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tion on May 29th, 1867, were referred, respectfully rec-
ommend that the said article 36 be amended as follows,
that is to say:
"Strike out all of said article after the word 'ministry, '
in line 10, and insert as follows:
"Nor shall any person, otherwise competent, be deemed
incompetent as a witness or juror on account of his re-
ligious belief, provided he believes in the existence of
God, and that, under His dispensation, such person will
be held morally accountable for his acts, and be rewarded
or punished therefor either in this world or the world
to come. No person shall be deemed incompetent as a
witness on account of race or color, but the General As-
sembly may, at any time hereafter, change or modify this
clause, if they shall deem it expedient. "
Signed Isaac D. Jones, chairman; A. K. Syester, Thos.
J. Hall, Bernard Carter, R. W. Ringgold, Chas. A. Buch-
anan, B. E. Hardcastle, Geo. W. Manro, E. S. Rogers, Jno.
B. Brooke, Isaac S. George, Geo. R. Howard, J. T. Stod-
dert.
Mr. Nelson, of Frederick, presented a minority report
from the same committee, as follows:
"We, the undersigned members of the committee on
the Declaration of Rights, to whom was referred all
amendments proposed to article 36, together with amend-
ments of which notice had been given, with instructions
to report at the meeting of the Convention on May 30th
submit the following report:
"Art. 36. That as it is the duty or every man to wor-
ship God in such manner as he thinks most acceptable to
Him, all persons are equally entitled to protection in their
religious liberty; wherefore no person ought, by any law,
to be molested in his person or estate on account of his
religious persuasion or profession, or for his religious
practice, unless under color of religion any man shall dis-
turb the good order, peace, or safety of the State, or
shall infringe the laws of morality, or injure others in
their natural, civil or religious rights; nor ought any
person to be compelled to frequent or maintain, or con-
tribute to maintain, unless on contract, any place of wor-
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