The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-06-06

lett nee 10 aii'ic IN t1c fCleU admin tratiCN or
the government. The road of political diitinc-
ton lies open before hum. No religious teit IS
created BY which the unfortunate diRanter may
be excluded from reaching the highek honours
IN the iervices Of the field, or in the deliberate
ems of the cabinet. Al that this fytem requires
of every Individual is, that he Mould contribute
IN certain proportion TO the !upport OF reg:4
on.-Even in the application ofthis moderate af-
iefiment, he pofiefiSs an extraordinary and VIZ
luable pfiviledge. 1t is not to b. appropriated
to any favourSd feet. There is 20 particular
fornulary of faith, which the government has
adopted. and which every individual is called
upon to fupport. At the very time when he
pays in his Allotment, he is permitted to aflign
It over to iome particular feet, and iome parti-
cular miniiter, whom his Judgment or his itnfi-
bility have mott highly approved. From this
mid and tolerant temper of the plan, who can
withhold the tribute of his warmeft eiteem
The author has moreover attempted 10 add
new attractions TO his fyRem by aiIoc;atine with
It other objects 70 exquiGtely dear to the
heart of man. He has attempted to con-
iecrate his plan 30 the tervice of God. What
ever ientiments of piety and hallowed regard
we have been accuitomed to feel towards the
Creator Of the Univsrfe, have been conjured UP
in It's defence. We have been told that no
I" sincere conviction or belief of the divine ra-
ture, and of the nature of moral obligation and
focal duty" are to be expected without iome
religious efabiiihnlent and we have been thus
reduced to the difagreeable alternative of living
IN partial ignorance of thefe divine truths, or
OF enduring the partial evils of this moderate ei-
tabihment. The inftrudion of the people has
been alto called in to he;shten its beauties and
recommend it TO our favour. Every teacher Of
religion is {" required and compelled to keep
pubic ichcol in the county from which the tax
IS collected" The poorer claGes ofthe people,
hn r. A.
OF generous ambition, are thus 10 be conduct
ed by the hand of religion into the vetibule OF
knowledge: and the fate of Virginia is once
more to recall that condition Of fociety, which
ancient Egypt and modern Europe have exhi-
bted, where the wifdom of the priefts is to give
light to the ignorance of the people.
Had lome high minded inhabtant of Italy,
Spain, or even England, been called upon to
examine fuch fyitem of religious morality as
this is, 10 concilatory in its temper, and 70 APP
parenty uieful In its tendency one which pro-
miles to add 10 much to the piety and know
ledge OF the people, without strengthening the
arm or government, or creating priviledgcd
body CT clergy I can readily conceive the va
rious emotions which would mingle with his re-
tiections. The ignorance, the poverty, and the
liavery of the people, would pats in review be-
fore him, together with the prefumptuous
pomp, the affected piety, and the infatable pre-
howy and cumbrous fuperftition, with the
ilinple manners of the minifers, with the pie
ty and improvement of the people, which this
mld iyitem of religion would create. Each
new companion would increafe his admiration
or the latter; and the iilent regret might fire.
quently eicape from his bofom, that his own
country was not bleiied with 70 propitious an
eitahlithment. Is it not curious that i'll our
own country, where the objects OF companion
different IIhere />ctl
people, the fate of religion, and our political
inttltutons are 10 completely -dftinguiih-
Ell IRON thofe of European nations, fome en-
lghtened man land Judge Tucker certainly de-
ferves this nane) ihould have adopted the very
fame conclufions? Would tnot have been fup-
poied, that thofe men would have been flfici-
emily fatisfied with the pretent order Of things,
when they heard no murIners OF difiatisfaction
from the people thenfelves? Yet, curious as
thefe opinions are, when formed in this coun-
try and delivered by fuch men, they deferve
respectful and candid examination. As men,
Der OF that community which is 70 much inte-
relied in the difcuflion, may be permitted to
exprefs my independent judgment.
fhal begin by remarsing, that this fyffem
propofes the attainment OF two very diftinG OBJ
Ijeets; the inftrueicn of the young and of the
old. 1t propofss to lay an aieilment which
ihall provide public ichoos and teachers for
the irit and places of worlhip, and minifers
for the laf. 1t is true indeed that thefe two
functions are by this plan to be united in the
fame Perfon; and that no man is TO be entitled
to any part of the aheflinent as "teacher Of
rehgion," who does not keep public fchool.
But it is equally evident that as this plan, in
itead of aifgning (as it has done) oae place for
a ichool and another for place OF worihip
might have combined thefe two occupations UNI
der tire fame roof, and made every meeting
houie a ichool of inftructicn, 70 it might have
ALTO diitriblted the different fpecies of inftruc-
ton into different hands, and allotted one man
as teacher Of the young, and another as a
teacher of the old. Such fyfsem as this
would evidently be more imple than the
one which Judge Tucker has recommend
ed; and upon that very account it will
deferve previous examination. For what !
ever consequences are likely TO refult from |
the levyinS OF feparate aleiinents, and the !
employment of different teachers, will proba- |
by be found to eXin in a certain degree III that
fyten, which employs but one Allotment and
one teacher. The regular examination OF this /
ub]ect as far rs it relates to the fupport of re-
hlgion will thus require the diicuiiion of two
teparate queitons. 1T. Is it proper for the le- !
giative body to authorize any ahelment upon
the individuals of a county for the fupport of
" TEACHERS cfreligion ?" 2dIy! Is itproper for