Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-09-26

!" lhs very same naxims and principles that ARE
plead 10 justify the punishment of Cubelicyers, would
authorize Cb isiiavs OF deren, TO yex
AMI harJss each other the alleged ground Of
oil faith, aud likewise form AN apology ior Heather
prosecutions against Christians, whether The perse
| cu,ioss tuat were aneieOily carried against tie
d.ins ly taught preachers of religion, or those
that may be instituted by the ruling party in Pa
gan eouruies, where Christian missionaries IRE 50
fuduby employed, M endea,oriug to expose the alb
surtiiy, folly, and nsclie,ous influence of idualr,
our Petitioners would eniIc your Honorable
tiouse to consider that he6ef does not in all eases
depend upon the will, aud that Inquiry INTO the ruth
oI Christianity will be wholly preyen;ed If persons
are rendered punishable for any given result of in
Iuir!- FIRMLY attached as Your Petitioners are to
Tue religion oil the Bible, they canno, but consider
lhe beriy oil ttJeciing, 10 lie imped in that OF
br;uug II. Tue unbelIever may, indeed, he s,lenc-
Ell ny hts iears but is scarcely conceivable that any
real itiend 10 Christianity, any who is solicit
Gus Tor tue improvement Of the human mind, the
diffusion OF knowledge and The establishment uuih,
should wish 10 reduce any portion Of mankind 10 the
| necessity oi oonceang then honest Judgment upon
moral and ID, illogical questions, aud of making aD
outward profession that shall De inconsistent with
| their inward persuasion.
" Your Petitioners are not ignorant that 4 disnc-
iiou rs commonly made between those umhelie,e rs
mat argue the question Oi the ruth Of Christianity
calmly and dispassOnalels and those thai treai the
sacred suiect with IeviIy aud rdcule but although
they ieel tie sironge. disgust every mode OF dis
cussion which approaches udec eucy and prnf.n,-
ness, they cannot help thinking thai il is neither wise
| nor sale To constitute The manner aud temper OF
writing an object OF legal visitation ina ,n,uch as II
l Is impossible 10 define where argument ends and
e, speaking begins. The reviler OF Christianity an
pears 10 your Petitioners be the least Formidable
o' lis ehem'es because his scoif rarely fail of
| roasnS against HIM public opinion, than which
| nothing more is wanted to defeat his end. Between
freedom oil discussion and absolute persecution there
Is no assgnnie medium. Aud nothing seems To
your Petitioners more mpollc than single the
intemPeratc publications OF modern unbeevers for
legal reproduction, and thus y implication To give
license To The grave reasonngs Of those that pre-
ceded Them ~ the course Ofopen hostility To the
| Christian religion, which rcasonings are much
more likely to make dangerous imprs session. upon
the minds OF their readers. But independent, of
| CONSIDERATIONS Of expectancy aud policy, your
ie.''oners cannot ioroear recording their humble
protest against the principle Implied in the piosecu-
! uons alluded to, that religion proceeding from
! inhnie Wisdom, aud protected by Almighty Power,
oepehuS upon human patronage Tor lis perpsluy and
| nnuence Wherefore they pray your Hononrabe
House TO take into consideration the prosecutions
| carrying on and lie punishnIcn,s already inflicted
np"n unbeie'ers, IA order 10 eXonerate Christianity
from The opprobrium aud scandal so unisy cas-, upon
OF peihg system that cOunIeDances intolerance
and persecution.
Andyow Petitioners will ever pray, &c
On the motion that 'he Petition lie printed
| Mr. BUTTERWORTH asked hy how many
Ministers OF the Church of England this Petition WI
signed, and of what class Of Dissen,ers the o,her
petitioners consisted.
MIR. HUME replied that il was signed by Dissen-
ters oil all classes, AMI the names of tue Ministers
| were IN separate column.
| MR.. W. SMITH could not see the pertinency o,
tie Houourable Members question. The petiiion
was however, signed, he could assure him, by per-
sous whose religious opinions were as perfectly OPP
| posed 10 each other possible
ne fetiiion was ordered TO be printed.
! Mr. III uME then rose for the purpose of making
| Inc motion OF which lie had given notice. His Object
was 10 Obtain The admission of that piincipe
"nieh Ne had always thought 10 be part OF The
~" Oh u'is couniry--namely that every Individual
WAS entitled 10 freedom of discussion all subjects,
whether controversial or religious. He had always
neen fed 10 believe That the greatest blessing which
1'"gshnieh enjoyed was the complete freedom with
which they were permitted TO express their religious
opinions, and To follow whatever sect or persuason
lneir own opinions conceded with. Recoilecug,
100, thai we enJoyed the blessings of a religion
which had been established by means OF discussion
ana by differing from those which had preceded IL,
I've Thought the House would act unjustly and with
bad pnlicy, II II should, now turn rouad upon those
VINO dinered from us, differed from those who
hHo preceded us, and exercise rigour which in our
own case we had been tie iii 81 deprccate. Ii was
tlnne evident that persons who wished TO investigate
'eS ious SUBJECTS must meet with great variety OF
opinions some oil these might confirm their belief
wDi!e others might give rise TO doubts. Now, he
w'snsn 10 ASH whether II was not proper that they
should he allowed To state those douhts for the pur-
pose oil having Them refuted IL they were erroneous
IN Christian charity such Indulgence ought nor
be refused 10 an individual. When he observed so
or Az sects IN this country differing Il The Chhrch
oil England, and differing equally from each other he
o"snt II was moi nj all surprising that amongst thuse
VINO engaged III what might be termed periodical
III,
WHO dsseued entirely from the great body of Sec
tar'ans oil every description. There nothing won
ieiiui III sneh circumstance but it was indeed
wonderful that they should be prosecuted and punish
ed Tor promUlgaing their opinions il, the way of con-
tro'eIsy. What right had any set of individuals To
set themselves up as following exciusi, ely the true
rehs'on religion, very different from ours, was
preached and adopted in other countries and those
who pursued such religioa proclaimed IL 10 he the
true one. Where there was such a diversity of
opinion ihey, taking The Scriptures as the rule Of
their conduct and actions, ought TO extend 10 MI
persons 'ai merciiu oieIaiiou which The Nets Tes-
lament so iorcbly Inculcalcd in every page The
GoveTnmeni Vi this country had been tolerant to the
Jews 10 that race OF people who denied altogether
the Christian religion, who disbelie we'd in the divinity
OF us great founder, the most complete federation was
extended. No one attempted 10 interfere with their
opinions. The Quakers, who differed on many es-
seUtlai points iTom the Established Church were
tolerated and The whole body of Dissenters various
as were their doctrines, were suffered TO preac,
| them without mo'esia'iou, This was highly 10 the
hobour of this country aud he wished very sincere
ly, that every species of disability, whether in The
nature of a test or otherwise, which applied 10 the
DisseDters, should be wholly removed Looking
over the pages oil the Holy Scriptures, he could not
bnd single sentence that authorized punishment on
account OF difference OF opinion, that called gu
The civil magistrate 10 interfere. The conduct Of the
Divine Founder Of The Christina religion was entirely
| at variance with his prosecuting spirit. When he
was pursued with bitter hate, because lie preached
new Opinions, bis prayer was. " Father! forgive
them Tor they know not what they do" IL was in
consequence OF that mild spirit Of forbearnuce, ta
the Christian religion spread and Gourished That
religion bad advanced IN spite Of The efforts Of pow
err, in defiance Of every species Of persecution and,
With that great example before their eyes, lie de-
| mauded, ought they now TO renew those scenes of
persecution and oppression, which The earlier Chris
IlaOs had suffered wb much loriitude Were
they 10 immune individuals in dungeons for doing
that whicA their own ancestors had donc-(or adopt.
'ng new opinions He might lie told, % Those per-
sons may express their opiuions, but il must he done
10 proper way" Now, for his own part, he knew
he of n