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PUBLIC PAPER S.

An Act for establishing Religious Freedom, passed in the Assembly of Virginia, in the Beginning of the Year 1780.

WEL

ELL aware, that Almighty God hath created the mind free; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens, or by civil incapacitations, tend only to beget habits of hypocrify and manners, and are a de. parture from that plan of the Holy Author of our religion, who being lord of body and mind, yet chofe not to propagare it by coercions on either that the impious prefump. tion of legiflators and rulers, civil as well as ecclefiaftical (who, being themfelves but fallible and uninfpir. ed men, have affumed dominion over the faith of others, fetting up their own opinion and modes of thinking as alone true and infallible, and as fuch endeavouring to impofe them on others), hath eftablished and maintained falfe 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 be difbelieves, is finful and tyrannical; that even the forcing a man to fupport this or that teacher of his own religious perfuafion, is depriving him of the comfortable liberty of giving his contributions to the particular paftor, whofe morals he would make his pattern, and whofe powers he feels molt perfuafive to righteoufnefs; and is withdrawing from the ministry thofe temporal rewards, which, proceeding from an

approbation of their perfonal conduct, are an additional incitement to earnest and unremitted labours for the instruction of mankind; that our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions, more than on our opinions in phyfic or geometry; that, therefore, the profcribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence, by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to offices of trust and emolument, unless he profefs or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him injurioully of thofe privileges and advantages to which in common with his fellow-citizens he has a natural right; tends alfo to corrupt the principles of that very religion it is meant to encourage, by bribing with a mo nopoly of worldly honours and e moluments thofe who will externally conform to it; that though indeed thofe are criminal who do not withitand fuch temptations, yet neither are thofe innocent who lay them in their way; that to fuffer the civil magiftrate to intrude his powers into the field of opinion, and to reftrain that profellion or propagation of principles on fuppofition of their ill tendency, is a dangerous fallacy, which at once deftroys all religious liberty, becaufe he, being of courfe judge of that tendency, will make his opinions the rule of judgment, and approve or condemn the fentiments

of

of others, only as they fhall agree with, or differ from his own.

That it is time enough, for the righful purposes of civil government, for its officers to interpofe when principles break out in overt acts against peace and good order and finally, that truth is, great, and will prevail if left to herfelf; is the proper and fufficient antagonist to error; and can have nothing to fear from the conflict, undefs by human interpofition, dif: armed of her natural weapons (free argument and debate); error ceafing to be dangerous, when it is permitted freely to contradict them.

Be it therefore enacted, by the General Affembly, that no man fhall be compelled to fupport any religious worship, place, or miniftry whatfoever; nor fhall be forced, reftrained, molefted or burthened in his body or goods, nor fhall otherwife fuffer on account of his religious opinions or belief. But that all men be free to profefs, and by argument to maintain, their o pinion in matters of religion and that the fame fhall in no wife diminith, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.

And though we well know that this affembly, elected by the people for the ordinary purposes of legiflation only, have no power to refrain the acts of fucceeding af femblies, conftituted with powers equal to our own; and that, therefore, to declare this act irrevocable would be of no effect in law; yet we are free to declare, and do declare, that the rights hereby afferted are natural rights, of mankind; and that if any act fhall be hereafrer paffed to repeal the prefent, or to narrow its operation, fuch an act will be an infringement, of natural rights.

His Majefty's Speech to both Houfes of Parliament, on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 1786.

My Lords and Gentlemen, SINCE I last met you in parliament, the difputes which appeared to threaten an interruption to the tranquillity of Europe have been brought to an amicable conclufion; and I continue to receive from fo reign powers the ftrongest affurances of their friendly difpofition towards this country.

At home, my fubjects experience the growing bleffings of peace in the extenfion of trade, the improvement of the revenue, and the increafe of the public credit of the nation.

For the farther advancement of

thofe important objects, I rely on the continuance of that zeal and induftry, which you manifefted in the latt feffion of Parliament.

The refolutions which you laid before me, as the bafis of an adjuftment of the commercial intercourfe between Great Britain and Ireland, have been by my directions communicated to the parliament of that kingdom; but no effectual flep has hitherto been taken thereupon, which can enable you to make any farther progrefs in that falutary work.

Gentlemen of the House of Com

mons,

I have ordered the estimates for the prefent year to be laid before you: it is my earnest wish to enforce economy in every depart ment; and you will, I am perfuaded, be equally ready to make fuch provifion as may be neceffary for the public fervice, and particularly for maintaining our naval ftrength on the moft fecure and refpectable footing.-Above all, let me recommend to you the establish

ment

ment of a fixed plan for the reduction of the national debt. The flourishing state of the revenue will, I truft, enable you to effect this important measure with little addition to the public burdens.

My Lords and Gentlemen, The vigour and refources of the country, fo fully manifefted in its prefent fituation, will encourage you in continuing to give your utmoft attention to every object of national concern; particularly to the confideration of fuch measures as may be neceflary in order to give farther fecurity to the revenue, and to promote and extend as far as poffible the trade and general industry of my fubjects.

The Speech of the Right Honourable Charles Wolfran Cornwall, Speaker of the House of Commons, on Friday, May 26, 1756, upon prefenting to his Majefty the Bill for vefting certain Sums in Commiffioners, at the end of every Quarter of a Year, to be by them applied to the Reduction of the National Debt, the Reduction of the National Debt, which then received the Royal A which then received the Royal Af fent.

Most gracious Sovereign,

YOUR faithful commons have paffed a bill, intituled, "An act for vefting certain fums in commiffioners, at the end of every quarter of a year, to be by them applied to the reduction of the national debt;" by which they have manifested their attention to your majefty's recommendation, at the opening of this feffion, for eftablifhing a fixed plan for the reduction of the national debt.

By the unanimity which attended the last and most important ftage of this bill, they have given the moft decifive proof, that they have : 1785.

but one heart and one voice, in the maintenance of the public credit, and prosperity of their country.

The public credit of the nation, which is the refult of juft and honourable dealing, is now guarded by an additional fecurity-and the future profperity of this country will effectually be provided for, when it is confidered, that for the purpose of pleading the caufe of the conti nuance of this meafure moft powerfully with pofterity, your faithful commons have, to the justice and good policy of it, added the authority of their own example:

Qui facit, ille jubet.

They have not been difcouraged by the burthens impofed during the last ten years from fubmitting in the prefent time, and in the hour of peace, to new, and the poffibility of other burthens; their object being to attain a fituation for their

country more favourable to her defence and glory in the event of future emergencies.

A plan to honourable in its principle, and fo conducive to the future happinefs and fafety of the kingdom, muft be, in the highest degree, acceptable to the father of his people.

Under that confidence, in the name of all the commons of Great Britain, I render this bill to your majesty; to which, with all humility, your faithful commons defire your majesty's royal affent.

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tion to the public bufinefs, and the measures you have adopted for improving the resources of the coun

try.

Gentlemen of the House of Com

mons,

I thank you for the fupplies which you have granted for the fervice of the current year, and for the provifion you have made for difcharging the incumbrances on the revenue applicable to the ufes of my civil government. The most falutary effects are to be expected from the plan adopted for the reduction of the national debt; an object which I confider as infeparably connected with the effential interefts of the public.

My Lords and Gentlemen, The affurances which I continue to receive from abroad promife the continuance of general tranquillity.

The happy effects of peace have already appeared in the extenfion of the national commerce; and no mcafures fhall be wanting, on my part, which can tend to confirm thefe advantages, and to give additional encouragement to the manufactures and induftry of my people.

The Speech of his Grace Charles, Duke of Rutland, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to both Houses of Par liament, on Thursday, January 19, 1786.

My Lords and Gentlemen, IT is with great fa isfaction, that in obedience to his majefty's commands, I meet you again in parliament. You will, I am perfuaded, give your utmoft attention to the various objects of public concern, which require your confiderarion Your natural folicitude for the welfare of Ireland, and a full

fenfe of her real interefts, will direct all your deliberations, and point out to you the line of conduct which may be moft conducive to the public advantage; and to that latting connection between the fifter kingdoms, fo effential to the profperity of both.

Gentlemen of the Houfe of Com

mons,

I have ordered the public accounts, and other neceffary papers, to be laid before you. The principle which you fo wifely established of preventing the accumulation of the national debt, will, I hope, appear already to have proved fuccefsful; and I entertain no doubt, that your wifdom will perfevere in meafures, which, in their operation, promife fuch beneficial effects. His majefty relies with confidence upon your grant of fuch fupplies as are neceffary for the public fervice, and for the honourable fupport of his government

My Lords and Gentlemen, A fyitematic improvement of the police, and a vigorous execution of the laws, are cffential not only to the due collection of the public revenue, but to the fecurity of private property, and indeed to the protection of fociety. The frequent outrages which have been committed in fome parts of the kingdom, will particularly call your attention. to this important cbject.

It is unneceflary for me to recommend the protestant charterfchools to your protection, or to enumerate the happy effects which may be derived from your continued attention to the linen and other manufactures, to the agricul ture, and to the fisheries of the kingdom, and to fuch meafures as may animate the induftry, extend the education, and improve the mo rals of the people.

It will ever be my ambition to promote the real interes of Ireland, and to contribute by all the means in my power towards eftablishing its future profperity on the furest and most latting foundation.

commons have, in this feffion, continued the fame taxes, and granted all the fupplies that were defired, to the full amount of every eftimated expence; nor have they omitted at the fame time to provide for the speedy reduction of the national debt by a confiderable finkThe Speech of the Right Honourable ing fund, and to continue to the athe Speaker of the House of Com-griculture, the fisheries, and the mons in Ireland, to his Grace Charles, Duke of Rutland, Lord Lieutenant, on Tuesday the 21ft of March, upon the prefenting the Money Bills at the Bar of the Houfe

of Lords.

May it please your Grace, THE expences of this kingdom had for a series of years, as well in time of peace as war, condantly exceeded its revenue, and debt in. creased on debt.

Where fuch a fyftem is fuffered to prevail, manufactures mult at length give way, trade will decline, and agriculture cea'e to produce wealth or plenty. The Commons, therefore, in the last feflion, wifely determined to put a stop to fo ruinous a fyltem, and with a spirited attention to the true intereft of their country, and the honourable fup. port of his majefty's government, they voted new taxes to increase the revenue of the year, in the fum of 140,000l.

The effort was great, and the event has proved its wildom. No further addition is now wanting no loan or act of credit is neceftiry -a situation unknown to this king dom for many feffions paft, and marking with peculiar force the happy era of your Grace's admiwiftration.

Animated by this fuccefs, and determined to perlevere in the principle of preventing the accumulation of debt, this majesty's faithful

Tiling manufactures of the king-
dom, the bounties neceffary for
their fupport.

liberally and cheerfully given, in
Great as thefe taxes are, they are
the most firm and full confidence,
that from your Grace's experienced
wisdom and affection for this king-
dom, they will be found effectually
to answer the end propofed, of fup-
plying the whole of the public ex-
pence, and preventing any further
accumulation of debt.

The Bills which I have the ho-
nour to present to your Grace, for
the royal aflent, are, &c. &c. &c.

The Speech of bis Grace Charles, Duke
of Rutland, Lord Lieutenant of
Ireland, to both Houses of Par-
liament, on Monday May 8, 1786.

My Lords and Gentlemen,
I Have feen, with great fatisfac-
tion, the conflant attention and un-
common difpatch with which you
have gone through the public bufi-
neis. I am thereby enabled now
to relieve you from further attend-
ance in Parliament. The harmony
of your deliberations has given no
lefs efficacy than dignity to your
proceedings; and I am confident
that you will carry with you the
fame difpofition for promoting the
public welfare to your refidence in
the country, where your prefence
will encourage the industry of the
people, and where your example
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