mingle that subject with subjects of State
government and politics. We are come to-
gether to make an organic law to affect our
civil and political rights only. And while
we have protected as largely and compre-
hensively as we can the conscientious and
religious scruples and opinions of men,
when restrained within proper limits so
that they do not become licentious, we
should have an eye single to the construction
of our State fabric as a political fabric only,
for the protection, preservation and enjoy-
ment of political and civil rights.
I have my theory of the Christian reli-
gion. That theory is one of the mediation
of Christ, by and through which mediation
only do I hope, and upon which I anchor
all my hopes. But will the Universalist
concur with me in that opinion? So sir; he
rejects it. Will the Unitarian concur with
me in that opinion? No, sir; he rejects it.
And I do not know how many other sects
will do the same thing. But they meet me
when they make the declaration of their be-
lief in the existence of God— not in the ex-
istence of a god, not in the god of the Re-
mans, not in the god of the heathen—but
one single God, the Supreme Architect and
Creator of this universe and all things there
are in it; the Christian's God; the God, if
they believe in a revealed system of religion,
or me old dispensation. I believe In that
revealed system, in the old dispensation ;
if a man believes in that he will meet me
there. And believing in that old dispensa-
tion, he meets me still further, when be
says—" I believe in the existence of God and
in my moral accountability to that God,
either by penalties to be incurred in this
life, or by punishments in a future life."
I conclude with the idea that I originally at-
tempted to convey to this House: that high
as our veneration may be for our own sys
tem of religion; dearly as we may cherish
it; and, believing it to be or Divine origin,
highly as we may prize it above all other sys-
tems of religion ever devised and taught,
yet we should not undertake, in a spirit of
intolerance, to require other men to sub-
scribe to the same religions faith. The
proposition I have submitted, at the sugges-
tion of my friend from Somerset (Mr Jones)
is as far as I am willing to go; to admit
every man who believes in the existence of
God, the God I believe in, the God? you be-
lieve in, the true and only God, and in a
future accountability to that God.
Mr. THOMAS. I am in favor of the amendment
submitted by the gentleman from
Baltimore county, and trust it will be
adopted, if the Convention will refer to
page 117 of the Proceedings of the Convention
of 1850, they will find that on the 7th
of December, 1850, Mr. Biser introduced the
following order, which was adopted :
" Ordered That the Committee to con- |
sider and report a Declaration of Rights,
enquire into the expediency of engrafting a
section in the Declaration of Rights, that no
religious test shall be required as a qualifi-
cation for any office of public trust; that
the free exercise and enjoyment of religious
profession and worship, without discrimi-
nation or preference, shall forever be al-
lowed in this State; and that no person
shall be rendered incompetent to be a wit-
ness account of his opinions on matters
of religious belief; but the liberty of con-
science hereby secured, shall cot be con-
strued as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or
justify practices inconsistent with the peace
or safety of this State."
At page 223, the Convention will find the
report of the Committee on the Declaration
of Rights, originally submitted by that
great and good man Judge Dorsey, in which
article 35 is as follows :
"That no other test or qualification ought
to be required, on admission to any office
of trust or profit, than such oath of support
and fidelity to this State and the United
States, and such oath of office as shall be
directed by this Convention, or the Legis-.
lature of this State."
It will thus be seen that the Convention
of 1850, in their original report upon this
subject, which was adopted, excluded reli-
gious tests of all kinds whatever I had
prepared an amendment intended to secure
the same result but I will not offer it, as it
is covered by the amendment of the gentle-
man from Baltimore county. (Mr. Ridgely.)
By reference to page 202 of the Proceedings,
under date of May 8, 1851, there will be
found this entry:
" Mr Chambers, of Kent, moved to re-
consider the thirty-third article, to be found
on page 293 of journal, for the purpose of
moving the following amendment to the
same, by striking out from the word "or,"
in the second line, to the word "State,"
inclusive, and by inserting as an additional
article the following:
" That no other test or qualification ought
to be required on admission to any office of
trust or profit, than such oath of office as
may be prescribed by this Convention or by
the laws of the State, and a declaration of
belief in the Christian religion; and if the
party shall profess to be a Jew, the declara-
tion shall be of a belief in a future state of
rewards and punishments."
It will be seen, by reference to page 785
of the second volume of the Debate? of the
Convention of 1850, that upon this motion
a lengthy debate occurred between Judge
Chambers, on one side, and Judge Dorsey,
Mr. Ridgely and Mr. Howard on the other ;
in which the gentleman from Baltimore
county (Mr. Ridgely) took the same ground
that he has announced here to-day. I adopt
the language of Judge Dorsey on that occa- |
