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Patrick Henry on “Bill Establishing A Provision for Teachers of the Christian Religion”

Patrick Henry on “Bill Establishing A Provision for Teachers of the Christian Religion”

Patrick Henry January 1, 1784 After the revolutionary war, some in Virginia came to fear that religion had gone into decline. Church buildings had been destroyed during the war. It was thought that worship attendance was declining, immorality rising and clergy struggling.  The measure would provide support for Christianity in general, and would not force members of minority denominations to support churches other than their own. Richard Henry Lee argued that it was least the citizens of Virginia could do…

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The Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787

The Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787

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James Madison June 6, 1787 During the debate about the balance of powers between states and the federal government, James Madison argued for less state power in part on the grounds that the colonies had persecuted religion. He also argued that they couldn’t count on religious values to temper bad behavior as “Religion itself may become a motive to persecution & oppression.” Mr. PINKNEY according to previous notice & rule obtained, moved “that the first branch of the national Legislature…

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Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments by James Madison, 1785

Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments by James Madison, 1785

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James Madison June 20, 1785 This is one of the most important documents in the history of religious freedom. James Madison wrote it as part of a drive (by Patrick Henry and the Episcopal Church) to tax Virginians to help support religion. Prior to the Revolutionary War, the churc We the subscribers, citizens of the said Commonwealth, having taken into serious consideration, a Bill printed by order of the last Session of General Assembly, entitled “A Bill establishing a provision…

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Federal Veto of State Laws on Religion, House Debate, August 17, 1789

Federal Veto of State Laws on Religion, House Debate, August 17, 1789

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Congress August 17, 1789 Few people remember that James Madison wanted to give Congress the ability to veto state laws that harmed religious freedom. What follows is the brief debate on this topic. Incredibly, this amendment passed the House but died later in the Senate. The committee then proceeded to the fifth proposition: Article I, Section 10 between the first and second paragraph, insert ‘No state shall infringe the equal rights of conscience, nor the freedom of speech or of…

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Drafts of the First Amendment in Congress, 1789

Drafts of the First Amendment in Congress, 1789

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The First Amendment didn’t go from James Madison’s pen straight to the National Archives. It was the product of legislative wrangling in the House and Senate of the first Congress. Here, without annotation, are the different drafts the lawmakers considered. On June 8, 1789, James Madison proposed a religious freedom amendment to the Constitution: “That in article 1st, section 9, between clauses 3 and 4, be inserted these clauses, to wit: The civil rights of none shall be abridged on…

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Debate on the First Amendment, House of Representatives, August 15, 1789

Debate on the First Amendment, House of Representatives, August 15, 1789

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Congress August 15, 1789 The most complete record of Congressional debate on the first amendment was in the House of Representatives. In it, you can see James Madison attempting to cobble together a winning majority by assuaging concerns of certain Congressman who feared that this amendment would limit the ability of the states to regulate or support religion. Madison assured them the states would still be free to treat religion as they liked. Aug. 15 The House again went into…

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