The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-11

us-xee. At tie time OF the Bevoiution,
Nev York and the Southern States were gov
srne by the English Law cf primogeniture,
the eldest son took all. In Pennsyiyanis
New Jersey and the fou New England states,
the eldest soE took doRbls. Georgia led the
nav in abol;shine the system, and before
iTo0 eli the others had followed her example
The Revolution paved the way for the
sboliation OF slavery. When George III,
and his yetoes had been eliminated from the
case il became possible for the state to legis-
late freely on the subject In Virgins
ALL TIE LEADING sTATEsMES
Favored abolition. After 1908 the senti.
ments of Virginia underwent q marked
change. The breeding OF slaves 70 supply
the sugar planters of the Gull states caused
this change in feeling. Within two years
after the recognition of this independence
by England. while the Southern 5 tstes had
done nothing. North Carolina bad discour-
aged the importation of slaves, Virginia nsd
forbidden the importation end removed re-
strains from emancipation, and al. the other
States had made gradual emancipation con'
pulsory.
Meanwhile steps were taken toward more
religious freedom. In Massachusetts Catho-
lie priests were liable to Imprisonment for
life. The tlthing man still arrested the SAD
bath. breaker and locked him up In the cage
on the village green, stopped all unnecessary
riding and walking, and hailed every BODY
to church whether they would or no. Only
the Church Of England ever
had any real hold on the
people. as soon as the separation OF the
country from England YVES established the
Episcopal Church was separated from the
State, disestablisbed. In Virgins the case
was peculiar. The Virginia Legislature
thought fit 10 pass law prohibiting tue
clergy from drinking. gambling and kindred
vices. 1t was aid they spent more time IN
fox-hanting and general frivolity than 10
their regular pastoral duties. The result oil
this general lsxity wss tie possibility oil
starting dissenting communities on the Dor
ders Of the settlements. AS soon as the H.
oisrs were repulsed 10 beyond the ONO
these communities waxed strong and grew.
9htn the ecclesiastical party tried TO tax
them and impose the Church OF England
on them. A rebellion followed, resulting in
the complete overthrowing of the established
church. The religious freedom act OF 1885
put Virginia in the forefront OF the States
in religious freedom as Massachusetts had
been in the abolition of slavery.
TIL foundation of q separate Episcopal
Church west Of the Atlantic was followed by
the separation of the Methodists. The first
Methodist Church in America was founded
in l766 at New York. AT the end of the war
John Wesley, in his own house, ordained
enough ministers to form q presbytery, and
an American bishop was appointed. In
November. 1854, the Methodist began preach
ing in the wilds of Maryland. The Catholic
hurch began TO spread in the colonies
a0out he same time. and in 1889 the first
Catholic Church il New England was built
in Boston. sRztsf-@@ ~
The organization OF the single state was
we'll understood, and worked well. with bet
little friction. Hence such changes az above
were practicable.