WE. tho people
of the State of Ohio, grateful to AL
mighty God for our civil and religious
liberty, and invoking His blessing for
Tie futsre, do ordain and establish this
Constitution" think it we'll that there
shoxld bs q definition Of that for which
we, as people, entertain gratitude to
the Lord Of all. The word freedom 1t
occurs to me, In ,hs present Coastitu
tion ia net sufficiently definite. As
eitizsH of the State of Ohio, | an not
grateful to Almighty God for u freedom
that might be interpreted to be IL
censs; but l an thankful to Him for eur
religious liberty. l think ws should be
thankful for the liberty of lse-a regu
lated liberty. Belonging, as do. to one
Of the smaller denominations Of the
Christian Church in this country, sum-
bering in these United States net more
than $4,000 communicantS, am CRATE
full for my religious liberty. am thank
full. Mr.. President, for the fact that there
is no church establishment in this coun-
try-that may exercise nay judgment
and my right of conscience, rs | shall
answer to my God, and rs feel myself
under obligation TO worship Him. |
think it proper, therefore. that our ex
rtssion of gratitude to God should be
of definite kind. In this matter we are
not asking anything new. Thirty one
States in this Union have, in their con-
stitutiOnS, u recognition of Almighty
God. The preamble of the new consti
tuition Of Pennsylvania, which vas 80
largely ratified by the people of that
State, reads, I'VE, the people of the Com
modwealth of Pennsylvania, grateful to
Almighty God for the blessings of re-
ligious and civil liberty, and humbly
invoking His guidance, do Ordaiu and
establish this constitution for its gov
ernment." The constitution of Illinois,
also recently adopted, reads: I'VE, the
people of Illinois, grateful to Almighty
God for the civil. political. aud religious
liberty He has so long permitted us 10
enjoy, and looking to Him for u blessing
upon our eRdeavorg to secure and trans
NIT the same, in Older to FORM, etc. In
both these preambles, the same recOgni-
tiou in spirit Is made which | offer Ia
the substitute now before the Convsu-
ton. Now, gentlemen, aside frSm the
petitions which have been coming in
here, on either side of this question of
the recognition Of Almighty God in the
Constitution Of the State, subnit,upOn
its merits, this substitute. | ask gentle
men of the Convention to compare the
two-sO pass upon the comparative
merits OF the two-snd then vote us
their judgment may dictate to be prop-
er and right.
JUDGE HoADLYs RKNARKs
Among those who spoke on the Quss-
tion under debate WAS Judge Hoadly'
now the Democratic candidate for Gov
ernor. The copclsding portion of his
remarks was as follows: