American Quotations by William J. Federer 2024

Rufus Choate (October 1, 1799-July 13, 1859) was a lawyer, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, 1831-34, and U.S. Senator, 1841-45. Before he was six years old, he had become so familiar with John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress as to repeat from memory large portions of it. Famous for his definition of a lawyer's vacation being "the space between a question to a witness and his answer," Rufus Choate was extremely fond of the Bible. He declared: <No lawyer can afford to be ignorant of the Bible.> 1799RC001 -- American Quotations by William J. Federer, 2024, All Rights Reserved, Permission granted to use...

Maryland Supreme Court, Runkel case (1799) in the case of Runkel v. Winemiller, Chief Justice Samuel Chase rendered the opinion: <Religion is of general and public concern, and on its support depend, in great measure, the peace and good order of government, the safety and happiness of the people. By our form of government, the Christian religion is the established religion; and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed upon the same equal footing, and are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty.> 1799MD002 -- American Quotations by William J. Federer, 2024, All Rights Reserved, Permission granted to...

Maryland Supreme Court, M'Creery case (1799) in the case of M'Creery's Lessee v. Allender, the court rendered its decision in a dispute over whether an Irish emigrant, Thomas M'Creery, had become a naturalized American citizen and was thereby able to leave an estate to a relative who still lived in Ireland. The court decided in M'Creery's favor, based on a certificate executed before Justice Samuel Chase. The certificate reads: <Thomas M'Creery, in order to become...naturalized according to the Act of Assembly...on the 30th of September, 1795, took the oath...before the Honorable Samuel Chase, Esquire, then being the Chief Judge of...

Georgia Constitution (1798): <ARTICLE 4, SECTION 10: No person within this state shall, upon any pretense, be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshipping God in any manner agreeable to his own conscience, nor be compelled to attend any place of worship contrary to his own faith and judgment; nor shall he ever be obliged to pay tithes, taxes, or any other rate, for the building or repairing any place of worship, or for the maintenance of any minister or Ministry, contrary to what he believes to be right, or hath voluntarily engaged...No one religious society shall ever be established in...

Maryland Constitution (1798) Amendment proposed by Act of 1797: <CHAPTER 118. SECTION 1. The people called Quakers, those called Nicolites, or new Quakers, those called Dunkers, and those called Menonists, holding it unlawful to take an oath on any occasion, shall be allowed to make their solemn affirmation as witnesses in the manner that Quakers have been heretofore allowed to affirm, which affirmation shall be of the same avail as an oath, to all intents and purposes whatever. SECTION 2. Before any of the person's aforesaid shall be admitted as a Witness in any Court of Justice in this State,...