Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-29

In the Assembly Of Virginia in the beginning Of
the year 1885. ,a6
Well aware that Almighty God hath created the
mind free that all attempts to influence 1t by tenn
porai punlshments or burdens, or by civil incapa-
citations, tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy
ana meanness, and are departure from the plan
OF the Holy Author Of our religion, who, being Lord
both OF body and of mind, yet chose not to prop
agate by coercions on either as was In his almighty
power to do, that the impious presumption Of leg
isiatures and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical
who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired
men, have assumed dominion over the faith of
Others, setting up their own opinions and modes of
thinking as the only true and infaible, and as such
endeavoring to impose them upon others, hath es-
tablished and maintained false religions over the
greatest part Of the world, and through all time ;
that TO compel man to furnish contributions Of
money for the propagation Of opinions which he
disbclievcs, is sinful and tyrannca that even the
forcing him to support this or that teacher Of his
own religious persuasion Is deprivng him of the
comfortable liberty Of giving his contributions
TO the particular pastor whose morals he would
make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most
persuasive to torighteousness, and Withdrawing from
the ministry those temporal rewards, which, pro-
ceediag from an appreciation of their personal con-
duct, are an additional incitement to earnest and
unremitting abors for the instruction of mankind
that our civil rights have no dependence on our re-
ligious opinions more than our opinions in physics
or geometry; that, therefore, the prescribing Of
any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by
laying upon him an ncapacity Of being called to
the Offices Of trust and emolument, unless he pro-
fcss or renouncc this or that religious opinion is
depriving him hjurionsly of those privileges and
advantages to which, in common with his fellow
citizens he has natural right; that It tends also
to corrupt the principles Of the very religion 1t is
10
Of worldly honors, those who will externally pro-
fcss and conform to it that though, indeed those
are criminal who do not Withstand such tempta.
tions, yet neither are those innocent who lay the
bait IN their way; that to suffer the civil ma
gstratc to inrude his powers into the field Of opin-
ion, and to restrain the profession or propagation OF
principles on the supposition Of their i'll tendency,
is dangerous fallacy, which at once destroys all
religious liberty, because, he being Of course Judge
Of that tendency, viii make his opinions the rule
OF Judgment and approve or condemn the senti.
ments of Others only as they shall square WITH or
differ from, his own that it is time enough for tho
rightful purposes Of civil government, for its Off
GERS to interfere when principles break out into
overt acts against peace and good order, and,
finally that truth is great and will prevail If left I'd
herself that she is the proper and sufficient antag.
onist of error, and has nothing to fear from the
conflict, unless by human interposition dsarmcd oi
her natural weapons, free argument and debate
errors ceasng to be dangerous when it is permitted
freely to combat them
Be IL, therefore, enacted BY tie General As
sexnbly, That no man shall be compelled to fire.
quent or support any religious worship, place, OF
ministry whatsoever, nor shall he be enforced re.
strained, molested burdened in his body or goods
norshahc otherwise suffer on account ofhis religious
opinions or belief but that all men shall be free to
profess, and by argument to maintain, their opin.
ions in matters of religion and that the same shall
in no Wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil
capacities.
And though we well know this Assembly, elected
by the people for the ordinary purposes Of legis.
laton only, have no power to restrain the acts Of
succeeding assemblies, constituted with powers
equal TO our own; and that, therefore, to declare
this act irrevocable would be of no effect in law
yet we free to declare, and do DECLARE that the
rights hereby asserted are Of the natural rights OF
mankind, and that IL any act shall be hereafter
passed to repeal the present. TO narrow its ope-
rations such an act will be an Infringement Of
natural right t..ssU1-. slfHs