subsistido durante mucho tiempo sin establecimiento alguno. El experimento era nuevo y dudoso cuando lo hicieron. Ha dado resultados más allá de toda concepción. Florecen infinitamente.
Religion is well fupported ; of various kinds, indeed, but all good enough ; all fufficient to preferve peace and order: or if a fe6l arifes, whofe tenets would fubvert morals, good fenfe has fair play, and reafons and laughs it out of doors, without fufFering the ftate to be troubled with it. They do not hang more malefaftors than we do. They are not more difturbed with religious dif- fentions. On the contrary, their harmony is unparalleled, and can be afcribed to nothing but their unbounded tolerance, becaufe there is no other circumftance in which they differ from every nation on earth. They have made the happy difcovery, that the way to filence religious difputes, is to take no notice of them. Let us too give this experiment fair play, and get rid, while we may, of thofe tyrannical laws. It is true, we are as yet fecured againft them by the fpirit of the times. I doubt whether [ 317 J the people of this country would fufFer an execution for herefy, or a three years imprifonment for not comprehending the myfteries of the Trinity. But is the ipirit of the people an infallible, a perma- nent reliance? Is it government ? Is this the kind of protection we receive in return for the rights we give up ? Befides, the fpirit of the times may alter, will alter. Our rulers will become corrupt, our people carelefs. A fingle zealot may commence perfecutor, and better men be his victims. It can never be too often repeated, that the time for fixing every eflential right on a legal bafis is while our rulers are honeft, and ourfelves united. From the conclufion of this war we fhall be going down hill. It will not then be neceflary to refort every moment to the people for fupport. They will be forgotten, therefore, and their rights difre- garded. They will forget themfelves, but in the fole faculty of making money, and will never think of uniting to effeft a due refpeft for their rights. The fhackles, therefore, which ftiall not be knocked off at the conclufion of this war, will remain on us long, will be made heavier and heavier, till our rights (hall revive or expire in a convulfion.