The recorder. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1802-1803, 1803-02-02


right 60 complain if irrcat YOU with
equal freedom.
It's IN the exerci.e of chi, right, thas
| call upon You 60 explain the paradox.
cal lituation;in which yot,r political aud
religious character appears. I1 thall be
my duty TO fate the facts. lt NAV DC
yoar's TO offer palliar;ves, if you can.
You know that Thomas Paine is an
ayowed ihheel You know char he is
author of the book called the Age of
Realor. You know thar this had con-
hdcrable influence in producing ,har de
ttructive itaee of demi anarchy, which
long exitted III France, You know thar
Paine was very preAingly invited to
America, and rhar nc has been mott
cordially and honorably received and
paironlied by the higheit aarhorirics Of
the country, All 5heie things you ,uf-
MY ard applaud; they afliit in making
up that aIorenent of facts, which YOU
cali republican principles, concerning
ire prevalence Of se6icb you express 70
much bsarf feif groftfeafiom, and yet, az
the fame time, you pretend to believe in
and revere the chriltian religion.
Ia the courle ofPublications like rbeG.
Go not think that gueltions which ci..
ehef embrace or relate TO religion ihould
be Preiied with carnellneis. | have
Thought rhe iarfodu6tion of theie faflx
0eceiiary, tar your public charaeter
might be fairly weighed No perfon
who reads them will either denv or
doubt thcir exittence. But while i adj
nie char eve.y man iheuld enjoy rhe
freedom OF oPioion, particularly upon
religious iubjeGfs, [ never can tt,ier-
ate or countenlnce shoie whole opinions
AMI conduct have atcndency TO over
throw Ill the pillars upon which the TO-
ciai order otour country depcndg.
Il IS lmpo!fiole, MF. Ch.pton, for any
man to tlll the Two characters 10 which
you sipire, though he ihould pollets the
mott rranlcendanr tsler,ys and the mof
arr al address our when attempted by
you, It ierves only TO expofc YOU TO RI.
uicule and contempt. Let me then adj
vie YOU 70 MAKE a top, 10 cakea .eslr,
view OF shoie .fat principles, and their ten.
dencieS, WHICH yea recommend with f.
a'aeb bs4yt telt grafJfc4tiga. # Won
arc really believer, il you think thar
chTittianl1y ought to be countenauced
and inPporsed, if ,ou fad th..t your 90
licai PnriuiSs and dognas are ia hof;i;tv
WITH thete opinions, then indeed i Is
tire that You ihould not only make rho
conieiiion, make fall difcIolure of vonr
errors, but alto endeavourro make fanf
attonetnenr 20 tociety by once more dr.
ear6tDg re PoasQ5 and uanifie5 az ybis
e"0rld. If, on the other hand, YOU pro
Coed As you have done, your charas>er
VIII certainly be plunged into irrstricva-
bic dcitru6ion.
Though could FAY much more u1oc
this intereffing fllbjetf, fhall here leave
1t 70 the confederation of my readcTs
and turn to another which applies also-
gethcr TO yourlclf, If in this I alledor
any thing which is untrue, it viii beho9.
you TO corre6t ii, anil viii no eI b.
hoVc me 70 conicisir.
In April, 'Sot, YOU were eleaed hy
ths a'itrct as member of Conglrf, %
take thefeat at The fucceeding fefion
I on were at that tire a member Of the
executive council, and although vo,,
knew that il was exPretlly forbidden
that any Perion ihould, az the fame rin,e
hold one Office under tne Usited Srar@s
and another uoder the tate governnent
yer you contrived 10 evade this Dojicy
and enjoyed the ernolumenrs Of your
OHIO as a councillor until b,s meeting
Of Congrets
l have been told thar this quellion was
aglrated among the councillors, bur in