The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1840-11-21
ON RELIGIOUS FEDERATION.
JOSEPH ETTER, Sec.

1t is the right of every man to worship
Gnd according 10 the dictates of his con-
science; it follows, as matter Of course, that
I the civil Authority has none to punish him
for the exercise Of this right, provided that,
in SO doing, he does not disturb the peace of
society, nor war aganstthat code Of morals
which is adopted in all Christian countries,
and forms, more or less, 4 portion of their
civil code. We say provided it has not this
eflect-ior, supporters, as we certainly are,
Of The principles Of religious liberation, and
opposed, as we must necessarily he, to the
civil statute which pvescribes forms Of divine
worship, and enacts any punishment for a
non-conformily with shem-looking as we do
OIL the union of Church and State as preg-
nan, with the most serious evils TO both, and
resolved as we are to resist such union tn
the utmost Of our powcr-yet we are not
among that class Of politicians which, under
ana circumstances, would deprive the civil
authority Of the power to punish the daring
invaders upon every thing which for ages
has been held in the highest veneraton, and
regarded as the only sure Foundation upon
which society can exist. Far, very far, in
deed, are we from this. When monsters
appear among us-and such we have had
from foreign land in Robert Dale Owen
,,,,l Ts,,,,- w ,;,,it- ,bat cbnpll b, h.I
up in their true colors, and the severcst pun
ishment should be awarded against them
When men, the emssarics of Satan, shall
announce that our system of morals is cor
rupl from the beginning 10 the end, and that
the laws which relate to property arc unjust
and tyrannicai and tina, the rich should be
stripped Of their wealth, and this should be
distributed among the poor, tie idle, and The
varabonh when they have the hardihood
to assert that marriage itself, among the most
sacred and holy Of engagements, and " cnce
spring some OF our highest anal sweetes. en-
.joyments, is a contract which, shy no means
binding on the parlies-thal the promises
which on this occasion they make TO each
other, and to the sincerity of which they called
upon the God Of Heaven and earth to witness,
are mere words OF course, and that it is The
right of either party to violate them at plea
srre-whcn, we say, such lnscrcantS as
these appear among US, endeavorlng to tear
up the very foundations of so :iety, by the
PRONUNCIATION OF. principles which war against
all religion, natural as well as revealed, ire
assert that they are not only obnoxious to
the jus, condemnation of publ: opinion, but
that the civil authority ought to be, as it ev-
cry where is, clot! ed with power 10 punish
,hem and lhat, if i; neglect to do this, it fails
in The discharge OF one Of lis highest and
most important obligations. The man who
would cndeavor TO persuade us that there Is
no crime ia violating the moral precepts-thc
wretch who has the hartlhood to announce
that there is no crime in adultery or seduc-
ton-the beast who will recommend % a
Christians, to any community, the promiscu-
Gus intercourse Of the sexes, rs a substitute
for the rap,ure., the endearments, and chas.e
affections Of the marriage stite--the monster
the female monster! we turn from her with
the loathing Of disgns'-who has the hard'-
hood to preach doctrines, and incucate prin-
ciples which, il possible, are more detestible
even than this-doctrincs subversivc of the