| Show A I AND APPROPRIATE SPEECH we have hare made editorial allu allusion on to the speech of Hon Moses hatcher Thatch Thatcher r delivered at the Ogden cele- cele celebration cele cele- celebration celebration bration of Independence Day We take pleasure In to presenting presetting its full text as given ivel by the Herald of the Junction City Its lofty and aad stirring soul sentiments will viii find tind a sympathetic echo in the heart of every lover lovel of liberty who ap- ap appreciates ap appreciates predates the situation of the people of Utah By such it cannot be perused unmoved The read read- reading read reading In ing of the extracts from the speech of R M Johnson of Kentucky delivered deliver deliver-d d years ago before the Na Coi- Coi gress gross was appropriate to the situa situa- situation situation tion But Bot when the sentiments uttered by that sturdy tardy champion of 01 religious liberty co so long lonK slice since are compared with those expressed by Mr T Thatcher atcher they pale to the J o ney of the present occasion caus caus- iff the la Miter r 8 speaker ker m to to eloquently m rise to Ito meet it The speech was wa worthy tile she theme and more jean can scarcely be said Not only will the noble senti- senti sentiments meats ments which fell tell froth flOt ins ns Ups lips find finda a a ready response r in the breasts of scores of of thou tho ands but in i feir t hearts they tiler bless su a uch h men as he h who stand soDd ready to fearlessly f vindi vindi- vindi- vindi vindicate vindicate cate oCate the principles principle of of freedom freedom and equal rights The speech of ot the honorable b gen Iten- gentleman gen is herewith presented Pellow I i iI I l have been deeply deeply edified In tn listening to the beautiful ora- ora oration oration ora oration tion of His e topics that must find tind a response in the breast of every American can citizen The manner in which he be j referred to his hi own in regard to fO the tile exercise of the franchise bythe by the citizens of the Territory certainly finds an ao echo in every vry patriotic heart here bere her to-day to The reading of the Declaration of Independence nc so BO beautifully exe- exe executed executed exe executed gIves gives us clearly to under under- understand understand understand stand the basis upon which this glori glori- glorious glorious glorious ous government has been erected It was the watch-cry watch that led patriotic hearts through all the scenes of trou trou- trou trouble trouble ble sorrow and pain of the Revo Revo- Revolution Revolution Revolution lution which resulted in the greatest constitution of human liberty ever given to man The rhe student ot of his his- history his history tory tory carefully notes the circumstances and causes which led them to accomplish accomplish their glorious work and while on of this kind I would be tn the thelast last to cast ca t a shadow upon the heart of a sin single le individual within the walls of this building an intelligent people cannot fail to comprehend the real sit sit- situation situation sit situation h here re No amount of spasmodic enthusiasm even on this natal day can hide the unnatural ugly facts History has frequently repeated itself and aud as we rejoice in the liber liber- liberties liber- liber liberties liberties ties bequeathed to us by our fathers we look back along the shores of his his- history history his history tory and note the beacon lights that have stood there and in most cases they ey have been martyrs to the cause of human freedom we refer to John Huss to to the the Huguenots and the Pilgrim fathers And when we think of the causes which mich led to the Mayflower and peed peed- uell welt well bein being rocked ou the cradle of the deep we but realize that freedom is drawn up out of the soul and perhaps it may be well for us to think over a afew afew afew few opinions and sayings o of profit to this mighty Republic in which I can trace back my ancestors to the revo revo- revolutionary revo- revo revolutionary revolutionary fathers We may on oc- oc occasions occasions oc occasions like this note the growth of the NatIon With what pride and plea plea- pleasure pleasure sure I listened to the remarks of the gentleman to day hg fig once more the glorious doctrines of Democracy as caught by Adams an and Jefferson It gives ives me a gleam of hope tupe and we look for the time whet we shall elect a President who shall be e bold enough to say to the waves of popular prejudice Thus far shall shah thou go o and no f farther In referring to this matter I desire to bring briefly fly before your attention to- to today today to today day circumstances stances that transpired 55 5 years ago and circumstances that transpired is i 1882 1832 and here let me as asa asa asa a citizen of the United flitted States an- an annOUnce announce an announce my opposition to the union of Church and Slate that ought to be and ancl in a republican government must be separate and therefore when religious religious ious views are brought to bear upon Con Congress ress to force them to pass pro pro- proscriptive prescriptive ve laws laws-as laws as wa was don done in 1582 it was an interference on the part ot of the Church with the State In this connection I will wili read brief extracts which so impressed my mind that I clipped clippe them from the report re- re report re report port and put them in my memorandum book as to how Congress 55 years ago met a pressure of t this is kind There were certain men Inca who thought Con Con- Congress Congress gress should pass p ss certain laws ing ingmen men breaking as they supposed tile the Sabbath day On the otti of March 1830 1880 Col R M Johnson of Kentucky a name famous in the annals of Democracy Chair Chair- Chairman Chairman Chairman man of the House Committee on Post and Post Roads to whom had been referred many of the memorials and referred to made a report from which I will read some ex- ex extracts extracts ex extracts tracts If the Almighty has set a apart art the first day of the the week as a time which man is bound to keep holy and devote exclusively to His worship would it not be more congenial to the precepts of Christians to appeal ex- ex exclusively exclusively ex exclusively to the great Law-giver Law of the universe to aid them in making men better in in correcting their practices by purifying their hearts Government will protect them in 10 their effort When they have so instructed the public mind and awakened the conscience of indi indi- individuals individuals individuals as to make them believe that it itis itis itis is a vi violation lation of Gods God's law to carry the mail open post offices or receive letters let let- letters let letters on Sunday the evil which they complain of will cease of itself with with- without without without out any exertion of the tile strong stron strong arm of civil power When aman a maw undertakes tobe to tobe tobe be Gods dWa od's avenger he fie becomes a demon Driven by the frenzy of ot a religious I zeal he every gentle feeling I forg forgets ts the most sacred precepts of hIS cre creed d and becomes ferocious and aud unrelenting un- un un unrelenting relenting i The State has no more power to en- en enforce enforce en enforce force the observance ot of Sunday upon ut moral or religious rounds than it has bas basto hasto nasto to compel the citizen to be b baptized or orto orto orto I to partake of the sacrament of the I Lords Lord's Supper It is claimed that man has no right to labor on Sunday because because be- be I cause in so doing he be violates od's i la law w It t is if not or not for the Legislature to de- de determine de determine i termine what is or what tat is not Gods God's lawIn law In this matter it can go o no further than I I to protect all citizens of whatever I fai in the peaceful exercise of ot their i rights leaving leavins each to interpret Gods God's law for himself or to subscribe to the interpretation thereof laid down bythe bythe by I the parti particular ular ecclesiastical order to which he adheres or to whose teach teach- teachIng teachings I I jugs ings he finds himself inclined wita- wita with without i out being amenable to any authority In the State for either his bis conduct or his conclusions ao so lon long as as neither leads him to interfere with his fellow fellow- fellowman fellowman man fellow man in the exercise of like ri rights In other words so far as the State is con con- con concerned the th citizen should be left freeto freeto free I to spend spena his days Sundays Sunday included j just as he pleases so long as he in doing so does not interfere wita with the exercise of like on the part of others He must not wilfully disturb or interfere with others in the exercise of their religious rights and privileges He must allow nis his neighbors who feel so 80 Inclined to meet together to wor wor- worship wor- wor worship worship ship God in la peace and such quietude as the situation will admit of where each pursues his his pleasure in his own way having a just regard for the rights of all others If the measure should be adopted it would be difficult for human buman sa sagacity city to foresee how rapid I would be the succession or how num Brous the train of measures which might follow involving the dearest rights of the all all the of conscience lt It is perhaps fortunate for our country that the proposition should have be been n made at to this his early period while the spirit of tile the R Revolution still exists in full vigor Religious zeal enlists the strongest strongest prejudices of the human mind and when misdirected excites I the worst passions of our nature under the delusive pretext of doing Gods God's service s Nothing so influences the heart I to deeds of rapine and blood nothing is so incessant in its toils taUs so persever persever- persevering ing in 10 its determinations so appalling in its course so dangerous in its con con- consequences consequences con consequences sequences The equality ol of rights se- se secured secured se secured cured by the Constitution may bid de- de defiance defiance de defiance fiance to mere political tyrants but the robe of sanctity too often glitters to deceive The Constitution re regards ards the conscience of the Jew as sacred sa- sa sacred sa sacred cred as that of the Christian and gives ives no more authority to adopt a measure affecting the con con- conscience conscience con conscience science of a solitary individual than that of a whole community That re- re representative representative re representative who would violate this principle would lose his delegated character and forfeit the confidence of his constituents If Congress shall declare the first day of the week holy it will not convince the Jew nor the It will dissatisfy both and consequently convert neither Hu- Hu Human Human Hu Human man power may extort vain sacrifices but the Deity alone can command the affections of the heart It must be recollected that in the earliest settle settle- settlement settlement settlement ment of this country the spirit of per per- persecution persecution per persecution which drove the Pilgrims from their native home was brought with them to their new habitation and that some Christians were scourged and and others p put t to death for no other crime crune than dissenting from the dogmas of their rulers With these facts before us it must be a subject of deep regret that a question should be brought be- be before before be before fore Con Congress ress which involves the dear dear- dearest dearest dearest est privileges of the Constitution and even by those who enjoy its choicest blessings We should all recollect that Cataline a professed patriot was wasa wasa wasa a traitor to Rome Arnold a professed Whig was a traitor to America and Judas a professed disciple was a traitor traiLor to his bis Divine Master With the exception of at the United States the whole human race consist consist- consisting consisting consisting ing it is supposed of of rational is in religious bond bond- bonda bondage bondage a age e and in reviewing the scenes of persecution which history everywhere presents unless the committee could coula believe that the cries of the burning victim and the flames by which he fie is consumed bear to heaven a grateful incense the conclusion is inevitable that the line cannot be too strongly drawn between Church and State It IIa Ii a solemn act of legislation shall in one point define the law of God or point out to the one reli religious ious duty It may with equal propriety procEEd to define every part of divine revelation revelation tion and enforce every religious ob- ob obligation ob obligation even to the forms and cere cere- ceremonies cere- cere ceremonies ceremonies monies of 01 worship the endowment of the Church and the support of the cler clergy It was with a kiss that Judas be- be betrayed betrayed be betrayed his Divine Master and we should all be ad admonished no admonished no no matter what our faith may that be-that be that the rights of conscience I DC e so successfully successfully under the pretext of holiness holi holi- holiness holiness ness The uThe Christian religion made its way in the world in opposition to aU all human governments Banishments tortures and death fere were inflicted in vain to stop its pro progress ress The framers of the Constitution recognized the eternal principle principle- that mans man's relation with his God is above human legisla legisla- legislation legislation legislation tion and his rights fights of conscience in- in inalienable inalienable in inalienable alienable Reasoning was not necessarY necessary necessary sary to establish this truth we are conscious of it in oar o r own bosoms bosom It Itis Itis Itis is this consciousness which in 10 de- de defense de defense ense of bum human n laws has bas l sustained so many marts in tortures and flames They felt that their duty to God Gud was as superior to human enactments and aut that man could exercise no authority over their consciences It is inborn principle which nothing can eradicate The T fr Ki Lf- Lf tj t bigot in his pr pride de of authority may lose sight of it but strip him of his power proscribe a faith to him which his conscience rejects threaten him in turn 11 0 with ith the dungeon and the faggot and the spirit which God ha has implanted in lam Jm rises up in rebellion and defies you Did the primitive Christians ask that gove Uk nm nt should recognize their institution All AH they aSked was toleration an they com com- complained complained com complained of was persecution What did the Protestants of Germany or the Huguenots of France ask of their Catholic superiors Toleration What do the persecuted Catholics of Ireland ask of their oppressors Toleration s 5 It is the tile duty of this Government to afford to alto all al to Jew or Jew GentIle Pagan or the Christian the pro pro- pro protection and advant advantages es Of f our benignant be- be institutions After reading list last eV evening these no- no ble noble and sound principles held sacred fifty years ago and contrasting them with those entertained and advocated by many now 1 l was led to pencil the following thoughts Our colonists after long suffering the oppression whips whip and scorns of the parent Government al vans v rs arro arro- arro- arro arrogant arrogant gant ant and exacting were finally baptized tn In blood When the ibe shot and shell of British tyrants t tore re up the sacred soil soU of Lex- Lex ington and Bunker Hill patriots plant planted ed the Tree of Liberty there and moistened with their blood The fierce derce blasts that followed sweeping the planes of Valley Forge and Brandy Brandy- Brandywine Brandywine wine chilled to the marrow the half half- starved half starved naked half-naked Revolutionary soldiers sol sol- soldiers sol soldiers diers but in the midst of the desola |
