Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-30

AN ACT for establishing religious freedom, passed
IN the Assembly Of Virginia in the beginning Of
the year 1855: e9sl aadSia
Well aware that Almighty God hath created the
mind free; that all attempts TO influence il by tenn.
porai punshmcnts or burdens, or by civil incapa-
ciAtions, tend only TO beget habits of hypocrisy
aud 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
islatares and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical
who, being themselves but falliblo 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 infalibe, and as such
endeavoring TO impose them upon others, hath es-
tabiishcd and maintained false religions over the
greatest part Of thew world, and through all time
that TO compel q man TO furnish contributions OF
money for tho propagation Of opinions which he
disbeeyes, is sinful and tyrannical that even the
forcing him to support this or that teacher OF his
own religious persuasion is depriving him of the
comfortable liberty Of giving his contributions
to the particular pastor whose morals he would
mako his pattern, and whose powers he feels most
persuasive to 0righteousness and Is Withdrawing from
the ministry those temporal rewards which, pro-
ceedng from an appreciation Of their personal con-
duct, arc an additional Indictment to- earnest and
mremitting labors for the instruction of mankind
that our civirights have no dependence on our re-
lgi0us, opinions more than our opinions In physics
or geometry; that thcrefore, the prescribing Of
any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by
LAYING upon him an incapacity of being called to
the offices Of trust and cmoument, unless he pro-
fcss Or renouncc this or that religious opinion, ID
depriying him injuriousy of those privileges and
advantages to which, in common with his fellow
citizens, he has natural right; that il tends also
70 corrupt the principles OF the very religion 1t ID
meant TO encourage, by bribing, with monopoly
4 OF worldly hon0rs, those who viii externally pro-
fess and conform to it that though indeed, those
are criminal who do not withstand such tcmpta-
tions, yet neither are those Innocent who sy the
bait IN their way; that to suffer the civil ma
gstrate to intrude his powers into the field Of opin-
ion and to restrain the profession or propagation OF
principles on the superstition Of their i'll tendency,
is dangerous fallacy, which at once destroys all
religious liberty because, be being of course Judge
Of that tendency, viii make his opinions tho rule
OF judgment, and approve or condemn the senti-
ments Of Others only as they shall square with or
differ from, his own that il is time enough for the
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 win prevail If left
herself that abe is the proper and sufficient antag
onist of error, and has nothing to fear from the
conflict, unless by human interposition disarmed
her natural weapons, free argument and debate
errors ccasng to be dangerous when 1t s permitted
freely to combat them ,...,
Be Il, therefore, enacted By the Gensrd As
sensbty, 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 or burdened in his body or goods
shall he otherwise suffer on account religion.
opinions or belief but that all men shall be free te
profess, and by argument to maintain their opn
ions in matters of religion and that the same shall
in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil
capacities
And though we wen know this Assembly, elected
by the people for the ordinary purposes of legis
lation only, have no power to restrain the acts O
succeeding assemblies, constituted with power,
equal to our own; and that, therefore, to declare
this act irrevocable would be of no effect in law
yet we are free to declare, and do declare that the
rights hereby asserted are Of the natural rights
mankind, and that If any act shall be hereafter
passed to repeal the present or to narrow its ope
rations, such an act will be an Infringement Of
natural right