The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-25
Dr. Carry Hcpiies.

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN VIRGINIA AND TBF


DENoaISATIoNs.
The communication Of "Truth" in this
.uornu@'s Dispatch contains some state
,ucnt. aud differences in reference to myself
T., which l-ask leave to make brief teple.
Let me premise that the address, delivered
before the Baptist General Association and
- which exception is taken, was on a spe.
zinc and assigned tepic-the connection of
ba.l>i> With The religious history OF Virgil
uli and ts,tr action in securing religious
lIcrd"ns. 10 give a general history was
quite foreign 10 my purpose and duty, and
II it gave me pleasure to recognize, IN as
,guphatic manner As | could, the noble and
,4uablc part taken toy the Presbyterians and
Cak"rs in the struggle against the Estaty.
i.,hmnW.
4 TO the claim that Bapti>tS alone had
'"'n IN hnroie and America the consistent
aupancnt Of alliance betwiXt Church and
~ta,", md that their principles logically ne
rr,- tate such antneonism, | shall not enter
MO another defence. An establishment. in
M. iud-lrcnt. j. necessarily and Inevitably
an un>,rrMurl interference with absolute
rtr.iau> liberty ANY denomination which
Voluntarily accepts the benefits Of an estab-
!.hmcni and iavors governmental power
III tul tor,i for the support Of Il Church or
ministry. and thus recognizes the riShtful-
Ms, IT an alliance of Church and State, is
,,rrcudrd from setting up plea of unvary-
H.. hostility 10 governmental partnership.
In my adtirc>S. did not assert that ,he
T,4pil>ts "arhlcvtd the great triumph" Of
;I." abolition Of The establishment. and the
iuN Inauguration of the principles of rciig-
lol> freedom and c9uaiity." On the contrary,
rrr>hNtcran- aud Quakcrs wc.t especially
nruioncd rs contributing In large degree,
." The attainment Of those ends. and the in
,riI4h!, services OF Jefferson, Madison. and
other good citizens were gratefully ac-
hnoWlcdg'd.
ln the address il was stated that at one
l,rrod OF the protracted struggle the Rap-
ISIS. rs Il religious denomindtion, stood
a.unr. except 10 far is they were aided by
thu irw Quakcrs. On the question OF AS
>r>>m"nl many of their allies "faltcred or
'h>cItrd. II mistaken in this (and am not
prepared With the lights before me to admit
tn" mlStskoi shelter must be taken under the
nuIhotlt. oi Jefferson, and Madison, and DIR.
iiuwS>.
.tc!irr~on Il vol. Of Works, p. 80, SAYS
tn the bill now passed was inserted IN eX-
yGc>> reservation of the question. whether Il
,"urrai assessment should not be established
v,>for OF his choice; or whether all should
'.. h!I 10 voluntary contributions and on
ru.. question. debated at every session from
- H. - (>ome of our dissenting allies.
hAyu. now secured their particular object,
-uin@ ever TO the advocates of Il general as
-r>>m"ut}." &c.
Madison, III letter, 18th April. 1TS5. says ::
In" only proceeding. of the late session
~airh makes 4 noise through the country
!-'.a' which relates 10 Il general assessment.
ia" Episcopal people are generally for it,
I.ipU-u | think the zeal of some of them
b. r"oi'l. The laity OF the other Sccts are
,'mln!iy on the other side. So are all the
,hi-i. except the Prcsbytcrians, who seem
d, ready Ep set up an establishment which is
~ taxi them in, a. they were to pull down
iih which shut them out. / do not know
8 m"r" shameful contrast than might be
',und between their memorial. on the latter
and former occasiun>. .'--Rarcs's Madison,
/. ruj.. go.
~. Hawks, in his Contributions TO the
f''Ir,E'~tic" Hist ,ry of the United States Of
Am"r'r". (N"..umc ], page i5l,) says: Sin
HI, - Her ms chief object, that of giving
3't''. piow 10 the lcgalizcd superiority of
~" establishment over all other dcnomina-
,fon> nf Christians, he was very cordially
.ulrpprtcd bya large body of allies who be-
ion4,d 10 the dissenting interest; but when
thlt great end WAS once attained. and every
lai-iu,i> society stood upon the same level,
in..1uc>tiun in dispute assumed to these al
h. u very different aspect, and they deserted
Ihr standard under which they had before
achieved their victory. They had proStra-
ted The Church. they had proved them selves
'o b" not at All reluctant to strip her clergy
81 tGlt competent maintenance which was
secured 10 them by the possession of proper
ll: hut they now manifested an aver
-lrn. more natural than consistent, to being
5'il - ilnd Il prccarious support for tncm-
.'lc- in The tender merciea of set Of vol
uUt,ry contributors; they We're, therefore,
u" advocates of 4 general assessment" On
;agr l51 DR.. Hawks says: The memorial
o the united clergy Of the Presbyterian
Church is worthy of notice. 1t protests
against Incorporating religious societies and
while they diSiprroye of Legislative inter-
terence in 1.-THE spiritual concerns Of reli-
Gl"n," yet, abandoning their former ground,
they add. ~ general assessment for its sup
port ought to be extended to those who pro-
less the public worship of the Deity land are
comprised within the Bill of Rights
Mr.. Madison and Mr.. Jefferson, actors in
that drama, did not regard this memorial as
"cnlirely hypothetical"
}. l.. NJ. CURRY.