Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-16
AN ACT for establishing religious freedom, paaet
In the Assembly Of Virginia in the beginning 0
the year l788.

IN the Assembly Of Virginia in the beginning Of
the year 1850:
Well aware that Almighty God hath created the
mind free that all attempts to influence Il by tenn
poral punishments or burdens, or by civil incapa-
citations tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy
and meanness, and are a 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 in his almighty
power to do; that the impious presumption Of leg
islaturcs and rulers, civil as wen 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 infalble, and as such
endeavorng to impose them upon others, hath es
tabliShed and maintained false religions over the
greatest part Of the world, and through an time
that to compel man to furnish contributions Of
money for the propagation Of opinions which he
disbeieves, is sinful and tyranncal 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
make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most
persuasive torighte0usness, and is withdrawing from
the ministry those temporal rewards, which, pro
ceeding from an appreciation Of their personal con-
duct, arc an additional incitement to earnest and
unremitting labors for the instruction Of mankind;
that civil rights have no dependence on our re-
iigious opinions more than our opinions in physics
or geometry that, therefore, the prescribing Of
any citizen a. unworthy the public confidence by
laying upon him an incapacity Of being called to
the Offices of trust and emolument, unless he pro-
fss or renounce this or that religious opinion, is
depriving him iljunously Of those privileges and
advantages 70 which, In common with his fellow
citizens, he has natural right that it tends also
70 corrupt the principles OF the very religion it is
meant to encourage, by bribing, with monopoly
OF worldly honors, those who will externally pro-
Tess and conform to It; that though, indeed, those
are criminal who do not withstand such teinpta-
tons, yet neither are those innocent who lay the
bait in their way; that to suffer the civil ma
gstrate TO intrude his powers into the field of opn
on and to restrain the profession or propagation Of
principles, on the suppositen Of their i'll tendency
is dangerous faHacy, which at once DESTROYS all
religious liberty, because, be being Of course Judge
Of that tendency win make his opinions the rule
Of Judgment, and approve or condemn the senti-
ments of others only they shall square with, or
differ from, his own; that it is time enough for the
Hghtful purposes of civil government, for its Off
GERS TO interfere when principles break out into
overt acts against pence and good, order; and,
finally that truth is great, and win prevail If left to
herself that she is the proper and sufisent antag-
Onist OF error, and has nothing to fear from the
conflict, unless by human interposition disarmed Of
her natural weapons, free argument and debate,
errors ceasng to be dangerous when it is permitted
freely 10 combat them
Be IL, therefore, enacted By tie General As
sen6eH That no man shall be compelled to fire.
quent or support any religious worship, place, or
ministry whatsoever, nor shall he be enforced re-
strained, molested rburdened in his body or goods
norshall otherwise suffer account ofhisreigious
opinions or belief but that all men shall be free 10
profess, and by argument to maintain, their opin-
ions In matters Of religion, and that the sume shah
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-
lation 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 irrevocsble 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 righo Of
mankind, and that if any act shall be hereafter
passed TO repeal the present, or to narrow ts ope-
ratonsr such an act will be an infringement OF
natural right.