Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-08-21

KiCHMONO, AUGU!SFS ~. I8sI.
FOR ruE ENQuIaNR.

RiCHAONO, AUGUST 81, i8si.
FOR ruE ENQuIANa.
The public have an unqualified ri. to he
informed by every corporation of the names.
ID winch 1t acts. Il il, therefore, readily con-
cedcd that the address Of" A Dissenting Far
iner," Is made with propri.ty. Both he and
the public should be appraised by those entr,lst-
ed with the government of William and Mary
college, how far they sanction the publica-
ton from the Protestant Episcopal Church,
to which he has alluded
The first piece, connected with this subject.
appeared in the Enquirer, on the Ist Jane.
Whether it emanated from the Protestant
Episcopal Church, know not. IL having APP
peared, III short time after convention of
Tint Church WAS held in Norfolk, and no per-
son undertaking TO contradict the statement
contained in it, the conclusion was drawn that
some very jealous but indiscreet friend of the
Church had published il. Ii was notwithstand-
ms with emotions of sorrow and surprise"
that read it. Nor were these feelings re-
heved by the circumstance that no notice was,
at that time, taken of it by any one, who could
have pointed out IFS errors. 1t is understood
that the visitors and governors of William and
Mary, AZ their meeting in July, made enquiry
OF the President of the College, if the piece
alluded TO had been sanctioned by the presi-
dent, masters and professors OF the College.
Information WAS received from him that it had
not received their sanction. Nor is it presum-
cd that these persons, who are incorporated
tor particular purposes, either could or ought
to have consented to have acted in their cor
poraie character, as trustees for the proposed
theological school. As TO this piece, then, il
may be said, on the authority of the President
of the College, that il contained an error in
fact, in that part of it, where il is said, Z" to
complete the whole, the society of the college
"who are an incorporated body will act as
=" trustees for the pecuniary benefit of the in
+" FAINT establishment" After the detection of
this error, the visitors and governors could do
no more, unless it had been to have announc-
ed to the public the fact which perhaps they
ought TO have done.
The next piece was the legitimate offspring
of the Protestant Episcopal Church, aud has
been properly commented on by A Dissent
Ing Farmer" Nor is il perceived that the am
swcr of the Rev. Bishop, or of a writer from
Williamsburg, have freed the proposition of
the Church from the difficulty which arises
As visitor of the college, enter my dissent,
TO the principles commended for by these pie
ces, so far as they so to shew that there will
ne III the proposed plan, nothing improper.
The address of the church announces that this
theological school is under the patronage of
the college. Is it proper that it should be so !?
There Is some sophistry in OK, of the pieces,
but nothing else. 1t says, can this patronage
be g construed into an invasion of the rights
of other denominations Z" Shall the 2. E.
Church be prevented from locating their Sc
minary in williamsburg, because other socie-
ties will not adopt similar measure Shall
the professors be prevented from teaching the
students orthodoxy belonging TO this church,
gratis, because there are no students of other
denominations To share their liberality' And
these sentiments are re-echoed by the VIII
iamsburg writer, who says that the same IL
beral course will be pursued by the professors
as 20 students of other religious denomina-
tons. From which remarks, one would be
induced TO think, that the only difficulty was,
whether government or college extended to
| persons OF one religious denomination greater
iavors than to those of another denomination.
| with much Difference to those opinions and
| that mode Of reasoning, ! say thcy do not
| touch the question. 1t is this, ought the go
gernmcnt directly or indirectly TO interfere, III
all, on matters of religion? Should they in-
terfere, equality may now be the order of the
day, but woe betide the individual who should
live TO that day when any one or other of the
various religious sects who now inhabit the
globe should feel itself powerful enough to
advance It's own interest. Can any one be So
| unmIndfu of the passions Of man, as to forget
that his real or pretended religious opinions
may not minister to the qualification of his
lust for power, fame, avarice or ambition
Away then with the idea that "A government
or ITS corporations may Interfere with mat
ters of religion, because they profess to ex-
tend the like privileges TO persons of every re-
llSlous denomination Suppose even this were
the ease would not those persons intended
fnn. fIEe ,,tt,s-f a..
posed, obtain exclusive privileges? Here |
must dissent from the opinion W hich the Rev
Bishop presumes one of the Judges of the
court of appeals has given. If the college shall
give these aids to persons only iCho are intend
edj Or the ministry, do they not in fact enjoy
privileges which all other students Of dirinity
do not enjoy? IF so, it is in direct hostility ia
the spirit of the 4th art of Our bill of rights
shall be told that the objection viii be Obyi-
atcd by reason that every one may study di.
vlnity? | have only to answer, that to oncl
an advantage on such terms would be to cf
feet the very thing which is to- be gnardcd
against, to wit, an encouragement To- any Oi
every religious denomination of persons in
tended for the ministry, and that by givin,
them privileges which every other person il
society does not equally enjoy-nor does j
matter whether this eHcoura cement come
directly by an act of the legislature. Tile eff
feet is the same, If they can do so through Tn,
many wealthy corporations under thair con
trout. This second address, as explained b,
the Rev. Bishop, may appear TO shcw tha
there is no real connection between the pro
posed school and the college, except in tn
use Ofb0oks and gratnitous attendance on lee
lures. What is meant, would cn1urc, ~
saying that it is under the p0irOaage of Tn
college That is only one Of the advantage.
pointed olt by the address. Others arc IN
use Of books and grdtitous attendance on lee