Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-05-29
ANDREW Z. KENNEDY, y Jefferson,
GEORGE d. GRAY, of culpspsr,
JOSIAH DABBa Of Halifhx. 4.

AN ACT for establishing religious freedom, passed
In the Assembly Of Virginia In the beginning d
the year 1885: k
Well aware that Almighty God hath created the
mind free that all attempts to influence Il By tcm.
porL punishments or burdens, or by civil incspa-
citations, tend only TO beget habits Of hypocrisy
and msanness, 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 70 prop
agate by coercions either was in his almighty
power to dc; that the impious presumption ofleg-
islatures and rulers civil - well a. ecclesiastical
who, being themselves but fallible and uninepired
men, have assumed dominion over the faith Of
others, setting up their own opinions and modes OF
thinking the only true and infallible and ~ such
endesvoring 10 impose them upon Others hath e.
tsblished and maintained false religions over the
greatest part Of the world, and through al time
that TO compel man TO furnish contributions of
money for the propagation of opinions which he
disbelieves Is sinful and tyrsnnica that even the
forcing him TO support this 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 orghteousncss and Ia 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
that civil rights have no dependence on our re-
Egious 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 incspscity Of being called 70
the Offices Of trust and emolument, unless he pro-
fess renounce this or that religious opinion n
depriving him injurously Of those privileges and
advantages 10 which, In common with his fellow
citizens, he has natural right; that Il tends also
TO corrupt the principles of the very religion Il IL
meant 10 encourage, by bribing, with monopoly
Of worldly honors, those who win externally pro-
fess and conform to IT. that though, indeed, those
are criminal who do not Withstand such tempta,
tons, yet neither are those innocent who lay the
bait in their way that TO suffer the civil ma,
gtrate TO intrude his powers into the field Of opin-
ion and 10 restrain the profession or propagation Of
principles on the suppostion Of their III tendency,
Is dangerous fallacy, which at ence destroys an
religious liberty, because he being Of course Judge
Of that tendency, win make bis opinions the rule
Of Judgment and approve or condemn the ssnti-
ments Of others only az they shah square with, or
differ FROM his own; that IL Il time enough, for the
rgbtful purposes Of civil government for lie ON.
GERS 70 interfere when principles break out into
overt acts against peace and good order; and,
finally that truth is great and win prevail lc "a
herself that she s the proper and sufficient sntag.
onist Of error, and has nothing 10 fear from the
conflict unless by human interposition dissrned o.
her natural weapons, free argument and debate,