Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-06-08
b iatxrsamg sfPoRTALIS t9tbe

ibe GexsraI features, foersef, o11VsfoeS
mberfsl7Ly, far The qualification esfefSe
pHbhe.
After delcribing the difordered fate of
religion in France previous TO the accel-
fion Of the irit Coniul, he oblervei that
the affairs of religion then 6xed the anxi-
Gus folicitude OF the Government. In
forming any arrangement watch ihouId
have the effect of restoring religious trand
guilty, the 6rit queaion that prelented
itfelf was, &C Is religion neceaary TO the
Siupport of a State and TO the happineis of
I individuals ~ To endeavoring 10 thew
that religion is eaential 70 the Govern
ment Of nations, the Orator iets out with
allowing every degree of merit to the diff
coveries, to the inaruStion, TO the philoio-
ply of modern times. 6 But whatever
are our advantages, (faid he) whatever
fate of perfection we may have reached,
every goods mind is forced to admit that
no fociety can exit independent of morals,
and that the refraints OF law are fufhcient
to iecure the exifsnce of this morality.
For what purpoie is it that Magistrates
EXIT, or that laws were formed /? For
whar end is il that theie laws hold out re-
wardsl and punifhments 1t is not that
man isnot guided by his reafon alone, that
he is naturally difpoied tohope and TO fear,
and that Legislators have employed this
propenfity of his nature TO condutt him TO
! happiness and to virtue Can the utility
ofreligion to iociety then bedenied, which
holds out 70 many prolniies, and is fame
toned by fuch powerful threatenings Of
punilhment : The influence OF law and
morals is fuficient. Laws only regulate
!. certain actions religion extends TO eve
ny part Of human conduct. Laws reach
only to the external department. religion
only regulates the heart. Laws relate
only to the citizen religion lays hold
of the man. When We ipeak of the force
oflaws, do we conGder the principle on
which this force is founded : II depends
! lefs on the excellence, Of the laws, than on
their power. This excellence will al
ways be more or leis fubjctt Of contro
very. Unquefionably law is more
durable in proportion to its excellence
but its principal merit con6Rs in its not
being an argument, but decihon, not a
fmple petition, but a fact. Of confe-
quence fyaem ofrnorals founded on reli-
gion, has neceaariiy degree of force which
/ no fyitem purely philoiophical can ever
poaefs. The multitude are much more
imprefsd with what they are commanded
TO obey than what is proved to them to be
right. Men in general require to have
J their opinion fixed. They have more
! need of maxims than os denomination.
He went on TO dilculs the queition, how
. far an efabliihed religion was expedient
ITO the liability and order of tate, and
contcnded that it was confident with the |
juRea principles Of policy. By the inau-
ence of an efablilhed religion, he argued |
that religious fensimcnts acquire g a.cha- |
raeier of energy, of iteadinels, and OF Ger
tainty, which they could never derive
from the mere. influence Of, icience Al
mong the advantages Of an eitabliihment
was the union of external rites and cere-
monies. True phitolophy, faid he, re-
fpeAs forms as much as pride delpies them.
There is difcipiine neceaary for con-
duct, as there is an order reqniGte for |
ideas. To deny the utility OF rites and |
religious obfervaaces in the practice of |
morality would be to deny the dominion
of fenGble notions over beings, not pure.
ly intellectual, it woald be TO deny the
exiRenoe of the empire of habit. A re-
ligion purely ATTRACTED or intellectual can
neyer'beccme;a national Or popular religion. |
Can religion, which iholld address no.
thing to the fenfes or i'm sgination, pre-
ferye its empire over the human heart p
If nothing unites thofs projecting COM
mon faith wauli thar, mr. In few |