Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-02

ARACT for establishing religious freedom, passed
IN the Assembly Of Virginia In the beginning Of
the year 1885:
Wen aware that Almighty God hath created the
mind free that all attempts to influence ii by tenn
poral punishments or burdens, or by civil incapa-
citations, tend only to beget habits Of hypocrisy
and meanness, and are departure from the plan
ofthe Holy Author ofour religion, who, being Lord
both OF body and of mind, yet chose not to prop
agate by coerci0Ds on either was in his almighty
power to do; that the impious presumption of1eg-
islatures and rulers civil as well as ecclesiastical
who, being themselves but hllble and uninspired
men, have assumed dominion over the faith OF
others, setting up their own opinions and modes of
thinking rs the only true and ntaliblc 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
disbelieyes is sinful and tyrannical; that even the
forcing him to support this that teacher of his
own religious persuasion Is dcpriving him Of the
comfortable liberty of giving his contributions
to the particular pastor whose morals he would
make his pattern, and whose powers nc feels most
persuasive TO righteousness and withdrawing from
the ministry those temporal rewards, which, pro-
ceedng from an appreciation Of their personal con
duct, are an additional Indictment to earnest and
unremtting labors for the instruction Of mankind;
that our civil rights have no dependence on our re-
lgious opinions more than our opinions in physics
or geometry; that, therefore, the prescribing oi
any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by
laying upon. him an incapacity Of being called to
the Offices Of trust and emoument, unless he pro-
fess Or renounce this or that religious opinion, is
depriyng him injuriousy 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 it is
meant to encourage, by bribing, with u monopoly
Of worldly honors, those who will externally pro-
fess and conform to IL; that though indeed, those
are criminal who do not withstand such tcmpta-
tions, yet neither are those innocent who Law the
bait in their way; that to suffer the civil ma
gistratc to ntrude his powers into the field of opin-
ion, and to restrain the profession or propagation OF
principles on the snpposition OF their i'll tendency
is dangerous filllacy, which at once destroys ali
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 the
rightful purposes Of civil government for its ol-
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 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 interpositon dsarIncd o
her natural weapons, free argument and debate
errors ceasing to be dangerous when it is permitted
freely to combat them.
Be IL, therefore, enacted BY the General As
scnibty, 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 bnrdened in his body rgoods,
norshalhe otherwise suffer on account ofhs religious
opinions or belief but that all men shall be free to
profess and by argument 10 maintain, their opin-
ions in matters OF religion and that the same shall
in no wise diminish enlarge, or affect their civil
capacities -gt ..&,..
And though We well know this Assembly, elected
by the people for the ordinary purposes OF lcgis-
aton 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 irrevocabe would be Of no effect in law
yet we are fecto declare, and do declare, that the
rights hereby asserted are Of the natural rights Of
mankind, aud that If any act shall be hereafter
passed to repeal the present or 10 narrow its ope-
rations, such an act will be an Infringement Of
natural ripbt 's fs.llf ID flffeit @tI 10 b tf4H