The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1778-02-18 00:00:00, page 1

[Vol. I.] THE [Numb. 12. j
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
By religion I mean, an inward habitual reverence
for, and devotednefs to, the Deity; with such ex
ternal homage, either publick or private, as the wor
shipper believes most acceptable to him. According
to this definition, it is impossible for human laws to
regulate religion without destroying it: For they
cannot compel inward religious reverence, that being
altogether mental, and of a Spiritual nature: Nor
can they enforce outward religious homage ; because
all such homage is either a man's own choice, and
then it is not compelled ; or it is repugnant to it,
and then it cannot be religious.
The laws of England indeed, do not peremptorily
inhibit a man from worshipping God, according to
the dictates of his own- conscience ; nor positively
constrain him to violate it, by conforming to the re
ligion of the date. But they punilh him for doing
the former ; or, what Amounts to the,fame thing,
for omitting the latter ; and consequently punish him
for his religion. For what are the civil disqualifi
cations, and the deprivation of certain privileges he
thereby incurs, but so many punishments ? And what
else is the punishment for not embracing the religion
of others, but a punishment for pradtifing one's own ?
With bow little propriety, a nation can boast of it's
freedom, under such restraints on religious liberty,
requires no great sagacity to determine. They affed,
'tis true, to abhor the imputation of intolerance ;
and applaud themselves for their pretended toleration
and lenity. As contradicting uiShed indeed from ac
tual prohibition, a permbhon may doubtless be call'd
a toleration. For as far as a man is permitted to
enjoy his religion, under whatever penalties or for
feitures, he is certainly tolerated to enjoy it. But
as far as he pays for -such enjoyment, by fiiffering
those penalties and forfeitures, he as certainly does
not enjoy it freely. On the contrary, he is persecut
ed in the proportion that his privilege is so regulated
and qualified. I call it persecution, because it is bar
raffing mankind for their principles ; and I deny that
such punishments derive any fandion from law, be
cause the confeiences of men are not the objects of
human legislation. And to trace this Stupendous
irfult on the dignity of reason to any other source
than the one from which I deduced it in a former
paper, I mean, the abominable combination of king
craft and prieft-craft (in everlasting, indifloluble
league to extirpate Liberty, and erect on its ruins
boundless and universal despotism) would, I believe
puzzle the most afliduous inquirer. For what busi
ness, in the name of common sense, has the magis
trate (diftin&ly and singly appointed for our political
and temporal happiness) with our religion, which is
to secure our happiness spiritual and eternal? And
indeed among all the absurdities chargeable upon
human nature ; it never yet entered into the thoughts
of any one, to confer such authority upon another.
The institution of civil society, I have, in a late spe
culation, pointed out as originating from the un
bridled rapaciousness of individuals ; and as a neces
sary curb to prevent that violence, and other incon
veniencies, to which men, in a state of nature, were
exposed. But who ever fancied it a violence offered
to himfelf, for another man to enjoy his own opinion ?
Or who ever, in a state. of nature, deemed it an in
convenience, for every man to choose his own reli
gion? Did the free denizens of the world, before
the monfrous birth of prieft-craft, aiding and aided
by the secular arm, ever worry one another for not
railing ridiculous rites; or for disbelieving;things
incredible ? Did men, in their aboriginal condition,
ever fuffer persecution forconfeience-fake ? The most
frantic enthuflaft will not pretend it. Why then
Should the members of society be supposed, on their
entering into it, to have, had in contemplation, the
reforming an abuse which' never existed ? Or why are
they pretended to have invested the magistrate with
authority to sway and direct their religious Senti
ments. In reality, inch delegation of power, had it
ever been made, would be a mere nullity ; and the
I PROMISED, in a former paper, to Shew
that the inestimable pre-eminence of our free
coriftitution, compared with the tyranny of
Britain, ought to induce every man, in love to
himfelf, his posterity and mankind, to defend
it to the last extremity. In discharge of my
engagement, I fcall confider, in my present specula
tion, our superiority to our late fellow-fubjedts in
England, with rcfpe& to liberty of conscience.
If, in our estimate of things, we ought to be regu
lated by their importance, doubtless every encroach
ment upon religion, of all things the most impor
tant, ought to be considered as the greatest imposi
tion ; and the unmoleiled exercise of it, a proporti
onable blessing.
For the New-Jersey Gazette.
WEDNESDAY, February 18, 1778.
Compact by which it was ceded altogether nugatory,
the rights of conscience being immutably personal,
and absolutely unalienable : Nor can the state or
community, as such, have any concern in the mat
ter. For in what manner doth it affeCt society, which
is evidently and solely instituted, to prevent personal
assault, the violation of property, and the defama
tion of character ; and hath not (these remaining
inviolate) any interest in the actions of men —how
doth it I fay affeCt society, what principles we enter
tain in our own minds; or in what outward form,
we think it best to pay our adoration to God ? But
to set the absurdity of the magistrate's authority, to
interfere in matters of religion, in the itrongeft light,
I would fain know what religion it is, that he has
authority to establish. Ilas he a right to establish
only the true religion ; or is any religion true because
he does eftabliSh it ? If the former, his trouble is as
vain as it is arrogant. Because the true religion be
ing not of this world, wants not the princes of this
world to Support it ; but has in fad either languished,
or been adulterated, whenever they meddled with
it. If the Supreme magistrate as such, has authority
to eftabliSh any religion he thinks to be true, and
the religion so established is therefore right, and<
ought to be embraced ; it follows, since all Supreme
magistrates have the fame authority, that all esta
blished religions are equally right, and ought equally
to be embraced. The emperor of China therefore,
having, as fuprerne magistrate in his empire, the
fame right to eftablifli the precepts of Confucius ;
and the sultan, in his, the imposture of Mahomet, as
hath the king of Great-Britain the doctrine of Chrifl
in his dominion—it results from these principles, that
the religions of Confucius and Mahomet, are equally
true with the doCtrine of our bleSSed Saviour and his
apostles, and equally obligatory upon the refpedive
Subjects of China and Turkey, as chriftianity is on those
within the British realm: A portion, which I presume
the most zealous advocate for ecclesiastical dominati
on, would think it blafplremy to avow.
The English ecclesiastical establishment therefore
is, and all the religious establishments in the world,
are manifeft violations of the right of private judg
ment in matters of religion. They are impudent
outrages on common sense, in arrogating a power of
controling the devotional operations of the mind,
and external ads of divine homage, not cognizable
by any human tribunal ; and for which, we are ac
countable only to the great Searcher of hearts,
whose prerogative it is to judge them.
In contrast with this spiritual tyranny, how
beautiful appears our catholic constitution, in dis
claiming ail jurisdiction over the fouls of men ; and
Securing by a law, never to be repealed, the volun
tary unchecked moral suasion of every individual;
and his own felt-directed intercourse with the Father
of Spirits, either by devout retirement, or public
worship of his own election! How amiable the plan,
of entrenching with the Sanction of an ordinance,
immutable and irrevocable, the sacred rights of con
science ; and renouncing all discrimination between
men, on account of their feniiments about the vari
ous modes of church government, or the different
articles of their faith ?---For by the XVIIIth article
of the constitution of this state, it is declared, " That
no perlon Shall ever in this colony be deprived of
" the inestimable privilege of worshipping Almighty
c " God, in a manner agreeable to the dictates of his
" own conscience ; nor under any pretence whatfo
" ever, be compelled to attend any place of worlhip,
contrary to his own faith and judgment ; nor Shall
any person within this colony ever be obliged to
p a y tithes, taxes, or any other rates, for the pur
'' pose of building or repairing any church or churches,
place or places of worship, or for the maintenance
" of any minister or ministry, contrary to v, hat he be
" Sieves to be right, or has deliberately or voluntarily
" engaged himfelfto perform." And by the XlXth
article it is ordained,---" That there Shall be no efta
" bhShment of any one religious feCt in this state in
" preference to another ; and that no protestant in
habitant of this state, Shall be denied the enjoy
" merit, of any civil right merely on account of bis
" religious principles ; but that all persons profeffing
" a belief in the faith of any protestant fed, who Shall
" demean themselves peaceably underthe government
^ as thereby established, Shall be capable of being elect
ed into any office of profit or trust, or being a mem
ber of either branch of the legislature ; and Shall
" fully and freely enjoy every privilege and immu
'' hity, enjoyed by others their fellow fubjeds." —
And by the XXIIId feCtion, every member of the
legislative-council and assembly, is obliged, previous
to his taking his feat in council or assembly, to take
an oath or affirmation, " not to assent to any law,
" vote, or proceeding, that Shall annul, repeal, or
" alter any part or parts of either of those articles."
From hence appears the incorrigible malignity of
those ministerial emissaries, who endeavour to dif
affed to our excellent,conftitution, the more unwary
and credulous, by alarming their apprehensions, that
their religious liberties are let's secure under the pre
sent, than they were under the former, government.
T
For the New-Jersey Gazette.
NUMBER 11.
IN my last I gave a summary view of the dispute.
between Great-Britain and America to the time
of the deciatory a&.
The magick of w ords rot being thought Sufficiently
coercive, a new device was suggested by adminiftra'-.
tion —I, mean the imposing duties on tea, paper,
and giafs, &c. to be collected in America A
tax of three-pence per lb. is to be levied on tea im
ported from Great-Britain ; one Shilling per lb. home
duty having been taken off the export in order to
induce us to purchase, and, as the minister in sub
stance declared in the house of commons, when the
smallness of the sum was objected to, thereby, very
cunningly, to flip the precedent upon them, and
fix the yoke about their necks. —
But this pitiful artifice was seen the moment the
act was read in America.—
In the fame Spirit of wisdom and policy which hath
all along actuated the king and ministry, a quantity of
tea was sent under their own auspices to America
as an experiment upon the people—lt was indeed
a test of the Spirit of the colonies at that day —it
was also a real compliment to the inhabitants of those
places to which it was sent, because they were deem
ed the most refractory; that is to fay, the molt
Spirited and uneasy under oppression.—
The colonies in general to which the tea was sent.
Shewed a becoming Spirit.
I he inhabitants of Boston were peculiarly Situated
—they had British troops, and the tea was to be
forced upon them at the point of the bayonet—ln
order to this they endeavoured to land the tea —it
was opposed and the cargo thrown over board by
the populace.
T hat town, like every other on the Continent, was
inhabited by two Sorts of people; one of which was
notoriously difaffeded to the cause of liberty.—Had
the tea been landed without opposition, and offered
to fale,they would have purchased—the plan would
have Succeeded, and the tax been established —But
the wife and virtuous part were rcfolved to prevent
the mifehief which hung over their heads—they nobly
did their duty to themselves and their country.
This was an event which very naturally and regu
larly flowed from the provocation, and exactly in the
the manner it might have been expected by admini
stration. A pretext, though a weak and criminal
one, was hereby furnifhed them for fending more
troops to America to put in execution the plan they
then adopted of reducing us to submission by force of
arms; a plan which had been for a long time en
couraged by their servants and adherents in this
country, —
Upon their authority, and that of a few military
braggarts, an opinion had been taken up by the mi
nistry, that this western hemisphere bred none but a
cowardly, dastardly race of men, owing to some pecu
liar disadvantages of the clirnate ; and that a few re
giments of regular troops would frighten us into in
stant submission. Their pride led them to believe in
the prowess of the Stock from whence they fprang—
but they asserted that courage could not be grafted on
the ancient Stock, in this part of the world. lam rea
dy to acknowledge, that the temperament of the hu
man frame is oftentimes modified by climate ; but
why these latitudes Should be thought incapable of
producing vigorous and robust men, with a due pro
portion of courage, is a problem far beyond my un
derstanding to solve.
There was also another mistake altogether unac
countable in so enlightened a set of men. As they,
had entertained a very debasing idea of our courage,
they alio imagined our reasoning faculties were pro
portionably weak ; and their fancies had even lower
ed us to the most diminutive size of dwarfs—silence
the poor, paltry, thin artifices with which they have
from time to time endeavoured to cover over their
designs.—They would not confider that genius and
parts are the growth of every country and.&imate,
and allow us our Share. '' Sed quos Jupiter vult per^
dere prius dernentat."—
The tea adventure so far answered the views of ad
ministration as to excite the resentment of the people at
home, and blow up the flame of animosity against us.