The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

FROM THE TRUE AMERICAN.

Messrs. Wilson and Blackwell,

It is with surprise equalled only by sorrow, that I behold many members of religious societies that have nothing to hope for but persecution and oppression from an union of church and state, countenancing and supporting a party which, I am well convinced, has long been, and still is, laboring to introduce into this country the corrupt government and adulterated religion of England. Their aiding this party, must, I think, be owing either to ignorance of its designs, or thoughtlessness of the consequences of its success. I have, in my own mind, no doubt of the existence of a considerable combination of rich, learned and influential men, clergy as well as laity, who wish and are striving to introduce into America the form and practice of the British government ; and I believe any one who will take the trouble of examining and comparing facts, will think with me on this point.

The corruption which pure and undefiled religion sustains from a connection with the powers and concerns of this world, must be obvious to every reflecting mind; and all good men ought fervently to pray that in this country politics and religion may never be blended as they are in England.

If church and State are united, the government embraces but one sect or persuasion, and subjects all others to certain disabilities, privations, and penalties. What sect would be the favourite of government in this country, in case of an established religion, though not certainly known, may be readily guessed. In England the episcopalians are the established church and all others are called dissenters. The numerous disabilities they are subjected to, and the difficulties with which they have to struggle, (and the difficulties and disabilities would probably be the same with dissenters in America if one sect were incorporated with government) may be seen by the following piece taken from Rippon's London "Baptist Register," for 1793.

The civil state of dissenters in England.

1. Every dissenter in England is excluded from all civil and ecclesiastical employment of honor and profit in the kingdom. No Dissenter can be admitted to command in the army or navy, were even his country invaded, nor to collect any part of the public revenue, nor to act as a magistrate, nor to graduate in either of the universities, not even to take a degree of doctor of Music or physic, which employments do not seem to have any reference to the state.

2. Nor will the affirmation of a quaker be taken in any of our courts, in any criminal prosecution whatever; so that if a man of this denomination were to see another murder his father or his wife, he could not prosecute the criminal without denying his religion.

3. No quaker can practice in any of the courts of law, not even as an attorney.

4. This civil incapacity makes Dissenters be looked upon by the vulgar, most unjustly, as rebels and enemies to government, and to a family which they placed on the throne: and in all seasons of alarm and tumult, they have experienced and do experience, great evils in this way.

5. Every Dissenter who acknowledges the truth of the doctrine of the Trinity, is tolerated in the exercise of religious worship ; but he who denies the Trinity, is, on conviction, liable to confiscation of goods, and imprisonment.

6. Dissenters pay all taxes and tithes, and are obliged to serve offices in the church which are attended only with labour and expense, as church-warden, &c. subject to heavy penalties if they do not serve, or find, at their own expense, a proper substitute ! ! !

Such is the present state of Religious Societies in England—One denomination protected, patronized, and pampered by Government—all others plundered, trampled under foot, and despised!

How thankful ought Americans to be to Him who in their happy country has placed all sects on an even footing, independent of and unsupported by each other, and free from the control or interference of government ! And how careful ought we to be lest these peculiar and inestimable privileges should be taken from us!

Yet we see some of the Ministers and Members of those religions petitioning in this country, which in England are most dismoiled and oppressed, either willingly or countenancing ambitious and unprincipled men in their attempts to introduce an oppressive government and a corrupt religion into our country, and seconding or smiling upon their slander and abuse of the very man who has been the principal instrument in the hand of God in establishing religious liberty in our land !

These things ought not to be so :—

Let Methodists, let Baptists, let Quakers, and others, beware lest they aid the enemies of our civil and religious rights in fixing on the necks of our children a Yoke which neither ourselves nor our fathers were able to bear!

A Friend to Religious, as well as Civil Liberty.