Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
7
March 1893.
The people of these United States are the rightful masters of both Con-
gresses and Courts, not to overthrow the ConstitutIon, but to overthrow
the men who pervert that Constitution. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
6 11
forget it. Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christi- “We would also humbly represent, that the only proper objects of civil govern-
anity, in exclusion of all other religions, may establish, with the same case, any ment are the happiness and protection of men in the present state of existence, the
particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other sects? that the same authority security of the life, liberty, and property of the citizens, and to restrain the vicious
which can force a citizen to contribute three pence only, of his property, for the and encourage the virtuous by wholesome laws, equally extending to every indi-
support of any one establishment, may force him to conform to all other establish- vidual: but that the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharg-
ment in all cases whatsoever? ing it, can only he directed by reason and conviction, and is nowhere cognizable
“4. Because the bill violates that equality which ought to be the hasis of every but at the tribunal of the universal Judge.
law, and which is more indispensable in proportion as the validity or expediency “Therefore we ask no ecclesiastical establishments for ourselves; neither can
of any law is more liable to be impeached. ‘If all men are by nature equally free we approve of them when granted to others. This, Indeed, would be giving exclu-
and independent,’ all men are to be considered as entering into society on equal sive or separate emoluments or privileges to one sect of men, without any special
conditions; as relinquishing no more, and therefore, retaining no less, one than the public services, to the common reproach and injury of every other denomination.
other, of their natural rights. Above all, are they to be considered as retaining an And all for the reason recited, we are Induced earnestly to entreat that all laws
‘equal title to the free exercise of religion according to the dictates of conscience. now in force in this commonwealth, which countenance religious domination,
Whilst we assert for ourselves a freedom to embrace, to profess, and to observe may be speedily repealed ; that all of every religious sect may be protected in the
the religion which we believe to be of divine origin, we cannot deny an equal full exercise of their several modes of worship ; exempted from all taxes for the
freedom to them whose mindshave not yet yielded to the evidence which has support of any church whatsoever, farther than what may be agreeable to their
convinced us. If this freedom be abused, it is an offense against God, not against own private choice or voluntary obligation. This being done, all partial and invidi-
man. To God, therefore, not to man, must an account of it be rendered. As the bill ous distinction will be abolished, to the great honor and interest of the State, and
violates equality by subjecting some to peculiar burdens, so it violates the same everyone be left to stand or fall according to his merit, which can never be the case
principle by granting to others peculiar exemptions. Are the Quakers and Menon- so long as any one denomination is established in preference to the others.
ists the only sects who think a compulsive support of their religious unnecessary “That the great Sovereign of the universe may inspire yon with unanimity, wis-
and unwarrantable. Can their piety alone be intrusted with the care of public wor- dom, and resolution, and bring you to a just determination on all the important
ship? Ought their religions to be endowed above all others with extraordinary concerns before you, is the fervent prayer of your memorialists.” 1
privileges by which proselytes may be enticed from all others. We think too fa- The Presbytery of Hanover was immediately joined in the good
vorably of the justice and good sense of these denominations to believe that they work by the Baptists and the Quakers, who sent up petitions to the
either covet pre-eminence over their fellow-citizens, or that they will be seduced same purpose. The Episcopalian was the established church of Vir-
by them from the common opposition to the measure. ginia, and had been ever since the planting of the colony. The Epis-
“5. Because the bill implies either that the civil magistrate is a competent judge copalians and the Methodists sent up counter-memorials, pleading
of religious truths, or that he may employ religion as an engine of civil policy. The for a continuance of the system of established religion. Two mem-
first is an arrogant pretension, falsified by the contradictory opinions of rulers in bers of the assembly, Messrs. Pendleton and Nicolas, championed
all ages and throughout the world; the second, an unhallowed perversion of the the establishment, and Jefferson espoused the cause of liberty and
means of salvation. right. After nearly two months of what Jefferson pronounced the
“6. Because the establishment proposed by the bill is not requisite for the sup- severest contest in which he was ever engaged, the cause of freedom
port of the Christian religion. To say that it is, is a contradiction to the Christian prevailed, and Dec. 6, 1776, the Assembly passed a law repealing
religion itself, for every page of it disavows a dependence on the powers of this all the colonial laws and penalties prejudicial to dissenters, releasing
world. it is a contradiction to fact; for it is known that this religion both existed them from any further compulsory contributions to the Episcopal
and flourished, not only without the support of human laws, but in spite of every Church, and discontinuing the State support of the Episcopal clergy
opposition from them ; and not only during the period of miraculous aid, but long after Jan. 1, 1777.
after it had been left to its own evidence and the ordinary care of Providence. Nay, A motion was then made to levy a general tax for the support of
it is a contradiction in terms; for a religion not invented by human policy must “teachers of the Christian religion,” but it was postponed till a future
have pre-existed and been supported before it was established by human policy. Assembly. To the next Assembly, petitions were sent strongly plead-
it is, moreover, to weaken in those who profess this religion a pious confidence in ing for the general assessment. But the Presbytery of Hanover, still
its innate excellence and the patronage of its Author, and to foster in those who strongly supported by the Baptists and the Quakers, was again on
still reject it a suspicion that its friends are too conscious of its fallacies to trust it hand with a memorial, in which it referred to the points previously
to its own merits. presented, and then proceeded as follows:—
“7. Because experience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead “ We would also humbly represent, that the only proper objects of civil govern-
of maintaining the purity and efficacy of religion, have had a contrary operation. ment are the happiness and protection of men in the present state of existence,
During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been the security of the life, liberty, and property of the citizens, and to restrain the
on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence 1
Baird’s “Religion in America,” book iii, chap. iii, par. 9-16.
10 7
vicious and to encourage the virtuous by wholesome laws, equally extending to the next Assembly, in opposition to the bill. This document reads as
every individual; but that the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner follows:—
of discharging it, can only be directed by reason and conviction, and is nowhere “We, the subscriber’s, citizens of the said commonwealth, having taken into se-
cognizable but at the tribunal of the universal Judge. rious consideration a bill printed by order of the last session of General Assembly,
“ To illustrate and confirm these assertions, we beg leave to observe, that to entitled, ‘A Bill Establishing a provision for Teachers of the Christian Religion,’
judge for ourselves, and to engage in the excise of religion agreeably to the dic- and conceiving that the same, if finally armed with the sanctions of a law, will
tates of our own consciences, is an unalienable right, which, upon the principles be a dangerous abuse of power, are bound as faithful members of a free State to
on which the gospel was first propagated, and the Reformation from popery car- remonstrate against it, and to declare the reasons by which we are determined. We
ried on, can never be transferred to another. Neither does the church of Christ remonstrate against the said bill.
stand in need of a general assessment for its support; and most certain we are that “1. Because we hold it for a fundamental and undeniable truth ‘that religion, or
it would be of no advantage, but an injury to the society to which we belong; and the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be
as every good Christian believes that Christ has ordained a complete system of directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence.’ The religion,
laws for the government of his kingdom, so we are persuaded that by his provi- then, of every man must be left to the conviction and conscience of every man
dence he will support it to its final consummation. In the fixed belief of this prin- ; and it is the right of every man to exercise it as these may dictate. This right is
ciple, that the kingdom of Christ and the concerns of religion are beyond the limits in its nature an unalienable right. it is unalienable, because the opinions of men,
of civil control, we should act a dishonest, inconsistent part, were we to receive depending only on the evidence contemplated in their own minds, cannot follow
any emoluments from human establishments for the support of the gospel. the dictates of other men. it is unalienable, also, because what is here a right to-
“These things being considered, we hope that we shall be excused for remon- wards men is a duty towards the Creator. it is the duty of every man to render to
strating against a general assessment for any religious purpose. As the maxims the Creator such homage, and such only, as he believes to be acceptable to him.
have long been approved, that every servant is to obey his master, and that the This duty is precedent, both in order of time and in degree of obligation, to the
hireling is accountable for his conduct to him from whom be receives his wages claims of civil society. Before any man can he considered as a member of civil so-
; in like manner, if the legislature has any rightful authority over the ministers ciety, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the universe: and if a
of the gospel in the exercise of their sacred office, and if it is their duty to levy member of civil society who enters into any subordinate association, must always
a maintenance for them as such, then it will follow that they may revive the old do it with a reservation of his duty to the general authority, much more must every
establishment in its former extent, or ordain a new one for any sect they may think man who becomes a member of any particular civil society do it with a saving of
proper; they are invested with a power not only to determine, but it is incumbent his allegiance to the universal Sovereign. We maintain, therefore, that in matters
on them to declare who shall preach, what they shall preach, to whom, when, of religion no man’s right is abridged by the institution of civil society, and that
and in what places they shall preach; or to impose any rejections and restrictions religion is wholly exempt from cognizance. True it is, that no other rule exists by
upon religious societies that they may judge expedient. These consequences are which any question which may divide a society can be ultimately determined than
so plain as not to be denied, and they are so entirely subversive of religious liberty, the will of the majority; but it is also true that the majority may trespass upon the
that if they should take place in Virginia, we should be reduced to the melancholy rights of the minority.
necessity of saying with the apostles in like cases, ‘Judge ye whether it is best to “2. Because, if religion is exempt from the authority of the society at large,
obey God or men,’ and also of acting as they acted. still less can it be subject to that of the legislative body. The latter are but the
“Therefore, as it is contrary to our principles and interest, and, as we think, creatures and vicegerents of the former. Their jurisdiction is both derivative and
subversive of religions liberty, we do again most ernestly enteart that our legis- limited. it is limited with regard to the co-ordinate departments ; more necessarily
lature would never extend any assessment for religious-purposes to us or to the is it limited with regard to the constituents. The preservation of a free govern-
congregations under our care.” 1 ment requires not merely that the metes and bounds which separate each depart-
In 1779, they defeated the bill, which had been ordered to a third ment of power be invariably maintained, but more especially that neither of them
reading. But in the first Assembly after the war was over, in 1784, it be suffered to overleap the great barrier which defends the rights of the people.
was brought up again. it was entitled “A Bill Establishing a Provi- The rulers who are guilty of such an encroachment exceed the commission from
sion for Teachers of the Christian Religion.” James Madison stood which they derive their authority, and are tyrants. The people who submit to it are
with Jefferson. As the bill was about to pass, they succeeded in car- governed by laws made neither by themselves nor by any authority derived from
rying a motion to postpone it till the next session, but in the mean- them, and are slaves.
time, to have it printed and generally circulated. As soon as this “3. Because it is proper to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties.
had been accomplished, Madison wrote, also for general circulation We hold this prudent jealousy to be the first duty of citizens, and one of the no-
and signature, a Memorial and Remonstrance, to be presented to blest characteristics of the late Revolution. The freemen of America did not wait
till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise, and entangled the question
in precedents. They saw all the consequences in the principle, they avoided the
1
Id., par, 21-23 consequences by denying the principle. We revere this lesson too much, soon to
8 9