The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-18
364tIIar Dee. Is.

bill, appropriating fun of morev for
the purpofe OF opening the navigation of
the Hcliton river, was read fccond time,
and ordered to be engroffcd and read a third
time.
Mr.. Barbour preftnted, according TO order,
bill, to prevent ilaves being brought into this
Tate; which was received and read the frf
time, and ordered to be read a fecond tins.
On motion:
Or&sr;d, That the faid bill be now read Cc-
cond time thc faid bill was accordingly read A
cd. time and on motion, ordered to be re-
ferred to the committee Of the whole houfe On
tomorrow.
Leave was given 0 bring in bills-to amenu
. an act, entituled an act, to amend and reduce
into one the fevera acts ofthe General Affenlblv
Tor regulating the Militia of thiscommonwealth:
to amend the act, inituled, an act dire6ing
the registering the names, ages and fexes of
flaves in certain cafes to amend and explain
the act pailed January Goth 1904, intituled, m
act concerning proceedings in chancery, and or
other purpoies; to amend an act to reduce in
to one tie everal acts for the better FIGURING the
payment OF rents and preventing the fraudulent
practices OF tenants and to regulate the prac-
tice OF lung out and profecuting writs of reple-
vim.
ORDERED, That 90 much oft he Governors
communication as relates 70 the letter from
| Colonel Monroe, TO the Governor, be referred
to MenrS. Hening, Pcake, Daihiel, Johnfton,
StOrrs, TAzwell, Campbell, Cabe!l, and Bar
bour; that they do take the fubieet matter
thereof INTO confederation, and report their cpl
! Mon thereupon to the houfc By bill or other
wife.
Reiokved, That the fpeaker be authorized 70
aifgn places within the bar of the houfe, to snv
printer ofthe City who may with to take the
debates of the houfe.
Apetiion from the corporate body of the
City of Richmond. was prefented and read, fla
I.ting certain defects in the law Incorporating &
the other laws relating to the fad City, parti
cularly the want of authority in the court or
common council of the Eaid city, to ap
point mathematical furveyor, with power TO
preicrbe his duties and FIX his fees, and pray
ing the pafage OF law to remedy that and o.
Their defects liz the faid acts of aienbly;
Ordered, That the faid petition be referred
to the committee for courts of ;ufice;
petition of the fuperintendantS of the pub
NC tobacco warehou!e, on the James river ca
nall was prrieated and read, praying FOR an aug
| committee of claims;
A petition from number of the religious TO-
ciety OF friends, commonly called quakers, was
preiepted and read, praying that they may be-
exempted from militia duty; and the queRion
being pat upon the reference of the fad
petiton-it Pafied III the negative.
Thofe who voted in the negative, obferved
thlt this petition had been regularly prefented
during fcvera! ieilio3s, & that the PRAYER of the
petition had been as corftartiy refuied that il
was proper on this account to extinguiih at
once every hope Of the petitioners, by an iuFan-
fG'r!w rejection that the propriety of tbs pro-
&C Ting was fill further confirmed hv a conf
deration OF the iubje6f matter of the petition it.
ielf. IT was petition 10 exempt A particular
| icGt OF Chriitians from militia duty and this
| exemption could not be rcconcied either with
the c9tjFiiRfion and laws of our own country or
with the ATTRACT principles of any government.
The petition had ftaed, indeed, that anv at
tempt TO fubject the Ouallers 10 the performance
OF military duty was contrary to the conitituti-
on, becauie that inltrumcut had fecured to ali
men the libetty OF confidence and the religious
creed of the QuakerS had forbidden all concern
with military iervIces. But this definition of
! the liberty of confidence was evidently too ex
ien!iye. That term was confined to the fDecu
iative truths of religion and the administration of
the church aud not TO any civH and difinct
| concerns. II evidently implied not the right OF
being exempted from ez,eyg reltraint which the
civil magfrate might impofe upon the religions
PROTOTYPE, but from every reitraint which might
| affect the freedom of discriminating his fpecula
tive oPinionJ, and maintaining his religiouJ wor-
hip. This contribution too was evidently con-
ilrned 10y the fpirit of the contribution, which
allows to every fect an equal liberty of copfci-
ence /; but where would be the EQUALITY of re-
liglous privileges, if upon one feGf of Chrinians
was thrown the whole burden of learning the
preparatory difcipne of war, and of defending
their country agant the invaiions OF a foreign
enemy; whilft another feet might remain at
home without any interruption, and in the
agreeable protectltion of their daily buiineis
| 1t they attended to the abitraet PRINCIPLES OF
| government iticlf, the pretenfions of the Qua
kers would be found Incompatible with the dl
ty of citizens and the fecurity of their country.
Protection on rhe part of the government and
obedience on the part of the people, were re-
| ciprocal and almOh cCrreatye terms. If the
! government protected them in their lives, cer-
ions and property, it was furely their duty to
| protect that government from defruciion, when
the country was invaded and of courfe it was
their duty to undergo the preparatory labours
OF training and difciplinc. However irongly il
was to be dehied that all wars nould forever
dilappear from the face Of the earth however
| dehrable that the Elylian ara might aopear.
when every man might lit under his own vine
and his own ig-tree, aud there ihoud be no one
! to make him afraid, it was Till melancholy fact
that this bllSfu ara had not yet arrived it was
tact that in this county, the cafualties ofwar
were ever likely to happen. Is it not then our
duty IN period Of peace to prepare for the dan
0f tya ar Ind t.-ta T. . e.