Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-04-14
RELIGIOUS FEDERATION,

Of IlOS. n.
the services rendered his country by Mr. jefferson,
he personally regarded as the most important, the
Declaration of Independence, the abolition OF the
laws of entail and primogeniture, this act OF reli-
gious liberation, and the founding OF the University
of Virginia.
Know Nothings profess great reverence for the
fathers of the Republic. How does this act OF tol-
Grafton written by Jefferson and in his OPINION, ono
of the most benifcent monuments OF MS l'he'
square with their narrow bgotted and unholy pro-
scrptons-Lynch6urg Repu6tcGn.
CHAPTER LAANI.
OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
l. The general assembly, on the saA1eenlh u''y vi
December seventeen hundred ana eighty-hVe' pass
ed an act in the words following, TO wit:
"A. act for establishing religious .JFeedom
"Whereas Almighty God hath created the mih',
free that all attempts to influence it by temporal
punishment or burthens, or by civil interpretations
tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy ana mean
ness and are departure from the plan OF the loy
Author of religion, who, being Loru ool, Vi ""
DIV and mind yet chose not to propagate IL oy coer
cions on either as was in his Almighty power 10 40
that the impous presumption OF legislators anu ru
lcrs civil as well as ecclesiastical who, being them
selves but alible and uninspired men, have assumed
dominion over the faith of others, setting up their
own opinions and modes Of thinking as the oillJ
true and infallible, and such, endeaVorlhg 10 I'LL
pose them on others, have established ana hlahteu
false religions the greatest part OF the "orlu'
and through all time; that compel man to turn-
ish contributions of money for the propagation VI
opinions which he disbeves, Is sinful ana tyraihl-
cal and even the forcing him support this or tht
teacher of his own religious persuasion, Is deplVhg
him of the comfortable liberty of giving his contll
buttons to the particular pastor whose morals nc
would make his pattern, and whose powers he leeis
most persuasive to righteousness, and Is Withdraw
ing from the ministry those temporary rewards
which, proceeding from an appreciation OF thelf per
sonal conduct are additional Indictment to earnest
and unremtting abors tor the instruction OF nlau-
kind that our civil rights have no dependence on
our religious opinions any more than our opinions
hlt
in~ any citizen unworthy of the public confidence
bv laying upon him an incapacity OF being called TO
offices of trust and emOument, unless he profess or
renounce this or that religious opinion, is dcprvlng
him iniuriousiy of those privileges and advantages
to which, in common with his fellow citizens, he mas
a natural right that it tends only to corrupt the
principles of that religion it is meant to encourage,
bribing with a monopoly OF worldly honors and
emoluments, those who will externally profess anu
conform to it that though, indeed, those are crin
nal who do not withstand such temptation yet
neither are those innocent who lay the bait IN Their
way that to suffer the civil magistrate TO lntrude
his powers into the field of opinion, and to restrain
the profession of propagation of principles on sup
position of their i'll tendency is dangerous taacy
which at once destroys all religious liberty, because
he being of judge of that tendency, will make
his opinions the RUE of judgement, and approve or
condemn the sentiments of others only as they shall
square witl1 differ from his own that 1T is time
enough for the righttul purposes OF civil govern
mert, for its officers interfere, when principles
break out into overt acts against peace and good
order and finally, that truth is great and will pre-
vail if left to herself that she is the proper and
sufficient antagonist to error, and has nothing to
fear from the conflict unless by human ntcrpoSton
disarmed of her natural weapons, free arguments
and debate; ceasing to be dangerous when 1t
is permitted freely to contradict them.
''Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no
man shall be compelled to frequent support any
religious worship, place or ministry whatsoever, nor
shall be enforced, restrained molested or burthened
in his body goods, shall otherwise suffer on
account of his religious opinions or belief but that
all men shall be free to profess and, by argument,
to maintain their opinions in matters of religion,
and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge
or affect their civil capacities.
" And though well know 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 own, and that, therefore, to declare,
this act to be irrevocabe, would be Of no effect in
law; vet free to declare and do declare that
the rights hereby asserted of the natural rights
Of mankind and that if any act shall be hereafter
passed to repeal the present. 10 its opera
lion, such act will be infringement of natural
right"
2 The general assembly doth now again declare
hat the rights asserted in the said act of the
ural rights of mankind