Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-05-16


try ct the 10th and 10th centuries. What,
shall we give up the land to heresy, to inn
piety, to blasphemy Shall we suffer in
fidelity TO unfurl its standard, aud scduce
the people from their allegiance to the
living God No. We will save the souls OF
our fellow creatures from per6iiioii, and
PUNISH the wretch, who perversey ahan
oohS rue ia'ih OF his ancestors, the iaith
~ wh,ch he was brought up. Well, Sir,
.ne pioms experiment was made, and
thousands, aye millions, of human beings
hecaine his victims. Wenowsee IFS folly,
ana depiore its cruelty and in This coun-
wy, we hold Il To he the most clear of all
truths, the most sacred of all principles,
mat every man should be left, on tile sub
!ect of religion, absolutely free. Strange
INCONSISTENCY You permit every man,
anu II ~ your boast, and Happiness, and
sDry, tiiat you do permit every man, 10 4
ADJUST IN his own way the vast concerns
oi an eternalworld" vet, he cannot make
bargain for 100 dollars, without your
reeP.ng over his shoulder, q, sec whether
he gives quarter Of a cenH;oo much.
:. but we have been told, f1ais is most
notable discovery" we are w1seSr than
ourfa,hers. Wehave Jus, found out, that
iaws which have existed for ages ought
never Ia have passed. To sneak plainly,
MT. Chairman, ! think we IRE wiser, much
wiser tilan our fathers. The art OF print
my mas made some difference between
ne people OF the 10th century and those
oi ancient times.-We are wiser than they
were IN the time of The Crusades-wiser
'oah tiey were, when the Judgment of Il
court depended on the g.suIt of single
ooHioai-when women were burnt to
prove their chastity, or drowned 10 prove
their innocence of wi,chcrait-wIenb ish-
ops could not write, and statesmen conld
not read-and when the inccndiary orfLe
murderer was safe, il lie could reach The
sanctuary of the church. W
or, the sarcasm which have Just sta-3
tea, Is the most formidable argumenttIat
etSpect 10 encounter. Its an argument
Oh very ancient date, and ofvery general
use. III las been invariably resorled to-.
Ivy nose who, from bigotry or interest,
nave opposed the progress of science and
the reformation of mankind. few ex&
amples will illustrate the character ofthis
sort OF argument.
When Calico, in the 18th century, revi-
yea the system of Copernicus, and boldly
'"aue me Sun the stationary centre of our
sSsienl, oh savstile chief OF the lnquisti-
on tnis Is a mos" notable discovery. You
arc wiser lllan our ancestors wiser than
joshua. The Sun, instead of standing
sun at his command, has been always
stationary. This is wonderful discove-
ry, and entities you to a distinguished
station IN one of the cells of the Inauisi-
Ton. 10 this punishment this great man
was tWice condemned, and he was COM
pe'ed 10 ablure the very doctrine which
mas rendered his name immortal.
Inc case of Harvey, who discovered
""u demonstrated the theory of the cir
cuiailon OF the human blood, cannot have
escaped yourrecollection. No physician
IN L!lrope, over 10 years of age, would
admit it tobe. true. The faculty. could
ho' submit to the idea of having spent
their lives in ignorance of fact so impor-
'ant and interesting in the animal system
OF man. They prosecuted the author as
an innovator, as maker Of "notable dis
coVerles and his practice as a physic
was greatly diminished.
With what effect might this argument
have been urged in the reign OF Henry and
Elizabeth against the federation of inter
eS, How many more years of want and
misery might Europe have experienced.
IT II had been urged against the repeal Of
the ancient laws, prohibiting the exporta-
ton of grain, and even the Transportation
OF II, from one province to another?
SIR, there has been great deal of use
less legislation in The world. which minht
have been defended by the same SORT Of
argument At one time, the people Of
England were harrassed with sumptuary
laws. They are now abandoned. Laws
have beeunade to produce conformity in
religion. eTliev are in a GREAT measure
abandon d also /; here, thank God ut
terly abandoned and abhorred, a,y.
have been made TO punish monopol;sts Of
corn. Men have proiited by cxnerience.
ax-o Cir ,,roxy,, ,,;.or .I.o.. IL - -