The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-12-25

AniweF given by MIR. Furado PRECEDENT of the afen,-
by, 20 the fpeech delivered by has Majeity com
miiioners.
CENT1EmEN,
The new communications which you have ina ei-
ven us on the part of his Maefy, confirm us more &
more III the hopes we had conceived of his particular
wines towards u.s.
Every man, endowed with an enlightened mind &
with benehcent heart, may have the idea Of pJli.i
cal reform, advantageous to humanity bat lie PHI
anthropic conceptions remain for the moG part with
our execution, thrown aide among the dreams of good
people, either becaufe in feeling tie obetl their mind
has not icope enough 70 fee the of ar,aing IT,
or beoaufe the ufe Of theie means is beyond tie reach
of private cation.
u is not the fame with powerful and revercd
Prince, with Of thGfe extraordinary men who draw
every thing into their phere who give their name to
the age which faw them reign, and whom, al in,menie
deiire oil doing good unceaiingiy foIicits
When FOR the felicity of nations heaven gives them
iuch iovereigns, there is magnaninous deGgn but
thcy conceive; there snone but BY their will as pow
er!u as Jun, may Lave full and entire fuccefs.
The aicendency oFther genius Epref!es on their e.
tahhihnIeDts acnaraderof force & peraneuce which
renders them in manner naceeliibe to the inconlan
cy OF human opinions and pallions
Such Gentlemen, is the PRINCE c2ho governs Us :;
his valour has acquired him the title of great his pa
ternai goodneis will acquire him that of benefcent
belonged only him clofe for ever the fore which
eighteen centuries of proicrp;on and of anathena had
inflicted on the unfortunate children of Iirael
Enhaved i1ce their difperfon by policy equally
aiie and uncertain the port of the Preudices and the
eaprices OF the moment remarks with iurprife
that among 70 many Princes who have rcigned in the
different Rates. that among thoe who have appeared
animated with the defre OF lettering our condition
none has conceived with force * greatness the idea &
the means OF wreGing fober, aaive, indutirous men
from the civil and political nuity in which they were
retained.
Ever excluded from fociety, the but of calumny in
nocent victims of njunice, to be ent and iufer uch
was for many ages their fad deniny.
His maeRy could zee with Indifference this ftate
OF things In the mda of the intereas which can alb
orb the attention o! mortal, generation has been
the Object OF his thoughts, and the communics-
tons which are given to Efficiently atteft it, He
has known how draw good from the very f9,rce of
the evil he has known how find, in one of the eff
ieets till fulfilling of the north, location of eau
ling the felicity Of the raelites Of the wet II is the
rod of Mofes which makes reyving water yul out of
barren rock.
Let us top Tor moment here, and let us coniider
that, according TO the principles of political law all
religious worhip NUT be fubmtted to the fovereion
authority, as far at leaf may belong to human pow
er. In the hrh place, that it may nor teach hurtfu
doguas nor degenerate into abfurd fuperfitions in
the next place that may divide itelf into differ
ent fetts for il the of things would have
that there ihould be than potve religion in
the fame Hate, public order and focal morality will
aio have It that each of their religions do not fubd
vide rfeif and do not engender particular feas to
the great detriment of the internal peace of En-
pires.
TO prevent this danger reafon and the preateh IN
tereits OF all require that each potive religion fa
Prefent to the Sovereign Responsibility and means of
obieryDg Il it NUT have, for this purpofe men defti
ned by protection to rudy its principles: to preach IFS
moraty,o Prelerve its purity, to be in fos mealure
its dePoares and its guardians, and fuch is the duty
imPofed upon the miniGers of each worihip.
Iheie principles Jutfy and confecrate the FRI CONF
munications which were made to us.
In the fri place, the qneHon was to know in
what our religious dogma, agreed with or differed
from the laws of the State whether thefe dopnias
too long looked upon as unfocisbIe or ntolerant
were really either the one or the other Strong
from confidence, from the feiitiuen,s which ant
mate us, from the maxins which we profefs We have
explained ourfeIves in the heart Of the capita aud m
manner before the eyes Of his Majefy, syrh the
fame frsnknefs and the fame liberty of opinion - h:ch
we ibould have mfed in the midi Of our families and
independently of AL provOcation on the part af The
fovereign authority.
This boundleis confidence IN ale iufiee aud lila ,;y
tues, equivoea homage paid 60 the aitac zion,
dePoftory Of this authority In eue he has acquired
certainty that the religious code of Moes contained
nothing either in lis PrneT, ts prs 9ces which