Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-04-24

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A special reason is, that sthc good Of society re-
quires the strict observance of one day in scvcn."-
This rule you urge upon temporat authority and tenn
poral grounds il leaves therefore, Ut liberty TO
decide, upon q balance struck between the temporal
advantages and disadvantages of making exec,
ton as TO the mail, We make exception IN regard
to other muttcrs. i
Your next proposition is, that the Wise and Good
Ruler of the Universe has made an appointment, oil
which appointment the carriage ofthe mail ON Sunday
is a transgression We have now reached the point
for recurring your dsavowal of any disposition ITO
blend religious with civil affairs Does not single
moments reflection suffice To make manifest, that If
Congress were to found any act Of theirs upon this
proposition, 10 would involve decision their part
as to what are the appointments Of the Supreme Be-
ing, Would il not imply this train Of thought We
are Interpreters IF His pin. re pronounce IL 10
be i.eonsistent ,ciih HIS rih, That mails should be
transported on Sunday-1nd ia conformity uith this
decision, ataH the mails be regulated. What more
intimate and radical blending OF religious and civil at
fairs can be imagined. than an assumption on the
part OF Congress- who are coufessedly clothed with
mere temporal authority, To decide what is the will
of the creator As individuals, the body may all he
deeply impressed with n certain belief in regard to
that will. But members of Congress, can they
found any official of theirs upon such belief, with
out thereby blending religion with temporal powere
Viii Il not be exercise Of temporal poioer, )oun-
ied on and directed by religious belief? IfCongress
stops the mails, because they believe the measure
greeable to the Divinity, is therc any other of the
powers with which they are entrusted, which they
may not regulate the exercise Of upon the same prin
cpies, Tho Constitution con6des TO them the regs-
lation of the mails. II authorizes them also to regu
late naturalzation. lfthey regulate the mails in a
particular manner, Because OF particular reason,
may they not, because of the same reason, regulate
naturalization in particular manner? IF for instance
with Dr. Ely (who by the bye has the credit of being
the original contrver and chofagtator the Sunday
mail question: that Popcry is tho reign Of the man of
sin" may they not, because they so believe deny
turalization, and admission into the country, to
Popish PRIESTS 1t is too manifest to require further
remark, that whateycr be the regulations to which
Congress may fit to subject the mail, they cannot
without offending civil and religious affairs, adopt
any regulation, the ground, that is agreeable to
The Diuinify.
The blending of ecclesiastical with civil power
in what does it consist In being influenced in the
exercise Of temporal potccr, by religious betief OF
ithe "unon of Church and State" generally and
Justly deprecated by our counrymen, this is the
essence. Ii matters not by what name the public
fanctionaries, so exercising civil power be called.
Pope or Bishop might be the repositories Of tenn
poral power; and this arrangement not necessarily
involve union of Church and State. Whether
this union did or did not exist, would depend entirely
tho considerations which influenced them in the
exercise OF that power. If Of purely temporal
nature, then would the union Of Church and State
NOT exist If of religious nature, then the union
trould exist. The same is strictly true as To a King
a President, Diyan, Congress. If, in the dis
charge of their political functions, they anywise
under the influence of religious motives, then, not
withstandng their nomnaIly aical character, Church
and State are united. You, Sir, have, by your Off
cia oath, entered into solemn covenant with the
Deity to support the Constitution under which you
act. Unless, therefore, you conscientousy believe
it to be perfectly consistent with the spirit of the
Constitution, that religious and civil affairs be blend
ed, you cannot dtioo yourself inthe exercise Of the
temporal potOer entrusted TO you, 10 be influenced
religion cesisf Under that covenant you are bound
by the most solemn or suncIlUs ncdu0usIy euasd
your mind against such influence. In regard to any
vote you may feel disposed to give upon point any
wise connected with religious considerations your
sacred duty to search the Utmost recesses of your
conscience and to ascertain that religious belief is
not operating your mind, motive to that vote
If you find any such motive lurking thore it is the
first OF your religious obligations to expel it, and to
emanc ipate your mind FROM its influence.
/ shall pursue this review in my next.
n Friend TO "Pm's Religion and UndeGied."