Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/16pdf/15-577_khlp.pdf
Page Number: 41

Cite as:  582 U. S. ____ (2017) 

15 

SOTOMAYOR, J., dissenting 

iar.  Religion  “is  a  matter  between  God  and  individuals,” 
which  does  not  need,  and  would  only  be  harmed  by,  gov-
ernment  support.  J.  Leland,  The  Rights  of  Conscience
Inalienable  (1791),  in  The  Sacred  Rights  of  Conscience
337–339  (D.  Dreisbach  &  M.  Hall  eds.  2009).    “[T]ruth
gains  honor;  and  men  more  firmly  believe  it,”  when  reli-
gion  is  subjected  to  the  “cool  investigation  and  fair  argu-
ment”  that  freedom  of  conscience  produces.  Id.,  at  340. 
Religious  assessments  violated  that  freedom,  he  argued. 
See  id.,  at  342  (“If  these  people  bind  nobody  but  them-
selves,  who  is  injured  by  their  religious  opinions?  But  if
they  bind  an  individual  besides  themselves,  the  bond  is 
fraudulent and ought to be declared illegal”).  Connecticut 
ended religious assessments first by statute in 1817, then
by its State Constitution of 1818.  See Cobb 513. 

In New Hampshire, a steady campaign against religious 
assessments  led  to  a  bill  that  was  subjected  to  “the  scru- 
tiny of the people.”  C. Kinney, Church & State: The Strug-
gle  for  Separation  in  New  Hampshire,  1630–1900,  p.  101 
(1955)  (Kinney).    It  was  nicknamed  “Dr.  Whipple’s  Act” 
after  its  strongest  advocate  in  the  State  House.  Orford 
Union Congregational Soc. v. West Congregational Soc. of 
Orford, 55 N. H. 463, 468–469, n. (1875).  He defended the 
bill as a means “to take religion out of politics, to eliminate
state  support,  to  insure  opportunity  to  worship  with  true
freedom of conscience, [and] to put all sects and denomina-
tions  of  Christians  upon  a  level.”    Kinney  103.  The  bill 
became  law  and  provided  “that  no  person  shall  be  com-
pelled to join or support, or be classed with, or associated 
to  any  congregation,  church  or  religious  society  without
his express consent first had and obtained.”  Act [of July 1,
1819]  Regulating  Towns  and  Choice  of  Town  Officers  §3, 
in  1  Laws  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire  Enacted  Since 
June  1,  1815,  p.  45  (1824).    Massachusetts  held  on  the 
longest  of  all  the  States,  finally  ending  religious  assess-