Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-04-06
FOR TIE ENQUIRER.

To Me Freeio6i.rs fMe Comfy If Ciar,es- City
FELLow-CIrIzENs,
l nave heretofore rendered YOU my
services Delegate TO the next General Assem-
bly,, at the earnest solicitation of many among you
possessed OF Sr, ut responsibility At the time OF
dong so, my mind had not been particularly called
to An examination and investigation OF that sacred in
strument which have already sworn to support,
the nstitution. instrument excludes all mi
nistcis 0fthe Gospel from being eligible to seat in
the House OF Delegates AT first only dispos-
cd 10 regard myself as licensed prescher; that is
to- say, was authorized by my society to preach the
Gospel aud had only regarded mysc!f il the light
oil one whose duty il was TO pronuisate the bes-
sed tidings ct salvation, without being inves-
ted with the power, or covered with the cloak
OF regular minister-But. upon deeper re-
lection, am disposed to think, that il ! do not
come within the letter, I am ut least enb~Aced by
the spirit of the Constituton-The trainers o. tlat
instrument were the very men Who passed that sc'
which may be pronounced the greatest act OF hu nan
legislation, the bill establishing religious freedom,
placing all men equal footing, pros.ralng the
established church, and suffering all worship
their own maker in their own way-.These men
were afraid O. re-establishng that which they had
so noby abolished, and for this reason, excluded
from the Legislative body all ministers of the Cos
pei The reason Of the exclusion is evident, ard
It's vision equally conspicuous-Whether, then, /
AN regular ordained minister, or simply preach
err ta'd OF the distinction between them leave you
moving in the orbit, might be productive OF the
same ends as it werea regular minister OF the gas-
pal. The same union of Church sud State would
DC produced ; the same danger Of an established
church wonld exist.-But, upon further exami-
nation OF the question, NV doubts are more strongly
confirmed. By act of the General Assembly,
passed in the year 1901, find that the Legislature
deemed the minister and preacher as words impor-
ting the same thng.-rhey have there provided.
that =" all. Minister'S OF the Gospel, licensed to
l1rarv a, .r.l..
exempted from militia duty :" thereby deciding
that he who was licensed to preach, was regularly a
nniser.-Undcr the operation os this act, | was
exonerated from tours of duty during the late war,
ana am sun eNonerated from militia duty.-lt was
not from any want of patriotism that remained at
home, when yoa were engagedin the service but
the legislature, by This law, had pronounced Il poll
tic and pepper that should remain at home The
camp they supposed, was place for the constant
presence ora mnister---region would often be in
suited ~ has presence by the so.dcry--and its good
ELECTS be lost---Moreover, the holy Gospel of
Christ teaches charity and good will towards our
enemies; and its rules would be often violated from
the preacher being formed aud constituted Ike other
men subject to the same vieisstudes of feeling and
influence oi passion--I This, with many others not
necessary to mention, was the reason which induced
the passage at the act of 1904, and also decided
me, IN the course which then pursued. After
what has been said above, it remains TOR me only
20 return my warmest thanks TO those who were dis
posed "a confer on me their suiF ages, and 60 de
clare my conviction that they would be unconstitr-
uonalIy conferred. Iprefer to support the consti-
tuition, that great charter of rights TO receiving
temporary elevation and, therefore, decline hav-
ing poll taken Tor At The next election my
friends differ from in my view of this subject,
they can still elect me- and the House of Deleg.t S
will have TO decide between us.--But must be I'M
derstood as Withdrawing my name from the list Of
candidates.
am your fellow citizen,
EDWARD FOLKES.
March I4tb, 1916.