Virginia Argus

UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE.

The old federal party has been distinguished from those who profess Republican principles as much by its admiration of aristocratical permanent establishments, of every description, religious as well as political, as by any other characteristic. True it is, that since the accession of a number of non-descripts to the party, it has become necessary to play hide and seek with their politics, and to say as little of their first principles, as in Congress would exhibit. But ever and anon, in election contest, the cloven foot peeps from the cloak of disguise, and federalism in its pristine personality stands confessed. In a Boston paper, amidst other electioneering matter, we find a string of reasons why a Republican Legislature should not be elected, deduced from the acts of a former Republican Legislature; among which the following objection to the doings of that body is prominently stated :

"They impinged the constitutional provi- sion for the support of a public worship, by releasing the DISAFFECTED from con- tributing to the support of PERMANENT TEACHERS OF PIETY, RELIGION AND MO- RALITY."

These New England democrats must be terrible fellows, most impious, irreligious, and immoral indeed : they even went so far, when the faction got into power, as to re- lease the " disaffected" from contributing to the support of' permanent teachers of piety, religion and morality " They refused to support an established church--that's the plain English of it; they refused longer to compel the disaffected, that is, those who choose to go to heaven their own way, to pay an established clergy for propagating tenets the reverse of what they professed. Is not it a wonder, after this, they did not order all the bibles and prayer books to be burnt, and the churches to be converted into play- houses? They did not do this; but they did another thing, which in the eyes of an old school federalist is just as bad -They ex- tended the right of suffrage! Yes, in the words of our text, " That (Democratic) Le- gislature, in violation of all the ancient u- sages of the Commonwealth, gave to every transient person, who merely pays a poll tax, the right to vote in all town affairs." Yes, not only a right to vote, but a right to vote in all town affairs! These are the un- forgiven sins of the Democracy of Massa- chusetts. These are the criminal charges exhibited by Federalists against them. What say the people, the jury who are to try them? Guilty or not guilty? Not guilty. on our honor.