Thomas's Massachusetts spy, or, Worcester gazette. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1811-1821, 1821-03-28

- u. AeIt4l1turo 1u3tEa0 Of re0ulgs
ing Protestant Christians merely to
support ptblick worship, are TO enjcin
this on 40 Christians, Ron,aa CeTAohcks
as well Is Protestants, and nnisror1soyos-
cd societies as well as those incorporated.
2. All money paid 70 support publick
worship or publick teachers may be 40.
piled BY the person paying il to The sup
port of any publick teacher on whom
he attends, ifhe request it, whether Of
the same or different denomination.
>. Taxes on nonresident PROPRIETOR
real estate are to be applied to support
publick worship in the parish where
they lie, unless the proprietor live in
the State and be Of different denomi.
nation.
+ The clause enjoining attendance
on publick worship is annuIled.
The two first of these amendments
are not themost important, but it seems
to be going great lengths to enioin it
upon Roman Catholick societies to
maintain Catholick Priests. Free toll.
eraiion is all that the case required.
The same observation may be made
as to unincorporated societies. How
the Legislature can compel voluntary
association to maintain minister, is not
easy to understand--nor how they can
be punished if they neglect this duty
1t is not easy to ascertain how many
persons shall constitute a society, or -
what manner they must associate TO
make them religious society. But
the great alteration is that which pre-
vides that person shall have right to
have his money paid to the support OF
any teacher on whom he attends.
This will entirely break up ali the
parishes in the Commonwealth which
are governed by metes and bounds.
A person Of great wealth who pays
every year to parish tax more than all
that some teachers receive, may Join
himself to religious society merely to
be freed from the tax, and for this he is
bound to give no reason, not even that
he is of different sect. Upon the
principles of our ancestors, the support
of publick worship and of pubIick in.
strnction was common duty incumbent
on all according to their ability. All.
were holden TO contribute their proper
tion of just and equitable tax. But
by this provision the rich are to be
bound only to provide for themselves,
and the poor are 10 be left to take care
of themselves. Clergymen may, with-
out any reason. be left entirely destitute
of support. Wherever there are ade-
quate funds provided, persons will be
under strong temptation to unite with
them, and leave poor parishes still poor
er. II may be observed that this a.
mendment was adopted the very last
days Of the sittingof the Convention.
1t will appear by the journals, that this
amendment and that referring to noa-
resident proprie,ors, had been propos-
ed fortnight before, and that they
were then rejected by very great ma.
jorlty-.these proposals were again
brought forward at the close Of the
Convention, after most Of the members
supposed the whole was settled, and
were adopted without due consideration,
for the Convention were obliged to close
their sitting for the Legislature to meet.
So far az the provision inregard to non.
residents il to operate, it appears at tirst
view to be an improvement, but even
this requires close examination.
Is q person non resident who lives ia
the same town, but a different parish
Will this provision extend to cases
where man occupies his own land sit
uated on the borders of a parishs Does
this provision affect the laws made on
the division of towns that lands actually
situated IN one parish, may be taxed 10
another or where they are owned! Has.
~ inroads epon the established customs
and fixed habits of the community are
to be viewed with jealous eye. tits
not easy to see any foundation for the
distinction proposed in the case of non.
residents between different sects..when
1t 10 proposed 10 all other cases, to abol.
ish this distinction entirely.
There is one other amendment which
is OF no consequence, adopted or reject.
ed-that is, to aqnul the provision that
all persons should attend publick wor-
ship who can conveniently and conscien.
siousiy-. If itremaius as it is, it can do
no hurt, and probably will dovery little