The Individual versus the Institution
THE government which regards the rights of its subjects, will not exalt the institution, religious or social, above man, but man above the institution. The institution may be honored if men will, but its observance will never be compulsory. All the Catholics in a community may with bared and bowed heads adore “the host” as it is carried past in solemn procession; but no Protestant is to be forced to bow his head or remove his hat. All the Protestants of a community may, with reverent air, remove the hat or bow the head when the solemn public act of baptism—immersion—is performed at some lake side; but no Catholic is to be compelled to show reverence. He may not encroach upon the rights of any; he must be civil toward men, but he is not to be compelled to act religious. A true government will not subject the individual man to the arbitrary demands of the many. Man surrenders no inalienable right to society or government. If the government be a true government, it conserves and guards the rights of each one, and each one in his rights. And when each person is protected in his rights, all are protected in their rights. And as long as each individual is protected in his rights, so long can no class suffer from the infringement of their rights. The thing to be exalted, therefore, in a just and permanent government, is the inalienable rights—common to all men—of the individual man, whether he be pagan or Jew, infidel or believer, Catholic or Protestant; for in this only are the rights of all conserved. God is able, and will abundantly care for all His institutions, without any aid from civil power. All true religion asks, or has any right to ask, from the civil power, is non-interference or non-intervention, as long as the equal rights of all are not contravened.