American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-01-07

: juror was interrogated respecting his relcous ~
lle, 10 be sound onr and the opinion of the Co
y that juror is not officer, or vested with III
lie trust and that he is consequently not emilia "
the benefit OF the constitutional provision beio,. :,
cited TO be correct; it may still be denied tha, H.
rejection OF the juror, on the answers given tn ,ho
questions proposed by the Attorney General anal.
/, to have followed The plain imp"t Of bis snssss
to question to wit, that an honest man. 10 snsat
the truth, requires not an oath to bind him ana
dishonest one will not be bound by an oath. i. 49,.
that he dsbeeved in the obligation of an oath ,rLa"
taken, bur that an OATH for the reasons assi,nas
was unnecessary, and therefore improper TO b. ~
;Ihea. And Is the Juror singular in that opinion
DO not hundreds oil our citizens concur wi h hin, i
The same sentiment? Nay, does not one denom,.
ton oil Christians. besides many individuals al o,h.,
Christian professions, from the construction ,;,s.
i by them TO certain expressions of our Lord Ieu.
! Christ relative to swearing, maintain that the tal
oil an oath on any occasion is sinful and that in sn
\ ing OF facts, simple affirmation or neeaton nrsl,
atone 10 De used! True 1t is, that great msori,v
OF Chrlstlans interpret these expressions as int.
dieting only proiane swearing in common 6iscou,so
believing that It was not intended by our Lord IN
prohihlt the use OF oaths on important solemn ora
slons And in support Of this opinion. wbirb a.
pears to Dc the most reasonable, the language Of s
raui IN part OF the 9Th chapter OF his eps,le to m
LtiebreWs, may De relied on. ~ With this exnl,.
nation the apparent contradiction between the ev
Press'o"S Of OIL lord and The language of the an
ostle, would seem to be removed and nm. maI.
consistent with the other.
II VIII be proper TO remark here that the inror,o
impressions respecting oaths, being such az ahovs
stated he has uniformly been qualified, by Arm.
ing, and not by swearing him, before nterine on N.
dunes o. the various public appointments with which
ht IirNA -,
would appear not little ext aordnary. when b- b,s
so often served grand and petit lures in ~ ~
7iai ana state courts when he has so freonertl,
the people OF Newcastle county in toti,
Houses oil the Legislature, and is at this linr hon
ored with seat ~ the House of Representsty.e
"esiues having acted on many occasions in ,tea
puohc capacities, that it should no, have BEEN ~
covered Ill now. when he has lust comrl.tpd n;
ootn year, that he is unworthy Of setting m n,v
oox ON The trial OF criminal prosecution. Ia M.
mere Is SOMETHING strange passing strange indeedn
ne religious opinions and belief OF the ip,or
"a'e oeeh ioImea Tor thirty years or upwards and
10 that Time have experienced little or no chance
hese are no secret to those persons who have any
Of him. He has erred in ,li.cIns;n, ~,
freely, sentiments, which many others have 4n,ar.
AIMED, but had prudence enough 10 conceal trom
heir CHRISTIAN neighbors. But great a lai,u,s 40
Us mas allowed himself in thinking and sprskIog nm
SUBJECTS oil religion, his belief in Supreme Rrinr
mas never oeen Questioned until the Attorney e..
1erafs doubts induced him TO emoloy inouiti,o,ial
powers, to wiring from him his creed on his noint.
us second, II not his FIRST, answer relating thereto
'as ueCt ana Satisfactory leaving no room for The
'"is'ehce Oh doubt IN ths mind Of any one. He
vac no' so fortunate IN his reply the third and
'o' i"'cTtoSa'aiy respecting future state of retri-
'unon. IL however, II contained not an askuov-
cds ment OF his belief, it conveyed no evidrnc, IS
"s a'soeiiet1n future rewards and punishinenis I,
vas subject, he said which lie did not undrre,a,d
ie SaVe an hharect answer, from which no certain
onciusion could be drawn. 1t was calrulat.d a,
most to excite suspicion, that be entertane1 dob,s
N me subject But by The rule Of law as annl;eJ
wilness; he must have expressed his disbelief
q G'd and future state; that is, declared him.
ga on athelst' to justify his rejection.
Man came out OF the hands oil his Creator y f,os
Ren,' ilaa Mt been differently constituted. he wonId
ave oeeh incapable OF moral action, and Consequent
VIM, 10 We subject OF moral government. He
49, 80 "Ise oee" mere machine, which could not
80 ...o'eu or Acted without being first moved OF
cted upon. The tenets and sppc".,;ono ~ 49, ~
heoiogis's and philosophers pursued 10 heir Iii.
nate consequences result, know, in Thai oninioo.
Ano Il mas been the misfortune of mankind rn,il n
~ 'ece"' peflou, and even now in most of the
',ee ""eie ClWl government has been lonp in
nu.ea 'ha' their spiritual guides and political ru-
rs nave too generally acted under the Influence Of
as mistaken idea. they have rcsorted 10 force 10
D D"e,o. 'ne operations OF the mind than which
teae, aosufoi'y cannot be conceived; because M.
osr''i" S'''' cannot receive any impressions from
,nl,.S . - o'oe may, indeed when threatened or
'pned 10 the body affect the mind with annreben-
." OF pam; but il Can have no effect in orjaina,
= 8, moulding or varying its conceptions.
ne Christian reiiulnn m g.;
~. He "oF'u' met with great opposition. The pri.
"ne preachers and professors of il were peise-
Is i'eu urs' " the blgoted Jews. But the opposition
~ persecution which they had to encounter from,
'u"a'h' were comparatively small 10 what they al
'"a'us suffered by the intolerance and cruelty Of