Notes on Religion and Education. 141 
ated; ” and the fifty-second, that “ the State makes no provision ■ 
for the support of either worship or minister.” 
Petion, the first President of the Republic of Hayti, made 
equally liberal provisions. In the Constitution of 1806, the 
thirty-fifth article is, “ The Roman Catholic religion being the 
religion of all the Haytians, is the religion of the State. It 
shall be specially protected; as, also its ministers.” Article 
36 is, “ The law allows each minister the extent of his spiritual 
administration. Their ministers cannot, under any pretext, 
form a body of State.” Article thirty-seventh is, “ If, here¬ 
after , other religions are introduced , no person shall be re¬ 
strained in the exercise of the religion of their choice ; pro¬ 
vided he conforms to the laws.” I venture the assertion that 
the statute book of no other nation contains so remarkable a 
provision,—the assertion of the right of religious freedom by a 
nation of Catholics only, in anticipation of a possible future 
contingency. 
Protestantism was introduced under Petion, by his special 
invitation, in 1817 ; he gave the missionaries a cordial welcome, 
and assured them of perfect liberty to preach, travel, and build 
houses of worship where they pleased. , 
In the Constitution of 1816, under Boyer, the forty-ninth 
article reads, “ All religious worship is permitted in the Repub¬ 
lic, conformably with the laws.” 
By the Constitution of 1843, (under Reviere,) “ All reli¬ 
gions are equally free. Each one has the right to profess his 
religion and worship in freedom; provided he does not disturb 
the public order.” 
In the Constitutions of 1846 and 1849, (the last being under 
the Empire of Soulouque,) the rights of religious freedom and 
worship are expressed in the language of the Constitution of 
1843. 
The Constitution of 1846 is in vigor now. The emphatic 
declaration of the present Government, that “ no one shall be 
called on to defend the Roman Catholic religion, whether he 
