Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-08
AN ACT for establishing religious freedom, passed
m the Assembly Of Virginia in the beginning of
the year 1885:


AN ACT for establishing religious freedom, passed
III 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 il by tenn
poral punshmcnts or burdens, or by.civii incapa.
citations, tend only TO beget habits OF hypocrisy
and mcanness, and are a departure from the plan
ofthe Holy Author our religion, who, being Lord
both Of body and Of mind yet chose not to prop
agate by cocrcions either was in his almighty
power to do; that the impi0us presumption Of leg
islatures and rulers civil as wen as ecclesiastical
who, being themselves but falliblc andsnnnspired
men, have assumed dominion over the faith Of
others, setting up their own opinions and modes Of
thinking as the only true and nfallibe, and as such
endeayoring to impose them upon others, hath es.
tablslIed and maintained false religions over the
greatest part Of the world, and through all time
that to compel a man to furnish contributions Of
money for the propagation Of opinions which he
disbelieyes, Is sinful and tynnnical 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 righteousness and Ii Withdrawing from
the ministry those temporal rewards, which, pro-
ceeding from an appreciation of their personal con
duct, are an additional Indictment to earnest and
unremitting labors for the instruction Of mankind
that our civlrights have no dependence on our re-
lgious opinions more than our opinions III 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 emolument, unless lie pro-
fess or rcnounce 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 il
meant to encourage, by bribing, with monopoly
f of worldly honors, those who viii externally pro-
fess and conform to it that though indeed, those
are criminal who do not withstand sach tcmpta-
tions, vet neither are those innocent who Inv the
bait in their way; that to suffer the civil ma
gstrate to intrude his powers into the field Of opin-
ion, and to restrain the profession or propagation Of
principles on the supposition Of their iii tendency.
is dangerous fallacy, which at once DESTROYS All
religious liberty, because, he being Of course Judge
Of that tendency, viii make his opinions the rule
Of Judgment, and approve or condemn the scnti-
mcnts Of others only as they shall square with, or
differ from, his own that it Is timeehough for the
rightful 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 win prevail if left to
herself that she is the proper and sufficient antag-
onst Of error, and hns nothing to fear from the
conflict, ,nilcss by human interpositon dsarmcd ol
her natural weapons, free argument and debate
errors ccashg 70 be dangerous when it is permitted
freely to combat them.
BE it,tanxfore, enacted BY the General AZ
scn'bty 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 molcsted, orburdened in hisbody or goods
nor shall 0thcrwisesd account ofs religious
opinions or belief but that all shall DO 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 act irrevocablc would be Of no effect in law
yet, we arc free to declare, and do declare that the
rights hereby asserted Of the natural rights o.
mankind, and that if any act shall be hereafter
passed to rcpeal the present. or to narrow its ope-
rations, such an act will be an Infringement Of
natural riont