Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-03-23

power which is not found in the fire or the bo yonct
Inc moral right OF epery citizen, TO exercise those
civil and political rights which c possesses i'm com
mon with Others must be decided at the bar ofbis owr
conscience Ii is o matter. in which others hs We nc
night to interfere. No man prescribe my course
OF duty in relation to the exercise of nv
ed rights, without ,n:ermeddiing with other men 4
concerns.
] Having shown that the possession and avowa OF
any set Of opinions whether religious or otherwise
do not impair any ones rights as a citizen proceed
to ascertain how the stands in relation to the
Post Office law, which has called forth So many me-
MORALS and anti-memorials
!: Our Government recognizes either the truth,
or the fasehood OF Christianity. There is alter
native here No government could possibly exist
without deciding practically the great qucstion,
whether Christianity is true, a false religion.
The requirement ofonr oath in the affairs ofgovern-
ment, and in the adminstrati Of the laws assumes
that there Is God in opposition to the creed of the
Atheist The use of the Bible in administering the
oath, implies belief that is true opposition to
nhdels OF every description. The use Of the ,rhole
Bible, decides the question between the lew and the
Christian, IN favor OF the latter. Now, would any
Gouernment appeal TO God which il did not believe
TO exist and enforce the obligations of oath by
DOCK which It did not acknowledge TO be true. Would
public profession of hypocrisy increase the fidelity
OF an officer or the credibility of witness.
2 The question whether there is Christian Sab
bath, or cot is one which it is impossible in the
ure OF things, for our government to leave undecided
II the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial depart
ments, suspend public business day in seven they
decide IN favor of weekly Sabbath. If they ore
engaged in public business every day alike they de-
eide that there Is no Sabbath. There can be no
neutrality here. The government cannot exist one
month"; without deciding practically and fully, the
great question, whether there is a Sabbath or not
and whether the first. seventh some other day in
the week. Is the Sabbath. The decision of this ques-
ton is necessarily involved in the very existence of
our government. 81
b Accordingly, we find that il has been actually
Decided from the commencement of our national exis-
hnu nF fhn Ln.
observed as day of rost in every department of our
government. The President of the United States,
and the Heads of the several Departments with their
Clerks and Agents, turn aside from the public hus-
ness on that day. Both Houses of Congress suspend
their sessions, and appoint Chaplain to preach the
Gospel to them on the first day of the week. The
Judiciary too, in all its branches, observes the same
as day of rest.
These remarks arc as applicable to the several
state Governments, IS to that of the Union. They
have all decided that there is a God-tlat the Bibla
Is true revelation of his willard that the first day
of the week IS to be observed as day of rest Thus
tfey have decided the grand question, against the
Atheist, the Dest, the Mahometan the Jew the Sab
batarnn, and the Nothingarian-in favor of the
Christians. They were compelled, from the very
nature of the case, to decide it, one way or the other
and II the Christian religion Is true their decision
according to truth and wisdom.
Let us now turn to the before us. Congress
nave passed law, requiring the transaction of public
business in the Post Office Department ereru day in
he meek. We petition them to repeal this law
Nowis 1t not evident to any person who can put two
ideas together, that do not ask them to settle anv
religious principle? We have that the principle
mas been settled from the very origin of our govern
ment, and that Congress sanction it every week IL
rs preposterous therefore, pretend that the repeal
OF the law, involves the decision of any relipious
question: or has the most remote tendency to unite
Church and Sta,e No man of common inteipence
who Is acquain ed with the facts of the case can on
pose it on this ground. The only principle in oues-
ton' arises not out the repeal but out of the en-
actment OF the present law, by which Congress have
undertaken by their own act, TO abolish the Sabbath
In opposition 10 the uniform decisions of the General
and State Governments.
But there IS another aspect in which this subject
presents itself Does not the prosperity of this ma
ton require the most rapid diffusion of intelligence;
and would It not therefore be inerredent to repeal
the present law This Is fair questions but it en-
braces more than some good people seem to be aware
IL Is manifest that the question of eXpedency can
never arise, except on the assumption that the sane
thcatlon OF one day in seven is of divine autor
ty' For II is not to be supposed, that any man can
be so inconsistent TO believe that one day in the
week Is appointed by Infinite wisdom as day of holy
rest, and then turn about and contend that is erpe
dient TO violate the law of God! We cannot for a
moment believe that in the view of any human beinp
the wise Ruler of the Universe has given us a law
which n regard TO our highest happiness compels MS
to disobey.
The expedency of the present law, then is TO be
advocated by such persons only, do not believe in
the existence OF any Sabbath at ALL But consistency
" cH, requires the afpllcation OF the same rule OF
eXpediency to every department of our government.
II there is no Sabbath by Divine appointment in the
Post Office, how happens it that there is one, by
human appointment, IN every other department? BY
what rule of expectancy do the Executive, Legsla-
tive and Judicial departments neglect the peoples
business one day III seven and thus waste, annually.
several millions of the Peoples money! Expedlency
requires that this same hoy-day which is thus was
ting our substance, paralizing the arm of govern
ment, and forming an alliance between Church and
State, should be banshed, not from the Post Office
only, but from the Presidents House, the Halls of
Congress, and the Courts of Justice / do not say
tho friends of the law contemplate this entire and
universal abolition OF the Sabboth. But consistency
requires this; and VIC know, that, if such were the
object, policy would induce them to commence the
work of destruction IN the very department. and in
the very manner in which it has been introduced
Mr., Johnsons Report on this law, may be resolved
into three propostons-1, Its repeal would decide a
religious question, and therefore does not come with
in the powers of civil governments; 9 Ii would unite
Church and State g. 1t is inexpediont to repeal the
law, because then the diffusion Of intelligence would
rot be so rapid. have already shown that the two
in nat frt,,. AMI 1hos Ia.