Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-05
AN ACT for establishing religious freedom, passed
in the Assembly Of Virginia in the beginning Of
the year 1885:


in the Assembly of Virginia in the beginning Of
the year 1886:
Wen aware that Almighty God hath created the
mind free that all attempts to influence il by tenn.
porai punishments or burdens, or by civil incapa-
citations, tend only TO beget habits Of hypocrisy
ana meanness, and are q 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 lep-
islatnres and rulers civil as well az ecclesiastical
who, being themselves but faIlible and uninspired
men, have assumed dominion over the faith Of
others, setting up their own opinions and modes ol
thinking as the only true and nallible and as such
endeavoring TO impose them upon others, hath es-
ltabished and maintained false religions over the
greatest part of the world, and through all time
that to compel q man to furnish contributions OF
money for the propagation Of opinions which he
disbeleyes, 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
make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most
persuasive to righteousness, and swithdrawingfro
the ministry those temporal rewards, which. pro-
ceeding from an appreciation of their personal con-
duct, are an additional Indictment to earnest and
nnremitting labors for the instruction Of mankind
that our civil rights have dependence on our re-
ligious opinions more than our opinions in physics
or geometry; that, therefore, 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 cmolument, unless he pro-
fess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is
depriving him ipjuriousy Of those privileges and
advantages to which, in common with his fellow
citizens, ne has natural right that it tends also
TO corrupt the principles OF the very religion it is
meant TO encourage, by bribing, with monopoly
oi worldly hon0rs, those who will externally pro-
Tess and conform to it that though, indeed, those
are criminal who do not withstand such tcn,pta-
tions, yet neither are those innocent who Law the
bait In their way; that to suffer the civil ma
gistrate 70 intrude his powers into the field of opin
ion and to restrain the profession propagation Of
principles, on the superstition Of their i'll tendency,
is dangerous fallacy, which at once DESTROYS all
religious liberty because, he being Of course Judge
OF that tendency, will make his opinions the rule
Of Judgment, and approve or condemn the senti-
mcnts Of others only as they shall square WITH or
differ FROM his own that it is time enough for the
rghtful 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 will prevail II ci tc
hersoif that she is the proper and sufficient antag
opist Of error, and has nothing to fear from TIC
conflict, urlcssby human interposition disarned q
her natural weapons, free argument and debate
errors ceasng to be dangerous when it is permitted
freely to combat them.
BE IL, therefore, e,sacted by ne General As
scmbtM That no man shall be compelled to fire..
quent Or support any religious worship, place, OF
ministry whatsoever, nor shall be be enforced, re-
strained, moestcd burdened in his body or goods
shall he otherwise suferon account oiis religious
opinions or belief but that all men shall be free To
profess, and by argument to maintain, their opin-
ions in matters Of religion and that the same shall
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 o
succeeding assemblies, constituted with powers
equal TO our own; and that, therefore, to declare
this net irTevocable 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 OF
mankind, and that If any act shall be hereafter
passed to repeal the present. or to narrow It's ope-
rations, such an act will be an infringement Of
natural right.