visions, every teacher in Maryland should be a believer in the Christian religion, or, at least, in a future state of rewards and punishments. Persons who do not so believe should not be licensed, or, if any are already licensed, their licenses should be revoked. The examiners in this State may very properly inquire whether the candidates for licenses believe in the Christian religion or in a future state of rewards and punishments, for such an inquiry is a part of their legitimate duty at the examinations. But they have no right to go further than the law requires. If, for example, an applicant for a certificate declares that he believes in " a future state of rewards and punishments," or "in the Christian religion," then he can be questioned no further on the subject; or if questioned, he may refuse to answer. If he says he believes in a future state of rewards and punishments, the law can require nothing more, for the Constitution prohibits any further test. It is a little singular that this Constitution, which does not secure full religious. liberty, is the only one of thirty-five now before us which has the phrase "religious liberty" in it. The Constitutions of several of the States, without the phrase, have more of the spirit.

SEC. 11. VIRGINIA.-Religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity toward each other. (Const. of Va., B. of R. sec. 16.) There is

no public-school system yet established in Virginia. At the last session of the Legislature, two of the counties, King George and Stafford, were authorized to borrow money for educational purposes; but owing to the great scarcity of money, nothing of moment has been accomplished. We have the assurance of a high official of the State, that the people are only waiting for better times in order to inaugurate a system of public schools similar to those now so successful elsewhere. If such schools are established under the present Constitution, they should, and doubtless will, be perfectly free from sectarianism.

SEC. 12. NORTH-CAROLINA.-All persons shall be at liberty to exercise their own mode of worship; provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed to exempt preachers of treasonable or seditious discourses from legal trial or punishment. (Const. of N. C. art. 34.) No person who shall deny the being of God, or the truth of the Christian religion, or the divine authority of the Old or New Testament, shall be capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within this State. (Id. art. 4, sec. 2, of Amend.) Although there is an established Church in England, the Jews were admitted to Parliament more than ten years ago. North-Carolina is, in this respect, evidently behind the times. No other Southern State is so illiberal. More than two centuries ago, little Rhode Island was inspired with a new theory of government. All the other States of this Union have since caught

the inspiration, either wholly or partially, but North-Carolina is the most laggard of them all.

SEC. 13. SOUTH-CAROLINA.-The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever hereafter (1790) be allowed within this State to all mankind, provided that the liberty of conscience thereby declared shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace or safety of this State. (Const. of S. C. art. 8.) What this State now needs more than any thing else, we imagine, is a popular system of public schools; and we have reason to believe that something of this kind is in contemplation. The legislation of this State, running through a period of more than forty years, embraces little else, in reference. to schools, than the appropriations annually made to support indigent scholars. The appropriation for some twelve years was seventy-five thousand dollars annually, and previous thereto thirty-seven thousand five hundred. This sum was appropriated to the districts according to the representation in the lower branch of the Legislature, and its expenditure was confided to boards of commissioners in each district. Each board adopted its own rules and system, and hence there has been no uniformity in the organization of schools or in expending the funds. The boards are only required to report annually to the Legislature, and exhibit the manner in which the funds have been expended and the number of indigent scholars taught. Persons who have the means of edu

cating their own children are never permitted to share in the appropriation; the privilege is restricted to the indigent alone. (Letter from Gov. James L. Orr, May 12, 1866.)

SEC. 14. GEORGIA.-The constitutional provisions in reference to the liberty of conscience in this State are the same, in legal effect, as those of South-Carolina, though more extended, and, if possible, more emphatic. (Const. of Ga. art. 4, sec. 10.) A committee was appointed by the Legislature of this State in 1866, to prepare a bill for a system of free schools for the State, and were instructed to report at the next session of the Legislature, (1867.)

SEC. 15. FLORIDA.-All men have a natural and inalienable right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious establishment or mode of worship in this State. (Const. of Fla. art. 1, sec. 3.) This State has not yet adopted a system of public schools.

SEC. 16. ALABAMA.-No person within this State shall, upon any pretense, be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshiping God in the manner most agreeable to his own conscience; nor be compelled to attend any place of worship; nor shall any one be obliged to pay any tithes, taxes, or other rates, for the building or repairing of any place of worship, or for the maintenance of any minister or ministry. (Const. of Ala. art. 1, sec. 3.) No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control

or interfere with the rights of conscience.

(Id. sec. 4.)

No person shall be hurt, molested, or restrained in his religious profession, sentiments, or persuasion, provided he does not disturb others in their religious worship. (Id. sec. 5.) The civil rights, privileges, and capacities of any citizen shall in no way be diminished or enlarged on account of his religious principles. (Id. sec. 6.) There shall be no establishment of religion by law; no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious sect, society, denomination, or mode of worship; and no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under this State. (Id. sec. 7.) Every citizen may speak, write, and publish his sentiments, being responsible for the abuse of that privilege. (Id. sec. 8.) We cite the foregoing sections of the Alabama Constitution in full, not because they are unique, for almost the same words are in the constitutions of several other States; nor because they insure a larger religious liberty, for we are fully aware that perfection can not be made more perfect by the mere force of repetitions. In Rhode Island, New-York, New-Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, South-Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and several other States, religious liberty is as completely constitutional as in Alabama. Though the provisions in some of the constitutions may not be so extended, they are equally comprehensive, and the same in legal effect. The Constitution of Alabama, however, contains so many different expressions for the same thing, that we think any one who will take the trouble to read the sec