Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-31
VIRGINIA AND RELIGIouS FRFEnnM

Dir. JEFFERSON was the author of the act to es-
tabish religious freedom in VIRGINIA, and in his later
years ranked this act along side of his authorship
of the Declaration of Independence He directed
that no eulogy should be engraved on his tomb ex-
cept that he was the Author OF the Declaration
Of Independence and Of the Act for establishing
Religious Freedom in VIRGrNA." We print this
act below. 1t contains an anti-know nothing creed
as full and complete as though it had been especi-
ally intended to guard against the dangers which
now threaten the country:
AN ACT FOR ESTABLISHING RELIGIOUS FREE
WRITTEN BY THOMAS Do&, srrrrnsaSss
Passed By the General Assembly of TTraEga,seDle-
Gender l6h 1874
! l. WHEREAs, Almighty God hath created the
mind free, that all attempts to influence it by tenn
porsl punishmentsor burthens or by civil incapaci-
tation, tend only TO beget habits ofhypocrisy and
meanness, and are departure from the plan of the
Holy author of our religion, who being Lord both
of body and mind yet chose not to propagate it by
coercions on either as was in his Almighty power
to do; that The impous presumption Of Legislators
and Rulers, civil as well ecclesiastical, who
being themselves but fallhle and uninspired men.
have assumed dominion over the faith of others
setting up their own opinions and modes of think.
ing as the only true and infalhbe, and as such
endeavoring to impose them on Others hath estab-
hshed and maintained false religions overthe great
est part of the world, and through all time that
to compel man to furnish contributions of money
for the propagation ofopinions which he dsbelieves
Is sinful and tyranncal; that even the forcing him
to support this that teacher of his own religious
persuasion is depriving him of the comfortable ib
erty OF giving his contributions to the particular
pastor, whose morals he would make his pattern.
and whose powers he feels most persuasive to
righteousness aad is Withdrawing from the minis
try those temporal rewards, which, proceeding
from an appreciation of their personal conduct are
an additional Indictment to earnest and unrenit-
ting labors for the instruction of mankind; that our
civil rights have no dependence on our religious
opinions any more than our opinions of physics or
geometry; that therefore the proscr bling any cti-
zens as unworthy the public confidence, by laying
upon him an incapacity of being calledto Offices Of
trust and emolument unless he profess or renounce
this or that religious opinion is depriVing him in
juriously Of tho privileges and advantages. TO
which, in common with his fellow-citizens he has
natural right that it tends only 10 corrupt the
principles of that religion it is meant to encourage
by bribing with monopoyof worldly honorsaud
emoluments, those who will externally profess and
conform to it, that though indeed those are crirn-
nal who do not withstand such Temptation. vet
neither are those innocent Uholay the bait-in their
way that TO suffer the civil MacistrateIo intrude
his powers into the field ofopnion and to restrain
the profession or propagation of principles on sup
position their III tendency is dangerous tallaev
which at once destreysa religious liberty because
he, being OF course judge of that tendency, will
make his opinions the rule of judgment and ap-
pove or eondemn-th sentiments of others only as
they shall square with differ from his own that
1t IS time enough for the rightful purpose of Civil
Government for its officers to interfere when prin-
cples break out into overt acts against peace and
good ORDER and finally, that Truth lis great and
will prevail ifeft to herself; that she is the proper.
and sufficient antagonist to Error and has nothing
to fear from the conflict unless by human interpos-
ton disarmed of her natural weapons, free arqu-
ment and debate; errors ceasing to be dangerous
when it is permitted freely to contradict them.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly. That
no man shall be compelled to frequent or support
any religious worship place of Ministry whAtsoev-
er nor shall be enforced, restrained, nolessed or
burthened IN his body or goods, nor shall be other
wise suffer on account of his religious opinions or
belief; bnt that all men shall be free to profess and
by argument to maintain their opinions in matters
OF religion, and that the same in no wise diminish
enlarge or affect their civil capacities
And though we well kno " that this Assembly
elected by the people for the ordinary purposes OF
legislation only, have power to restrain the acts
OF succeeding Assemblies constituted with powers
equal to our own, and that therefore to declare
this act to be irrevocable would be of no effect in
law; yet we are free to declare, and do declare
shat the rights hereby asserted, are of the natural
rights OF mankind, and that if any act shall be
hereafter passed to repeal the present or to mar
row IFS operations, such act will be an infringe.
-ment Of natural right