New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-17
FROM TUE MAIL.
THE BEGINNINGS OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.

THE BEGINNINGS OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
DEFENCE OF THE CLAIMS OF RHODE ISLAND
DIR sTEvENs's STATEMENTS CONTRovEETED.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Dr. c. r.. Stevens's excellent work on THE
Sources OF the Constitution Of the United States.
recently published by Macmillan & Co.. full OF
valuable Information concerning the relations
which political institutions bear to those OF the
mother country, Is vtiated in some or It's conclu-
sions by the evident fact that the author Is holding
a brief for his pet theory OF the exclusively Ang-
can of our American ideas. and also by an
| occasional inaccuracy to historical facts. on
pages PIG and 2l7. for example. in speaking OF the
origin Of religious liberty In this country the
author says THE boast Is wont to be made that
the Purtans OF New England led the way In es-
tablishng by law religious liberation. A similar
claim is still put forth In behalf Of the Baptlss OF
Rhode Island. Truth must award the honor 10
Maryland where action proceeded from a combina-
ton OF Roman Catholic and non-Cathoc conditions.
This action OF Maryland took place In 1919 and that
OF Rhode Island In 1853 In the next year N66D tho
proprietarIes granted to the colonsts OF New-Jer-
sey the widest liberation. Enactments known as
the Dukes laws, issued In 1865 by an assembly
which met on Long Island at the call Of Governor
Nlchol declared that no person processing De-
lief In Christianity should be molested Tor MS Juus
ment In matters OF religion.
In this statement Dr. Stevens ignores the fact
that Rhode Island settled IN lbp lHdh' thc NV
trine OF religious liberation a fundamental article
I'm rs political creed from the beginning; and also
the equally palpable fact that the Maryland deca-
ration, expressly limiting the conditions OF 'o''"
ton TO those Christian scots who 40 not nfhE ''o
doctrine Of the Trinity. excluded not ohly All ""'-
Christians but also all Unitarian CHRISTIANS from
its scope: whereas Roger Williams extended the
principle to Turk nnde and Jew. as well as an
christians from the first. clearly affirming the
hroadest doctrine Of soul liberty consistently
maintaining TO the end OF MS ne. an" 9'' US
It's recognition In the charters ana laws Vi "'o
Commonwealth which he founded. IL ~ u''qn''
tionahlv true as Messrs. Crane and Moses a"'r'h
|.roI,,Ics y ,,N that the religious tolerance
which prevailed in Maryland. so much vauheu
was evidently dictated by worldly piu
rather than prompted by advanced 'h"''',' 49,,
The original compact II the settlers oi r'oN'-
lcuce Plantations" 1890 bound the '''"'''
"rnas,er. Of families incorporated together mo
township and such others whom ihey s"H ''"''
Into the same" to submit, Themselves 10 a'' o'''''
AMI agreements mad for pubic god by tIr ma
iorlty "pny in civil things ; mus -. b,1 ~
The outset III principe that he civlI p'"er "hn,f
,,.hnri,, over matters Of conscience ana b'.i-l
In a .-iter 20 MAJOR Jonn Mason n we al over
'bis colony A great number % weak ami dl.tTe
souls. scaN"rel are n} ng nun, rEg rniy wise hath
in HIS Infinite wisdom provided ms 'ounlg T a,'
tbs corner as shelter Tor We l 20,
cuted according 20 heir several Pc, Ill. n
In nxing the date u the Rhode ls,hnt ciic' 81
liberation IN loS. Or. Sicyens tvl''nia' a.. ch,r
.rre fo M. embodiment o. me principe D" "a
,cr ~ King Charles II. granite - W. .p,, an
,h,. year He iorgeis or lenofrS IN" - -,
,r-ar charter hal been obtained AZ ne per ~ !,
solicitation % Roger Williams lnt.x i"' blrh also
m" fnrit'n "a ,.I he nr nrlp.. ~ The uon-nier-
ferenc" % the civil goVrti'"' w.. ,y,s granted
science and belief THIS ,hA.'' ~ a., -
March l.. ltft nv" Fr'ls - d., h,rd which
the MARYLAND eici VS. ,nt ',S' -. ,,.nf
united tho separate towns un'eI "i" 800" D.
under me authorize = ne n,,.'r r., mutual
vlous 20 his however, IN" owns w., ~ and
agreement. organiz"i s'N'' ~ ,,r', Xiv
chosen r"pre-"nia y,nis ,s.@rhr was - AZ
Ou~ of ~" nr.t h' 't &c.,, h. IF 0ct
nrm ne p'nc c.o ~ acnqucn; for doctrine
That non" D. - -. ~.t,,en,nf 20 The gov
provided IT. b. not H't',, o., "a 10, r. f,ii,yv-
,rnm,n' or ave- ',an',5f'' ,r ,ts p1ss..l icc ar
INK S~p'einh'f sIh,..' .t Law, ~ the IA 8, court
,ng "I' x ofl'r'l 'rH "r -, c,nsci.nc. IN point ~
mad" 81 n'"rn.'". .'',.,,i .
l1rtr.n" hr p'i J.. i--,,,,,,. evidence not Only
T. 'hns '2,'r1's ~ re,'5ns liberty vas enumerated
Ia Khod" l~h"t .' ,nn t,.t - ne MARYLAND
legislative A,F .P,, a, Rhsl. I-.ani alone was the
riict. hut - VA, 80 AMI cl,irageous.y apu.el
principle Clearly 49, h.ft.r non-('hristlta a.