Virginia Presbyterianism and religious liberty in colonial and revolutionary times . ached to the com-mon interests of the American States, and are determined thatour most fervent prayers and strenuous endeavors shall ever beunited with our fellow-subjects to repel the assaults of tyrannyand to maintain our common rights. In our former memorial wehave expressed our hearty approbation of the Declaration ofRights, which has been made and adopted as the basis of thelaws and government of this State, and now we take the oppor-tunity of testifying that nothing has inspired us with greater con-fiden
Virginia Presbyterianism and religious liberty in colonial and revolutionary times . ached to the com-mon interests of the American States, and are determined thatour most fervent prayers and strenuous endeavors shall ever beunited with our fellow-subjects to repel the assaults of tyrannyand to maintain our common rights. In our former memorial wehave expressed our hearty approbation of the Declaration ofRights, which has been made and adopted as the basis of thelaws and government of this State, and now we take the oppor-tunity of testifying that nothing has inspired us with greater con-fidence in our Legislature, than the late act of Assembly declaringthat equal liberty, as well religious as civil, shall be universallyextended to the good people of this country; and that all theoppressive acts of Parliament respecting religion which have beenformerly enacted in the mother country, shall henceforth be ofno validity or force in this commonwealth; as also exemptingdissenters from all levies, taxes, and impositions, whatsoever, * Thomas Jefferson: Works, Vol. I., p. Rev. Samuel Stanhope Smith [ And Religious Liberty. 89 towards supporting the Church of England as it now is or here-after may be established. We would, therefore, have given ourhonorable Legislature no further trouble on this subject, but weare sorry to find that there yet remains a variety of opinionstouching the propriety of a general assessment, or whether everyreligious society shall be left to voluntary contributions for themaintenance of the ministers of the Gospel who are of diflferentpersuasions. As this matter is deferred by our Legislature to thediscussion and final determination of a future Assembly, whenthe opinions of the country in general shall be better known; wethink it our indispensable duty again to repeat a part of the prayerof our former memorial, that dissenters of every denominationmay be exempted from all taxes for the support of any churchwhatsoever, further than what may be
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