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

duticS, - the manner which our relton and con-
gicsiC dictate, soifboat RE eaufyom or iKfe,1,eu-
tioa eF any 5,,snn pozver or authority svbatJoe-
GER" E,,t it is very evdsnt, that the law which
butterflies county court 10 levy this Allotment,
that the aiieameut itIelt, and that the collect.
ON OF that aileiiment, are not each of them the
l1nipiralon or iome /lbeTcr power, but that each
or them require the in'sr1;eati7n Of tonne bY,nai
pozOer and autbortr; OF the legislature which pai-
fes the law, of tine court which lays the aiicil-
ment, and of the iheriHs who collect the tax
Every one of thefe acts is thus contrary to the
Liberty Of confidence, and to the 10th article OF
The Bill of Rights. The conclufion then ap-
pears 70 be that no man can be conihtutionally
required to contribute any thing towards the
Iippo'f of any Part of religious fyftcm.-Judge
Tucker has directly adopted this conclulion,
when in the 10th page OF his appendix he de-
clares that this ineitimable and inperfcriDtible
right Qiberty Of confcence) is.guars.nteed to the
citizeus ofthe United States, by the conftituti-
on of the United Suites by the amendment to
that contribution /; and TO the citizens of Virgi.
MA by the biii of rights, and further by the act
for eieabliilling religious freedom, by which it
is alio declared :: that no man thall be compelled
TO frequent or .f5bbo,f any religious worhp,
place or n;iaifrp, whatfoever." Has not Judge
Tucker introduced this az under the exprets
declaration that the liberty Of confidence was
guaranteed to the citizens of Virginia And if
he entertains this opinion, NUT he not admit
that the liberty of conicienee would be violated
by CORRUPTION TO " fupport any religious wo,-
hip, place or rniniitry whatfoever." IF then
law thould pats on this iubje6f, mutt it not vi
oate the liberty of the confidence if it lhould re-
quire the exercife OF compuldon And can there
be law, which Garnet BE- carried into effect; &
can it be carried into efee, where the leaf oppo.
htion nayariie, without the aid OF compullion
The very fcheme which we have before us d.
rects the fherifs to collect the taxes. How i'm
potent would this direction be, if the fherifs
had no power to compel the payment of the al
icllmeat. Whether then confder the 10th ar
tice of the Bill of rights in itfef, or the general
contribution which Judge Tucker has given of
that part oft which relates TO &c the dictates of
condolences" or the particular calculation of
this liberty Of confidence which he has borrow
ed from the ACT of 26th Dec. 1855; mutt con-
tets that no other impref;on remains upon my
mind, except the mot profound furprife. 1t is
wonderful to me, how the fame man who wrote
the note @. on the Right OF confidence, and of
the freedom OF fpeech and the prefs, in the ap-
Pendix 70 fccond part of Vol /. fhould have
been the author of the religiousfch explain
ed in Note NJ. of the fame appendix. Perhaps
this fact furnlihes only another ilufration of
remark which the life of almoft every general
thinker has confirmed, that the love of favo-
iilS VIII lCQuCC the mind
beyond the recollection OF the mot obvious
truths.
limo law can be enaSted for the fupport of
religion, which is not contrary to the contituti-
on, It may teeTn unnecefiary to examine into the
eSpediency OF the prefent fcheme. It would
appear difficult indeed to fuppofe that any law
could be expedient, which wants the prin-
ciPal function Of law; or conformity with
the Contribution We may be permitted how
ever to difiniiS this confederation from cur ar
gunlent and examine the auction upon its
own merits crly. 1.-THE Legislature then had
a constitutional right 20 pats fiIch a Law,
would it De expediert fer them to exercife this
right
The fyhem whic. IS here recommended to
orr confederation, is not adapted to the future,
but to the prefent world. The ChiiRian is not
expected TO be initiated into thofe myfterious
rites which may qualify him for the reception
Of the joys Of heaven. To render him more
ufeful inhabitant of the oreient world ITO inftrut
him in all thofe ineftimable truths which may d.
rect him in the diichafge of his focal duties
are the very highef objects which this plan is
intended to accomplish. In the obfervance of
f6se duties, we may eafily perceive, that religi-
on is not the only fource of Indictment mi
hitter OF the goipel is not the only monitor. 1t
is truth placed too far beyond the reach of
controveiy by numerous intances, and by the
mott ncontrovertlble arguments that compleat
icePtic on religious fubje6ts may pollefs every
focal virtue. The reproaches of confidence,
the fear of diflpProbation and diihonour from
the opinion of others, and the penalties which
the law itlelf iupofes, gill keep many an eccen-
trlc mind within the pale of moral obligation.
will agree however with Judge Tucker, that
theie indictments are not always flfficient to
produce theie elie6ts upon every mind and that
there is numerous elaE of men in fociety,
Whole focal duties frequently require the aid
OF religious doctrines. / will admit that 60
fedfaft belief, and thorough conviction of the
exiftehce of fuprenle being of his attributes,
and or his providence Of the immortality Of
the foul, and of future fate of confcious exit
ence, hath or may have powerful effect upon
the moral coodu6t Of all who incsrely embrace
and believe in thofe doctrines" / will admit
alto that miniiters who have devoted their time
and their talents to the itudy of thofe religious
doctrines, are necehafy 10 their fuccefsful pro.
pagation.
When ! admit that thsfe religious doctrines
are to be incucated, do not with TO conpre-
hendthofemyaeriou opinions, which almoReve-
ry feet has Investigated and introduced into
their formulary Of faith. The Experience of
every age ard nation is fufficient 10 de-
monftrate, that very little connection in
deed fubiifs between thefe articles of our
faith and our focal relations Who will un-