From Theocracy To Religious Liberty: Connecticut’s Journey from Thomas Jefferson’s “Wall of Separation” Letter to a State Constitution, as Told Through the Newspapers of the Time by Rodda Chris

Author:Rodda, Chris [Rodda, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-17T16:00:00+00:00

— 1811 —

1811 was a pivotal year in Connecticut politics and in the Republicans’ hopes for religious freedom. It was the year that the Episcopalians, which represented almost ten percent of the state’s vote, voted with the Republicans for the first time. While the Episcopalians were considered by the Congregationalist Federalists to be a more respectable sect than the other dissenters, and had always largely voted Federalist, they were still dissenters and as such would never be treated completely equally. An Episcopalian could not hope to get into the state’s highest offices, and despite repeated requests the legislature had refused to incorporate an Episcopalian college. What caused the Episcopalians to break ranks with the Federalists and vote with the Republicans, at least for this year, was that the Republicans’ candidate for lieutenant governor, Elijah Boardman, was an Episcopalian. The Republicans didn’t run their own candidate for governor this year, but instead backed Treadwell’s Federalist challenger Roger Griswold, a moderate, who, most importantly, wasn’t the least bit religious. In the months preceding the election, articles like the following, explaining the party’s decision to support Griswold, appeared in the Republican papers.

TO THE REPUBLICANS OF CONNECTICUT.

It is no discredit to the bravery of a man, to make terms with his adversary, when further resistance has become manifestly unavailing. Our contest with the federalists of this State, has been long and arduous. Though our adversaries have been protected by all the muniments, and armed by all the enginery, that could be devised by men hackneyed in all the arts of an unprincipled union of church and state—yet our exertions have been of that steady and persevering character, which could only have proceeded from a perfect confidence in the justice of our cause.

The season has again arrived, when it has become a part of the duty of every freeman of Connecticut, to consider of characters proper to fill the executive offices of our state government, for the year ensuing. At such a time, we naturally take into view the present incumbents, and the present enquiry is, can their places be better filled? On this enquiry no republican will hesitate for an answer, for all agree that the office of governor of this state is filled by a man who never has been (and probably never will be) chosen to that office by a majority of the suffrages of the freemen, whose political principles are believed to be hostile to the constitution of the United States—hostile to the federal union, and to the republican institutions of our country. The next inquiry is, is there any probability that by any effort that the republicans would ordinarily make, the office of governor could be better filled than at present? To this we answer, there is not only a probability but a moral certainty that this can be accomplished by the efforts of republicans. Mr. Spalding has declined being considered as a candidate for that office. The vote of last spring fully evinced that the will of the majority did not designate John Treadwell, for governor.

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