The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1810-10-19 00:00:00, page 3

Interrupt the harmony which to happily
subsists bet ween this government and that of'
the U. S.
I have the honor to be.
With high respect and consideration,.
Your most obedient
humble servant,
(Signed) i
ANTH. M^RRY. ’
'Admiralty Office, ith Jan. 1804.
SIR. • , .:f:
a H iving communicated to the lords of the
^Admiralty Lord Hawksbury’g letters of the
33d ultimo, inclosing a copy of a despatch
■which his lordship had received froth Mr.
Thornton, his majesty’s charge d’afftirs id
America, on the subject of the blockade of
the Hands of Martinique and Guadaloupe,
together with a report of the advocate gene •
wal—
Thereupon I have their Lordships’ com
•laud> to acquaint vou for his lordship’s in
formation, that they have. sent orders to
Commodore Hood not to consider any block
ade of those Islands as exis'ing, unless in
respect to particu ar ports which may be .
ACTUALLY invested, and then not to \
Capture vessels bound to such ports unless !
they shall previously have hern warned-not i
to enter them, and that they also sent the ne
cessary directions to the judges of the vicem
admiralty courts in the West Indies and
America.
I am, 8cc.
(Signed)
EVEAN NEPEAN.
r0eorge Hammond, lisy.
The Secretary of IVar and the jlttorney
lGeneral of the U. Slates arrived in this ci
ty on Thursday. •
General Turreau, the French minister,
and suite, arrived in this city ou Saturday.
The frigate Constitution anchored in
Hampton Roads on Saturday the 6th inat.
from Boston.
__ . ' •
SHEEP.
Great Britain, with a population of tin
millions, is stated to have 25 millions of
sheep. The United States, with 7 millions
wf persons, ought to have 17 millions of sheep,
to preserve die same proportion ;butas wool
is not much used to the Sou hward, I am in_
clined to believe that * he quantity of sheep
ia the United States, do, s not exceed 10 or
J2 millions, no*withstanding their great in
crease within the last two or three years.
. llie war in Spain having des royed ma
ny of the Met iro sheep. Great Britain,
■which used to import from 7 to 8 millions of
pounds annually, at about 6 shillings ster
ling, now purchases it at 25 shillings; and
her line cloths exported have in consequence
very much risen. 1 he duty also upon ex
•ports, and the heavy duty upon imports
here, and high fi eight and insurance have
ilso operated to augment the price
Suppose the ten millions.of sheep in the
United Stairs doubled in four years, and
'their pioduce to be 4ib, per sheep, there
will be an increase of 40 nvllionsof pounds;
and suppose that the other ten millions of
sheep, by improvements in their fleeces
gi'Ceach one p qnd more, here will be an ad.
tliiion of teu millions of pounds. The total,
fifty millions, i
The woollen manufactures of G. B. a- i
mount to about 25 ihillions sieri._;ind !
cf these about 7 millions at e exported. The
U. States Will export Ivool, raw and manu
factured ; the greater portion, of our popula
tion require warm 'clothing all the year
reund ; the rest will be supplied with cot
ton, or amixtuie of both for the warm sea
son • * fc:
America, with a benignant countenance,
and peace smiling by hey side, welcomes
the ai ts and sciences resorting to her shores
.and points to her extensive territories
Where Merinos may graze unalarmed by
the roar of canuoM, or by hoardes ol fero
cious soldiers.——Aurora. ' . :
We learn, that General Armstrcr-has
'vmt.en to the Secretary of State ; that Bn.
napurte has offered to restore Ferdinand to
the Spanish throne, provided he will accept
it as a grant from himself, and consent that
the country between the Pyrennees and the
Kbro shall remain to France. Both these
conditions' we presume, will Be rejected;
the first a'3 dishonorable, and the second not
only o‘\ account of its curtailing the k tig.
tlom of,several brave and industrious pro
Vinces, but because it will leave the coun
try wiihout a safe frontier on the side of
1 runce.—^Federal Re/iubiican.
.,V H a Lf i ito n r , October IS
The parties in the next Maryland House
Dr/rga'ea' VjW. be 43 republicans and
22 federalists, giving a republican majori
ty of 16.—— Baltimore American.
A New Yon*V, October 12.
y Fire at ErnoHyn - About J>»lf past nine o'clock
last evening a fire broke out at Brooklyn, in a chi
na war? and crucible manufactory, in Water St
between the new and old ferrjes, which entirely
consumed 8 w ooden store bout, *, ore of winch
Vas four stnrie9 high, all belonging.to Joshua
Sands, esquire. The p >ttery was occupied fry
Air. Lnquere, and the store* by Mr Michol. f<».
the purpose of storing cotton and <nhtr bnlkt
|toods for the merchantiof this city. T here we •<: '
about 600 bales of cotton in the stores, which |
almost all consumed. Thera were Ulidv/ise i
4685 But os Ayres hi rs, wliich wci< ali Vdea
♦ tyed Among the stiff, revs see Messrs. F'-’er
m'en, Strong Si I>,vin, Ingraham, Phoenir
Kiten, J. Sc.ott, tlogeit and Knee-land, and S
Urtwer, merchants of this city.—Among the
woollen buildings was a brick in- proof b;’k°ry,
vbicli stood without receiving much injury, not !
V’thsUnd'ng the buildings adjoining were burnt
t*> the ground "i he damage is estimated at be.
tween 6J and 60 thong -ml dollars The proper
ty, «*e arc informed, w«- not insured It is n-K
jet ascertained bow the fire originated —Ertning
/mi.
Cmarcrstoh, October 10.
r i r Et J
#>n Sunday night last about half past 11 Vclock,
tlie inbibiiaiitft of thi* city were alar mod by the
cry of fin It made its appearance first in a
email bod ling in Church street Continued, and
bad communicated to several adjoining buildings
before the »it z ns could assemble ; the wind
blowing fi.g’i fiurn the north, rend* red tin
scene truly alarming, audits consequences have
been highly distressing and destructive. In
spite of every exertion it re iched Amen-street r>
the northw*id, destroyj*l all the hiithhngs m i<
s» far •* M'Ote street, on ie;tii sides, except 2;
it was then stopped f oir pr reading north
•ward, but took down boll* s des of Molte-stre t
8'iuthei ly and destroyed every hou-emitbut 2
that itoOn betwt.n Amen and Qnef n-atfeet. 1.
<^iteen-street it continued ha ravages, crossed it
i'd® Iftiinn-sheet, and destroyed eviry house it
a hrt strcftl, fit)® wbeD.e it took hold of the ba. k
buildings of East Bay, which cetutnunicaled it
to the front building* which were wholly de
stroyed from the house N<>. $ J next to the Union
to the corner of Broad-street, and then up
Broad-etreet to Union-street, and tw-i houses be
yond,vrhere It wu stopped by s brick home_
,'ere destruction was put a atop to, except
that-Uuping the height of the lire some (lakes fell
on the roof of a house on Cast Bay below Tradd
street which was also destroyed, but did not
communicate the ft ones or they were prevented
from spreading During the conflagration seve
rial (muses were blown up with a view to break
the communication, and it is believed produced a
good effect. We are happy to state that there
were no lives lost, nor has the quantity of
goods lost been very cousMenble, but tbe dc
struct ion of furniture, 8c the loss of a considerable
oart has been great. We have endeavoured to
make as accurate a statement of the buil
dings destroyed as is possible under existing
circumstances, and the following is the re
stilt .
Church-street continued, where it comuten
red,
Amen street, on both sides, ny
Motte-street, west side, 18 '
Do cast side, 14
Qjiecn atieei, north side, 14
D->. south side.
Union-street, both sides,
t»st B iy, f,
Unity alley, ^
Chambvr’s-alley,
Lodge alley, *7
Broad-street, . - 7
. To those are to bs added the large brick Mores !
in tlie rear oftlie Union Bunk, aiul some of th >
back stores of Mr Fifzsimous
How the lire oiiginxted.has not b*en complete
ly ascertained ; Hut there is grout reason fir be
beving that it had ils rise in the disorderly con
duct of a number of p. rsona who were in the
fimisc w'hehe it began In the evening there were
several pera ins observed tliere to be in u slat • of
intoxication, and tliere had been some quariellimr
amongst them. *
From the time the fire commenced, until it
was prevented, was ten hours. During almo-t
the whole of this time, though every exertion
in the power of the (Jit^ens wasemployed to ar
rest its ravages, no one could say wine it
would end-lortunat .ly, owing to the width
Ot Broad street, these exertions wete successful
there ; had it crossed that street, the prohibit.tv
is, it would have taken a w ie range and only
•topped at South Bay, when nothing'more couid !
be found for it to act on. , ,
By this unfortunate event a number of indtts
trioun inhabitants have been reduced *onovert< • *
the Iruits of their labors have been torn from
th- m in an instant, and they have ugain to begin
t;ie world ; fortunately f..r them tlieir fellow
citizen* who have not suffered will fly to tl.iir
u h, f, and jt will be suen by this day’s Ga
zette that the Coiporaiion of ihe City have ta
ken their distressing aiiuations into its earliest
consideration and have adopt,d such measures
as u ill most certainly lead to an amelioration of
then'.
Since writing the above, we have learnt that a
Female was burnt to death a a house in Union
street.—City Gazette.
The loss of property cannot, as yet, be accu
nn ly ascertained, but it is supposed that it will
not be less than halt a million- of dollars.
— The number of houses which were burnt
and blown up, are about 250
None of tlie Me ws papt r* were published yes
teaday, as all the paper-offices were rxp< ted to
danger, and their materials very much deranged
and iuju.ed. 0
B eatl and Meat were yesterday distributed
among the poor sufferers, and subscriptions set
on foot for their relief
A large proportion of the houses destroyed
were either owned or occupied by persons m ;
the humbler walks of life, many of whom have i
been deprived by this awful calamity, of their
little all.
The No. of dwelling houses fronting on the
several streets which were destroyed during the
confliigi-ation, js 194.—Courier
;V<. j)c agnqutm%
RICHMOND, OCTOBER 16, 1310.
THE CAUSE OF
RELIGIOUS TOLERATION.
Cur city has been litely interested by the;
m. etingof the Association of the Baptists_
Tne numb -r of strangers who flocked hither,the
respectability of the sect, tiie simplicity of their i
principles^and tin- enthusiasm with which tiieir
ministers prop.ag-»*e tiieir tenets, gave a cert air
c-:!at to. their exertions and a new air to the occu
pations of (lie city The Association met on
Friday night, tlia 12-.Fi, and dissolved on Monday
"ight, 9-o’clock, About 800 strangers are esti
mated to have been present—the ordained and
licensed preactiers between 30 u. 40, of whom
or 7 came from the other Association districts
There were no proceedings of a gcne.al na
ture, conducted under the auspices of this meet
ing -Oil Sunday forenoon, the preaching was
carried on at the Capitol, whither flowed a tide
ot population, which the H dl of the II .use of
Delegates could not contain—ami at the B iplist
and Methodist meeting Houses—by different
ministers who interchanged in the afternoon. A
* ngular drgre.- of harmony is said to have prevsi
led amongst all the “ lovers of piety;” Baptists
and Methodists It was pieusing to sed” this
spectacle of concord among them “ The M.
thodioU, (auid a dis*ingu sned Baptist) acted on
tiiik occusiti'i a liberal and friendly part, not only
in him s'dng the r r.i'etlhg lions-; from List to
Iasi, hot ill attending the Meetings at tliedillVr
•ok places, sort in joining vitn up parent cordi
aliiy in th. rVugiouB exercises-->r which the
Association expi eased their th inks.”
1 his Association is Called the Dover A*30*
ciatinn—mere are in this district 37 churches and
VOdd m. tuci s,_ as m ay be seen by ref-rence to i
5f»r ntpic’s !* History hi llid Vnyiuii U iptists,” p.
'-i'j-'al*—a woik lately pitolisli'.il, and containing
< limit of Bapii*ti< <1 inform »lio% couched in the
cteartK nnc* simplest s’yfe.
1 he of the Baptist ChurCli is ex ‘
tremuly sunfl- end equal: .Tnrre are If whole
A .Hocialioi i in tiie state, besides f <ur others
which ev.cim icti 4iidi<#ittes. ‘ Each one list a
constitit'.ion independent of the rest. The gov
ernmeni both ot the associations, the churches,
and, inderd, o| the whole i iciety in Virginia, fc.
thrnugliiiut the world, is eminently republican;
for the decisionsafe alway*made hy the majority.
1 hey are all ,n a prrlect equ'ihly, except so far
**» limy may be distinguiMic'd i»y their talents,
tlicr enthusiasm, ami their services. There are
no digit tartes among tiieir ministers. , '
I he pm pose <d tiie association fs, to advise
the chinches in all indicate cases ol discipline;
to preserve an uniformity of sentiments and prin
ciples ; to cultivate an acq laintance between the
churches and their members ; and to supply va
cant churches by the appointment of•n-ognbor
mg p istoiB to attend them a*. s ateJ periods. Ac
corumg to ti e Dover constitution, each church
can SI lid j del gates anti may send k ns T hey
are g> net ally selected l»y tlwr votes of the mem
hers ot the church, and receive no pecuniary
compensation for their services.
U* sides these Associations, there is a more ge
rnral (Joiiv nlM.n or General Me ding of C <r
'espondfuc^, winch Ins b :en on foot for a few
yt'irs, and trfWhded to knit tiie several Ass'ici.i
Horn* together. It ha< no , howi-ver, yet rccei
Vxd the sanction of all in V>gmia.
F
i because w« hold it for a fundamental and '
unalienable trtnh, «• that religion, or thedu
ty which v/e owe to the Creator, and the
manner of discharging it, can be directed
only by reason and conviction, not by force
or Violence.*’• The religion, then, of eve.
ry man, must be left to the conviction and
conscience* of every, .man ; ,,j»nd it is tli«
right of every..man to exercise it, as these
may dictate. \This right is, in its nature, an
unalienable right.. It is unalienable; be
cause the opinions of meu depending’only
on the evidence contemplated by< their own
minds, cannot follow the . dictates of other
men It is unalienable, also ; because what
is here a right towards man, is a duty to
wards the Creator. It is the duty of every
man to render to the Creator such homage,
•ifi l such only, as he believes to be accepta
b e to him. 1 his duty is precedent, both in
order of lime, and in degree of ob igation, to
the chums of civil society. Before any man
can be considered as a member of civil so
ciety. he must be considered is a subject of
the Governor of the universe. And if a
j member of civil s«,ciety, who enters into any
; subordinate association, naast always do it
i with & itserva.ion of his duty to the gene
I authority ; much more must every man,
I who becomes a member ot anv particular
civil society, do it with a saving'of his alkgi
| ance to the universal Severe gn. VVe main
tain theiciore, that, in matiers of religion,
no man’s right is abridged by the institutil
on ot civil society ; and that religion is whol
ly exempt from its cogn zmcc. True it is
that no other rule exists, by which any ques
i t)on which may divide a society can tie ul
timately datermined, but by the will of
I the majority. But it is also true that the
i majority may trespass on the rights of the
j mmority
Because, if religion be exempt from the
authority of the society at large, still less can
it be subject to that of the legislative body,
the latter are but the creatures and vice
gerents of the former.. Their jurisdiction is
both derivative and limited. It is limited
with regard to the co-ordina*e departments :
moie necessarily, it is limited with regard to
the constituents. The preservation of a free
government require?, not merely that the
metes and bounds which separate each de
p igment of power, be invariably maintain
, 1 ,but ™ove especially.' that neither of
them be suffered to overleap the great barri
er which detcnJs the rights of ihe people.
I he rulers wh » are gmliy of SUQh an en
croachment, exceed the commission from
which they derive their authority, and<are
tyran.s, 1 he people who submit to it, are
governed by laws made neither by them -
veives, nor by an authority derived from them,,
ana are slave*.
Because it h proper to take alarm, at the
Hirst experiment on nur liberties. We hold
this prule.it jealousy, to be the first duty of
citizens, and one of the noblest character!*
,tics of the hue revolution, The freemen of
America did no*. wait until usurped power
had strengthened itself by exercise, and en
tangled the* question in precedents They
stw a 1 the Consequences it) the principle,
and they avoided the consequences by deny
ing the pi inciple VV e mvere this lesson too
much, soon to forget it. Who does not sc.:
that the same authority which tan es abUVi
Christianity in exclusion ot all other religi
ons, may establish, with tile same esse, uny
particular sect ot Christians, m ^aclusion of
all ot,!; r sects f I hat the same authority
which Can force a C'titen to contribute three
police only ol his property, for the support
.of any one establishment, in ly force him to
conform to any other establishment, in allj
• Crises whatsoever.
Ujcausc the bill violates that equality
which ought to l»e the basis of eveiy law ;
and wh cu is more indispensible, in propnr
tion as the validity or expediency of any law
is more liable to be impeached. *• If all
men are,by nature, equally free and hide.,
pendent, ( <11 men are tube Coos deed a>
entering into society on eqoil conditions, as
relinquishing no more, and therefore retain
mgno less, one than another, or their nitu
ral rights : above all, nre they to be consid
ered as retaining an •• et/ual title to the free
exe’ Cise of religion according, to the die *
* n-cl .ration of Wights, article 15.
t Uc.Uralica of lliglqe, article 1
The +' ole number of Baptist* In tliU state, i*
computed b> Mr Semple at 31.052
There wav % period in this state, when Uie Bap
tist* and other Dissenters were persecuted, and
a particular church favored *n»l establiscd
by tlie law But the revolution of America over
threw the despotism of die church us well as that
of the state—us our government is independent of
Great Britain, so religion is independent of our
government. Uiiivrm.d Toleration i* established
by our constitution and laws, •»* well us by the
feelings of the people-- have arrived at
that happy summit, which had been viewed by
the sag'* of Europe, as a theoretical Elysium, ra
ther to be desired than enjoyed j where every man
'•free to follow the dictates oi his own consci
ence.—We have solved the problem, which hid
been so long agitated in the old world—we have
shewn how much happiness anil harmony spring
from religious Toleration —When will Hje 1 ish
C’llh'dicor the English Dissenter be ah!e torea
hae these beatific visions ?
Even since the A nerxan Revolution, a partial
attempt has been m id -to fetter the consnjenoc
by legd restrictin' --V bill for n general
assessment was r- furred in the people by one
session of the General Assembly—but the Dap
tints c .me forward cn m iot-thet voice of the
people was against it—and the monster expired
Thr next Assembly rejected it—and in place'iifi ,
passed the celebrated “ Act for establishing Rc
hg oos Freedom *•» drawn up by the luminous and
imm >rlul pi n of Thomas J-fTerson It w.rs on
this occasion, that the following memnrid from
the pen ol Junes Madison, the present P U. S
was presented —a pap t, wh ise composition is too
elcgirn, and whose merits are too splendid, to be
bu, u d in obi vion.
A MF.MopiAL AND REMONSTRANCE A
GAINST TUK CESKKAL ASSESSMENT,
PRESENTED TO 1'UK GENERAL ASSTKM
SLV OF VIRGINIA, AT TUK SESSION
ton th tear of our lord one
TH Il'SUB SEVEN HUNDRED AND EIGH
,Ti rtvE.
Druwn by James fJuls-m novt President
. of 'hr U ,?•
A MEmORIA!. l< I<K.V'IO.vlSTR \NCE
7o the Hmovable the Geyerat Assembly of
the Cem'hj7:wi < h f Virginia.
WE the sul-M.'io' c ■ ns of the said
commonweal h hi ,ag taken imo serious
consideration ? n il, printed by order of the
last session of gener • mo mb y. entitled “ A
bill est.inlislung a provisi m for teachers cf
the chris.ian religion ; * -tod conceiving,
that the .-ante, if fm Jiy m mod with the
•auctions if a law, will in a danger -us abuse
of power ; ato b mn.l as '.lid.tul members of
a 11 ee f;taTe% to rein iiistrate Hgamtc ir,
hndry deci.tre -fie reasons by which we are
determined. . We remonstrate against the
said bill, ,
tates of conscience, •*$ Whilst tre ass-rt fcr
ourielvcs a freeJom to embrace, to profess,
and observe the religion which we believe to
l*e of divine origin ; we cannot deny an equal
tieedom to tholte whose miuds have not yet
yielded to the evidence which has cnnvinc
ns. It this freedom be abused, it is an
offence against God. not against man. To
Ciod. therefore, and not to man, must an ac
count of it he rendered.
As the bill violates equality, by subject.
'®8 some to peculiar burdens ; so it mo
lates the same principle 'qy granting toothers,
peculiar exemptions. Are the Quakers 8c
Mcnonists the only sectn who think a co n
pulsive support of their religions uon-cessa.
r> and unwarrantable f Can their piety nl!
j lone be entrusted wit.t the care of public !
worship? Ought thuir religions to be en !
uowed. above till others, wt.h extraordina
ry privileges, by witich proselytes may be '
j enticed from all others f VVe think too fii. |
.vorably oft he justice and good sense of the-e !
denominations, to believe, that they either
covet pre-eminences over their fellow citi
Bens, or that they will be seduced by them •
from the common opposition to the niea- i
Bure
Because the bilfc implies,- either that the
civil magistrate is a competent judge of re
llgious truths, or that he may employ religi.
on as an e igint of civil poliev Tne first is
an arrogant pretension, falsified by the ex.
traoi dinary opinion of rulers, in all ages, and
throughout the world ; the second, an un.
hallowed psrversiou Ufthe means of salvafi
on. ' _ . 1 ..
Because the establishment proposed by
the b 11 is nit requisite for the support -of
the Christian religion. I o say that it is, is
a contradiction to the chrisiian religion it
, seif ; for ev«ry page of it disavows a depen
;deuce on the power of this world ; it is- a
| contradiction to tact, for it is- known that
i -his ieligion both existed and fi jurislied, not
only without the support ol human laws, but
in spite of everv opposition from them ; and
nut only during the period of miraculous aid,
but long after it had been left to its own e
vidence and the ordinary care of Providence :
nay, it is a contradiction in terms ; for a
religion not invented by human policy must
| have pre existed and been supported,' before
it was established by hum m pojicy ; it i3
moreover io weake i in those who profess
tins Religion a pious c<in(i ience in its innate
; excellence and the patronage of its author;
■ a™| lo foster in those who still reject it, a sus,
pic ion that its friends a’re too conscious of us
fallacies, to trust it to its own merits.
Because experience witnesses, that eccle
stastical establishments, instead of main
tabling the purity and efficacy of religion,
have had a contrary opei aiiou. During hI
most fitieen centuries Iia3 the legal csta_
bhshmeni of Christianity Ireeu on trial._
Wliat have been its fruits ? moiV or less in
all places, pride and indolence in the cler
gy ; ignorance and servility in the laity; in
both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution
fc*nquire ol the teachers of Christianity for
the ages in which it appeared in its great
est lustre ? those of every sect point to the
ages prior to its incorptr ation w,th civil po
licy 1 ropose a restoration ol tIlls primitive
state, jn which its teachers depend on the
voluntary rewards of their flocks, m tny of
them predict its downfall- On which side
ought their testimony to have greyest
weight, when for, or when against their in
terest ?
Because the establishment in question, is
nf>i necessary tor the support ot civil gov
ernment. It it be uvg«d as necessary fot tae
support of Civil government, only as it is a
| means of supporting religion, and it be not
necessary tor die Utter purpose, it cannot
i be H< cessary for .he former. If religion be
j mv within the cognis nice of civil govern
tnent, how can its legal establishment be
said to be necessary to civil government ?_.
\\ hat influence in fact have ecclesiastical
establishments had on civil society? In
some instances they have, been seen to e_
rect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the
civil authority ; in more instances have they
been seen upholding the thrones of political
tyranny i in no instance have thev been seen
the guardians ot the liberties of the people
Rulers who wish to subvert the public li’
berty, may have found an established cler
gy convemenr auxiliaries. A just govern
went instituted.to secure and perpetuate it,
needs them no . Such a government will
be best supported by protecting every citi
sen in the enjoyment .»f hi* religion, with
the same equal hand which protects his per
so., and his property ; by neither invading
the equal right?of any sect, nor suffering
any sect to invade those of another. •
Because the proposed establishment is a
tleparture from that generous poliev, which,
offering an asylum to toe persecu *d and op
pressed of every nation and religion pro
m;sed a lustre to our country, and an acces
sion to the number of its citizens. What a
melancholy mark is the bill of sudden de
generacy ? Instead of holding forth an asy
him to the persecuted, it is itself a signal of
persecution. It degrades from the equal
i anil of citizens all those whose opinions in
religion do not bend to those of the 1-gisla
uve authority. Distant as it may be, in its
piesent lorm, from the inquisition* it ditfe s
trom it only in degree: me one ii the first
: step, the other the last, in the career of in
j tolerance. The magnanim ms sufferer un
j der the cruel scourge in foreign regions,
must view the bill a* a beacon on. our eoist
warning him to seek some other haven
where Imerty and philanthropy ,n their due
t-x.ent may offer a more certain repose fruin
his troubles.
Because it will have a like tendency to
b.io.sh o„r citizens. 1 he allurements pre
sen.i . by other situations, are every day
thinning their number. To superadd a fresh
motive to emigration, by revoking the liber
ty winch they now enjoy, would be tnesame
species of folly, which h is dishonored an I
dep ipulaud tl lurishing kingdoms,
Hmuse it Will ties roy that moderation
and harmony, which the forbearance of our
lawn to intermeddle with religion tins n:„
(ljccd among its several sects Torrents of
blood hove been spilt in the old w .rid, by
vam, attempts cf the secular arm to extill
s'1'*'' religious discord by proscribing ill
differences in religious opinion. T'irn^ has
•t length revealed (he true remedy. E e.y
re axation of narrow and rigorous poocy.
wheiever it has been tried, has been found
toassaage th« disease. The American the
atre lias exhibited proof*, that equal and
co nplete liberty, if it does not wh >lly era
dicate it, sufficiently destroys its malignant I
Influence on the health and prosperity of in® 1
suite. If with tiie salutary effects of this
sys em under our own ey es, we begin u.con I
tiact the bounds of religious freedem w.
know no name that will too severely n
proach our filly. At least let Warnir><® ().
j tke>1 M iha ..nit fruit* of the tlirearc.icd m
t t D.claration cf R ^Sis, article ^
novc.ian. * he vc-y njjpeamnce of th»
btll has transformed that “ Christian for- :
hearancr, love, and charity,which of lute
■mru.dlv prevailed, into animosities a.nljca
busies which may not soon be appeased.*
I \v’hut niischiefs may not be dreaded, should .
■ his enemy to the public quiet, be armed with
the force of a law ?
Because the policy of the bill is adverse
[n the diffusion o‘ the light of chriailaintv_
1 lie first wish cf those who oug’u *o cujoy
this precious g-fi ought to be. "that, it may
be imparted to the whole nice of mankind.
Compare the number of those, who have us
vet received it. with the number still re
maining under the dominion cf false t el:gi
ons, and how small is die former ! Does
tiie policy of the b ll tend to lessen die dis
proportion? No j it at once discourage
those whoare s rangers to the light of tru li,
from coming into the regions of it ; and coon ..
ten incus by example, the nations who con
tinue in darkness, in shutting out those who
might convey it to them Instead of level
ling as fir as possible every obstacle to the
victorious progress of tru*h, the bill with an
ignoble and unchristian timidity, would cir„
cimscribe it with a wall of defence against
die encroach men's if error. *
Because uttempts to enforce by legal sanc
tions, acts, obnoxious to so great a propor
tion of citizens, tend to enervate the law.
in general, and to slacken rhe bands of so
ciety.- .If it be difficult to execute any law,
which is not generally deemed necessary or
salutary, what must be the case where it is
deemedinvalid and dangerous? And what
may be the effect of so striking an example
ot Impoteney in the government on its gene
ral authority t
• Because a measure of such singular mag
nitude and delicacy, ought not to be imposed,
without the clearest evidence that it is cal
l< d for by a nuffirity of citizens ; and no sa
tisfactory method is yet proposed by which
the voice of the majority in this case may
be determined, or its influence secured.—
*/ l people of the respective counties are
indeed requested to signify their opinion
respecting the adoption of the bill, to the
next session of assembly.” But the repre
sentation must be made equal, before the
voice either of the representatives or of the
counties, will be that of the people. Our
hope is that neither of the former, will af
ter due consideration espouse the dangerous
principle of the bill Should the event dis„
appoint us, it will still leave us in full confi
dence, that a fair appeal to the latter will
reverse the sentence against our liberti
es. ...
Because finally, '‘the equal right of every
citizen to the f*ee exercise of his religior*
according to «.he dictates of conscience',” is
held by the same tenure with all our other*
rights. It we recur to its origin, it is equal *
ly the gift nl nature ; if we weigh its im
portance, it cannot be less dear to us; if
[Consult the “ Declaration of those rights,
i which pertain to the good pe .pie ..f Vitgi
oia, as the basts and found e ion of govern
ment it is enumerated with equal so
lemnity, or rather with studied emphasis.—
Hither then we must say, that the wdl of
the legislature is the only rr.easur- r,t their
authoi tty ; and tjiat, io the plenitude ofthia
authority, they may sweep away all or fun*
damcotal lights; or that they are b >und t©
leave this particular right un-ouch* d ami sa
cred ; eidier we must say that they may
controol the freedom of the press; maj a.
bolish the triul by jury ; may swallow up tbe>
executive, and judiciary powers of the statt>
—nay, that they may anuihilvte our v**iy
| of suffrage, and erect themselves in*©
jan independent and hereditary .sseinblv ; op
i we must say that thay have no authority t©
j enact into a law, the bill under considerati*
| on. We,'the subscribers, say, that tile (ie
Heral Assembly of this Common wealth hav©
no such authority ; and that no effort may be>
oinuted on our part against so dangerous a.
usoi parion, .v& oppose to it this renmusf ranee,
earnestly praying as w- are in dmy bound,
tna.ihe supreme Lawgiver of the Universe, by
illuminaung tnose to whom it is addressed,
may, on one hand, turn their councils fr.-nt
every act, which Would affront his holy pre*
rogative, or violate the trust committtd t©
them ; and, on the other, guide them into e
very measure which may be worthy of his
| blessing, vney redound to their own praise,
and may establish more firmly the liberties,
the property, and the happiness of this
| commonwealth.
5 Declaration of Rights, trticle 16.
; As the Official DeSp itche* per the Salty from
,Gen Armstrong to the Department of State do not
j contain the Note of Champagny, relative to the"'
r ptal of the Berlin Ur.d Milan Decreet—it h
i believed that ihe gentleman who brought them,
may h ive mti'aien an J-x tract from, the note or
\ 11 brief statement of ttt content*'to Mr. k'mkncy,
j for the note itte{f
Georgia Cong’essional Election—Returns front
9 C unt.> s—Bibb 26o6— Tiottp 2357—Clarke
18Jd F-sytli 1573-C >b i 1+58-iIall UGl—
Ellio.r tu77
Maxim*—Lick du*t, though it he gold dust,
and you are degraded—-The church may thrive!
by persecu.ion; but patriotism tluiys by p,0.
tccliou —There is nothing that can gild U»c <l,a
grace oi h nation—Thosa, who adhere to me
enemies of the country, •• giving them aid and
comfort,” are Traitors hy»ne Constitution
Shun thrwe. who shun the truth.
- ' ' ' ■ ' ' 11 " """"1 *—« J
3 > E Ft >RS my late illness. / h id prepared tnv /
* * *elh a* the instance of several gentlemen, 1>
deliver Lectures on the The >i > and Ihari.et <jt
I.‘ W tnd Equity l (hall commence on the first
Monday in November next, if ten ©• more S u, lei. Is
s!utti communicate to me rhrtr vifeh to attend ft
examination su.ll, on the succeeding day, be made ton
e ich laccture
If requested I lotll, in private, particularly su
per intend the Studies tf any gentian in in the r vet'
rious hr (inches of jurupru lence.
E. BdNDOLPM.
October 19. 1 j,
I^Rl/ir TREES.—Those persons »h am
1 d.:sirout of pro uring f. nm John II .sting*, v,
supply of F ci r Ta es,, ar.* request* 1 to send
' > ort'.sr* immedijl ly to ft izwuv. ioIim (r.
I’ >r i r.a. that they in ay, at thr endolthia hiomh,
h f.rw .rthd for execution.
I' &. T. have just received a lurfu addition to
t .eu- foi mer stock < f Station .ry, with an asaorl
in.Dt of Plays »m| Jd m Public it ions
V v tfiety i f Day Bonks. Journals, Ledgers,
Bee .rd tnd other B.anb Boots, on hand.
<9 ’her 19 t_ __ 6t.
VTOTiCE-T..:d i PETITION Will be~preT
1 “ *<?i>t d fo the next C-uerd Assembly,
'P 'yhlg that sn Act rw .y p -r authorising the com •
to >n hall, of til*; city of Richmond, to til-blsA
a reasoiMb1'. I,mud try to said city.
. ^ ' r W v 6 n
\ VJ 0 f ICE — A PBTI lIoid WM \*t p'i »,.e
j i. s edf tot tie n. xi l» .»««•. ii A-seniidv of.Vif
{ gin.a. }Vrlying *.h r ta act may p is* o in o'pdr..'f
It C riaSAt. H u '1 Wii AiiOCi*. i id.: tf 1*1.8
f oily.
o rfc*