Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-06-13

not have continued 10 exist, because there
existed no method OF continuing the sue
ce.sion Of these parsons or these cortora-
SLAMS sole.
1 his conclusion (Mr. II. sadly brought
him tothc thru hrCi4ositio1, which he should
attempt 20 establish: That by the revolt
ton and separation of this government
from that OF Great Britain, these cortvra-
Hons safe in whom the freeholaers in the
Giebes were vested, became liable to be
gradually extinct, and actually were extin
yushed rs the incumbents died. This
proposition it viii not appear difficult TO
establish, ii we consider The intimate con
ncction which slbsisIed between the church
OF Virginia and the government oil Eng
land. BY The act OF 1861, ch. 8, no MINI
ser should be aciuiitted, bat such rs should
produce TO the S1Oernor Il testimonial Of
his ordination by some English bishop
10 ;he governor also belonged ,hs prvi-
leg oi WiAcffmy hun into any PARISH up
ON Il regular pre- se,talion by the vcstry ui
that parish. The abolition of The I'D 90
verlnneEs rendered the performance OF
,hese duties absolutely IMPOSSIBLE. There
test nonial ot ordination'; none alter tn,
revolution who should perform the indis-
pcnsible office OF induction. Sdrpoee a
minister had died III NY, how could
! successor have been iGi'lateesin into his oil
ice or suppose one of lie present IN
! cunbents should die, how could his place
DC regularly supplied mir. Wickhanl
has however contcnded, that the in,iIct,
IN by the governor was a mere ceremony
That he was 6oa'id 10 indu6t any minis ,er,
whom a parish might present. He has
compared HIM to an English bishop, who
IS bound (he says) 10 admit any person.
when presented by the owner Of the ad
! vowSon. MIR. Hay observed. that this cln.
strucGon was erroneous. Would 1t not
| have been absurd to make the governor
the useless instrument OF ceremony, when
vas perfectly Unnecessary But this ce
;emony WAS ABSOLUTELY msce SSary. Oh
serve the penalty which is denounced BIZ
law, against amy violation OF uhis rule
The act of so forbid, any minister to
preach, without ih.s regular perm ssion.
under the paIh Of Punishment. Even the
analogous case, which MIR. Wickham has
introduced, does no, support his opinion
1t is not true, Ihat bishop is bound to in
duct upon presentation. He has the pri
yilege ofreJ cctIng minister CHA. |, 3S9.)
and the govcrncr had thus, similar pow
TT. This privilege ,oo, was not without
IT'S use. Had the governor been bound 10
'nduct any Que, who was presented 20 MN,
he most immoral mal might thus have
Deen Initiated Ihto The most sacred Office.
b, refusing to admit HIM, the goYernor
would thus return to the parish tifuee u e.
of selecting some other candidate ms,pe
worthy OF the country and his holy Office
Since then, said Mr.. Is. there existed no
meaps of continuing the succession of .ar,,
sons alter our revolution, 1t will follow
that tins corporation One only one which
had any legal rights was necessarily az all
end, as sooh as The incumbent cd.
Mr.. Hay observed, that he might even
pursu: this al gument further he might
lay do vn 4th m oli0Siiion which II would
not be difficult To establish; that the 4 q.
sec. oil the Bill Of Righ,s did eut.tcI, "a.
bolish all me rishf, winch even he par
sons themselves might have had, TO th..
Globes they occupied. 1t wars unneces
sary tor him, howe yer, 10 sustain this DO.
sitiOn, because he would b. wiling To res.
1t on those grounds which his colleague
Mr.. Nicholas had developed and because
the rights oil the actual inc lnbemts had
not been assailed by this law. Hence it
would not be necessary Tor him to Prove
what the law itself says to be true, ,hat it
might have gone further lii its resump.
too of rights than it has done. He had
not, therefore, referred TO this section in
the Bill of Rights, to prove that 1t had
polished the e.risfiag nights Of ministers
for heV are moi in question; but to shew,
that the legislature a/ier Mat hrrf2d could
not granf property TO any Set Of minis CTS
in exclusion OF others.
(1o be continued.