Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1806-11-03

,tyranfcal, which inflicted puni1hment on lis
crimes-but as tie preient age are not az 81
the opinion that il is unimportant 10 iociety
4 whether man worihip twenty gods or no
\ god" AZ all, ;hele opinions are not publiCkly
1 avowed. and many, who aid and zbet tie
caufe Of Artichrih, are 10 far the duPes Of
their artfuI leaders, that they believe them
felves engaged in fupPort o. their religious
rights.
| If had not lived IN the world long enough,
not to be greatly furPrized IT any thing, i
would be matter of aitonilhmert that any
man fhouId imbibe an opinion, that our
contribution or laws inipofe any reftritfiou on
the richtsof confidence. YET fuch is the MIA
tuation Of MANY duped .honef men, that they
are perfuaded to believe as great a faineod as
ever was fuggefted by the father of lies HIM
felf .
|, "A large portion of the comr1 unity do not
think for themelves-do not enquire and ex-
anime; but are deIuded into opinions, be-
caufe certain perfons have formed, or eretSn4
to Lave formed the fame.
Human ingenuity cannot more explicitly
provide for the unreltriccd rights Of Com
fcience by any form Of EXPIRE fiion,, han our Con-
hisuton does, in the language it contains
It j. true that the fupPort Of the proteaant
Chrittan elgiIn isprovided for; but i Is er-
pref.Iy declared that 10 man be compelled 70
paw for the fupport Of mmieer on whole
inaru6aions he cannon conveniently and con-
fcieniiounv attend He is only required to
contribute his proportion toward the TuP-
port OF ioa one public teacher, and with
free election to iuppUrt which he peales.
No man who is really for supporting Chrif-
tianity, and exerciies iiJ orr powers Of think
and reelection can be opPoied to this provifion
in the onniution yet many upright chrif-
tisns, for 10 other reafon than becaufe thew
will not take the trouble TO think for them
fclves, cell our contribution sriflocraic, tyran-
meal and oppreiIive--they are the dnpes Of
a few coneealed behind tie curtain, who
move them about like puppets. They are like
thole " whole feet tumble upon the dark
mountains" And unleis the people will ex-
anime and think before they act, the deIufOn
will be fatal 10 repub!icanim, aud our liber-
ties will tall to rife no more"
We find, but 2 few Of the Baptilts and
and Me hodias who are attached to the prin-
ciples VI federal rePubicansm, by being de-
ceived BY the falfe approximations Of our po-
iiticaI foes. While thoie BaptiRs and Metho-
difs exceFcile he free enjoyment oftheir own
principles, unmole0ed, and protected Nv the
contribution, and the laws from contribution |
to any other than tleir oHnteachers II y fHgu-
lar indeed that they fhould believe their rights
are reltricted-fhey are taught to bslieve 70; |
and for this reaion many do believe j, altho' !
every days experience, Yfley rcfet7eS nsaa J
fbs lA: ~, mutt convince them Of their error.
So far from having their rights of confidence
the Contribution agaiuh which 70 /
many complain, is the buvvark Of tbeir pro-
tefion No country in the world can boat |
the religious tolerance we enjoy, and the lead-
err If TIE d-mo0dtis Party, are iecre,y plotting
the deitruction Of theie rights. by towing the
feeds ofdilcord between the different religions |
lOcieties who, bu. for them, would have har-
monI zed.-Mankind imperfect beings can
nor think alike IN religious matters and where
is the man who ought boldly to prefume that
he cannot err-Since, then, our contribution IS
the only protection Of our civil g nd religious
rights, let us, whenever we elect rulers for
tie Rate and gcaera government, choofe /.
thele who are in favor Of the Contribution, let !
Us ee9 men whole rind- arc fair--vho will (.
not reject convictions, when found realon for
ces Il upon them-rnen who are hyperion to
the dominion Of party predjudices, and who,
will think for tkemle!ves, and not act as the /
mere tool, Of nEGer,
Let us avoid thofe who would fow the feeds
Of dfcord among Chri(tisns.-ChriRians are,
or ought 10 be brethren
These thoughts occur ed 10 me on hearing
among fome baptiits and methodists, that the
democrats are advocates and feieraIihs oDao. Il
iers Of the rights Of confidence. Knowing the
reverie to he true, could not conceal my To-
licitude, len this Democratic delufon lould |
hazard the exiftence Of thofe rights, the iecur-
ity Of which really depend on the {uccefs If /
this confederation alone |
would be fufficient to induce me to vote fer
EZEKIEL WHITMAN, EsQR.
as member Of Congrefs, even. if bis preten-
tions. were not fuPeriOr, in other refpect:, to
thofe of MIR. Ilfley.
Il trierdt0 CiviI and Religious Freedom.