Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-08
Montpelier, July IA, 1926.


Ihave road Sir. your letter OF the 9th instant,
requesting such information as may be able TO
give, as TO the origin OF the document, a copy
of which was inolosed in II.
The motive and manner Of the request would
enti,le tito respect, if less easily complied with
than by the following statement:
During the Session Of the General Assembly,
,7aA-5.a Bill was introduced into the House
of Delegates, providing for the legal support OF
Teachers of the Christian Religion; and, being
patronised by the most popular talents IN the
House. seemed likely to obtain majority oil
votes In order to arrest its progress, 1t was
insisted. with success, that the Bill should oe
,ostponed till the ensuing Session; and, In the
mean time, be printed for public consideration
That the sense of the people might be better
called forth, your highly distinguished ancestor
Col George Mason, Col. Geo. Nicholas, also
possessing much public weight, and some oth-
ers thought it advisable that remonstrahce d.
painst the Bill should be prepared Tor generai
Circulation and signature; and imposed on me
the task Of drawing up such paper. nc
.drauyh, having received their sanction, large
number of printed copies were distributed, ana
so extensively signed by the people Of every
RELIGIONS denomination, that at the ensuing
session the projected measure was entirely irus-
,ua,sd. and under the influence of The public
sentiment thus manifested, the celebrated Bill
aEs,ablishing Religious Freedom enacted into
. nermanent Barrier against future attempts on
The rights of conscience, as declared in the great
charter pre6xed 10 the Constitution OF the
State.
BE pleased to accept, Sir, my friendly respects,
JAMES MADISON.
GEORGE Mason, Green Spring, near Williams
burg, Virginia
To the Honorable the General assembly Of the COM
mon,ceaLh of Vfg'nia.
AMEMoRIAL AND REMoNsTRANcE
We the Subscribers, citizens Of Inc said Com
monwealth, having taken into serious consider
arion. a Bill printed by order OF the last session
&c The General Assembly, entitled, GA Bill es-
t.hl;sb;ng a Provision for Teachers OF the
Thr;s,;an Religion and conceiving that the
came if finally armed with the sanctions OF
law. will be a dangerous abuse OF power, are
honpd as faithful members of free State, TO re-
,monstrate against it; and to declare the reasons
bv which we are determined. we demonstrate
against the said Bill.
Because. We hold it for fundamental and
undepiabe truth, that Religion or the duty
which we owe TO our Creator, and the manner
of discharging it, can be directed only by rea-
s son aud conviction, not by force or violence.
The Religion then of every man must be LETT to
the conviction and conscience OF every man;
and il is the right of every man to exercise II as
these may dictate. This right Is in It's nature
an analienable right. 1t is unalieHable; because
the opinions of men, depending only on inc e,i
dence contemplated in their own minus, eanno
follow the dictates of other men: 1t is unallena
bic also; because what is here right TOWARDS
men, is duty towards the Creator It Is the
duty of every man to render TO the Creator sucl
homage. and such only, as he believes to De &C
centable TO him: this duty is precedent, botf
in order of time, and in degree ofobligation, t'
the claims of civil society. Before any mar
can be considered member OF civil society," NJ
mus, be considered as subject OF the 1ioverho
of the Universe: And if member OF civil SO
cie,y, who enters into any subordinate assocla
ton, must always do it with reservation
'Declaraton of Rights, Art. 16.