Jasen777
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“We are either a United people, or we are not. If the former, let us, in all matters of general concern act as a nation, which have national objects to promote, and a National character to support--If we are not, let us no longer act a farce by pretending to it.” - George Washington
The Collapse of the Farce
Prologue – The life of a prominent gentleman examined. In the doing so, the even slightly alert and knowledgeable reader should be able to discern the point of departure well enough. Some short term consequences of the points expounded, and perhaps some slightly longer term consequences hinted at (though the the title and leading quote hint well enough at the major consequence). Also presented is a brief overview of the varying relationships between church and state in the former colonies, the challenge presented to them by the Revolution, and the resulting changes. That reader may view that as an uninteresting digression, but oh well.
From: Short Biographies of Famous Virginians Vol. 2
James Madison (Jr.) - (1751-1783)
A politician during the Revolutionary Period, noted for his brilliant mind and organizational skills. Born in 1751 on Belle Grove Plantation, to parents James and Eleanor Madison. The senior Madison was a wealthy tobacco planter (see V1 – P 153).
Madison left home to study at Princeton, where he had a distinguished academic career, learning Latin, Greek, science, geography, mathematics, rhetoric, philosophy, speech, debate, Hebrew, political philosophy, and law.
Madison entered politics in 1776, when he was elected to the House of Delegates. He became noted as a protegee of Thomas Jefferson, and was well regarded for his impressive intellect and coalition building abilities. Along with Jefferson, Madison was an advocate of religious freedom and often in conflict with Patrick Henry's faction.
In 1780, the House of Delegates selected Madison to represent Virginia on the Continental Congress. The youngest member of that body, Madison was nevertheless an influential force in it. Most notably, Madison convinced Virginia, New York, and the Eastern States, to cede many of their land claims west of Pennsylvania and north of the Ohio River to the Continental Congress. This formed the Northwest Territory, and is seen as one of the best, though ultimately failed, attempts to prevent the fracturing of the First Republic.
Having served his 3 year term in the Continental Congress, Madison returned to Virginia in 1783. He was expected to serve once again in the House of Delegates and perhaps run for Governor in the absence of Jefferson. Unfortunately, on the trip home he contacted pneumonia, which he died from later that year. He died a great man, but one cut down too soon to reach his full potential.
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From: A History of Christianity in North America by Josh B. Noll
Churches, and their relationship to government, did not escape the challenges posed by the American Revolution. Theoretically, all of the colonies had churches that were under the authority of the Church of England, headed by the King. Since they were in rebellion against the King's government, that obviously caused some awkwardness.
However, the states in their colonial history had experienced a diverse range of practices regarding the relationship between religion and the government. Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire had always had strong official Congregationalist establishments which paid little heed to the Church of England. These establishments remained strong even in the face of the development of some pluralism after the First Great Awakening, (Baptists in particular increased in numbers), and the mandating of some toleration by the English crown. They could, for instance, no longer hang annoying Quakers. These three states did however tax citizens for the support of the Congregationalist churches, even those people who were not Congregationalist. Although in theory it was possible for Baptists and other dissenting groups to obtain exemption from religious taxation, in practice this exemption was virtually impossible to obtain, and even if obtained the applicant had to pay a fee for the permit that was roughly equal to the tax, making the whole exercise rather pointless.
The Congregationalist establishments were deeply entrenched in those states, and they would stay so through the Revolution and First Republic as well as afterward. The lone exception to Congregationalist establishment in the Eastern States was Rhode Island. Originally founded by Roger Williams, who had been exiled from Massachusetts for his religious views, including the view of state-church separation, Rhode Island had always had a practice of non-establishment of any denomination, or even of religion in general.
In the Middle Colonies, Pennsylvania and Delaware were founded by William Penn for the expressed purpose of the practice of religious freedom for many different groups. This was a truer type of religious freedom than the practice by the Puritans in New England, for who religious freedom meant their free practice (which at some times did not exist for them in England) and the exclusion of others. There was never any possibility of religious establishments in either the Pennsylvania and Delaware colonies, nor was there later when they became states.
Perhaps the most interesting cases are those colonies that had official Anglican establishments. Anglican establishment had always been lightly felt in the American colonies, in fact, the practice of the Anglican Church towards the American colonies could be termed a religious version of salutary neglect. The colonies lacked so much as even a single Anglican bishop, which made the establishments lightly felt indeed. Since a Bishop was needed to consecrate new priests, the lack of an American bishop meant that all new priests had to be sent over (or back) from England, which was a prospect most priest did not want, and as a result the American colonies often received the worst qualified of priests. For these reasons, even the Anglicans in the American colonies practiced religious “do it yourself-ism” than their European counterparts.
In the Middle Colonies, the Anglican establishments were often mere fiction. New York and New Jersey for example had such diversity of religion in their settlement both before and during English rule that a true Anglican establishment was impossible. The Anglican establishment in Maryland was likewise light, due to its complicated history which included its founding by Catholics and later conflict, sometime armed, between various religious groups.
Of course, during the Revolution and after, Anglican establishment, no matter how light, was unthinkable, since it was the Church of England and headed by the King of England. New Jersey quickly voted to disestablish the Anglican Church and adopted the example of no religious establishment from Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island. Maryland and New York also quickly voted to disestablish the Anglican Church, however their legislatures were unable to agree on what to do next on the issue throughout the Revolution. Maryland would eventually adopt the principal of no religious establishment. New York would eventually follow a different example, one coming from the Southern states.
The Southern Colonies, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia, also had lightly felt Anglican establishments, though they were a slightly bit more effective than the mere fictional one in New York. Nevertheless, the idea that religion needed and deserved government support seemed more prevalent in the Southern (and Eastern for that matter) Colonies than the Middle Colonies.
Since the First Great Awakening a large number of colonists had become Baptist, Methodists, or Presbyterians in the southern colonies. Although normally not that harsh, for example, never matching the hangings of Quakers by Congregationalist Massachusetts in the Seventeenth Century, these groups often faced discrimination and even persecution, such as the imprisonment of fifty Baptists by Virginia in 1774 for unlicensed preaching.
Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina all quickly disestablished the Anglican Church after the Declaration of Independence, and Georgia would do so later. What to do after disestablishment became a matter of great debate in those states.
Some Virginian legislators sought to have a non-establishment on the model of Pennsylvania and similar states. Others pushed for an establishment of the Episcopal Church. Both of these movements were defeated with much debate and vicious political maneuvering. With none less a personage than Patrick Henry describing it as “the toughest political fight of my career.”
In South Carolina, a different route was taken. Under the leadership of William Tennent, the idea of establishing Protestant Christianity was proposed and then implemented in 1778. What this meant was the the government would promote Protestant Christianity in general and would support, via taxation, all Protestant Churches, in theory, without bias between them. This example would prove to be decisive in the Southern States, and similar establishments were adopted by North Carolina in 1783 and, with Jefferson in Europe and Madison dead, by Virginia in 1785, finally ending the heated debate in that state. Of course, true impartiality does not exist, and denominations which did not rely on college educated clergy and permanent church buildings often found themselves unable to get proper registration, which lead to people having to pay tax, but not having it go to support their preferred church.
The failure of the states to find a common practice in treating churches caused problems. It strengthen the identities of states, at the expense of the Federal Republic. The Congregationalist establishments in the Eastern States became even further entrenched in fear of they would lose their exclusive position. Members of minority sects in states with establishments grew increasingly unsatisfied. This would play a role later...
The Collapse of the Farce
Prologue – The life of a prominent gentleman examined. In the doing so, the even slightly alert and knowledgeable reader should be able to discern the point of departure well enough. Some short term consequences of the points expounded, and perhaps some slightly longer term consequences hinted at (though the the title and leading quote hint well enough at the major consequence). Also presented is a brief overview of the varying relationships between church and state in the former colonies, the challenge presented to them by the Revolution, and the resulting changes. That reader may view that as an uninteresting digression, but oh well.
From: Short Biographies of Famous Virginians Vol. 2
James Madison (Jr.) - (1751-1783)
A politician during the Revolutionary Period, noted for his brilliant mind and organizational skills. Born in 1751 on Belle Grove Plantation, to parents James and Eleanor Madison. The senior Madison was a wealthy tobacco planter (see V1 – P 153).
Madison left home to study at Princeton, where he had a distinguished academic career, learning Latin, Greek, science, geography, mathematics, rhetoric, philosophy, speech, debate, Hebrew, political philosophy, and law.
Madison entered politics in 1776, when he was elected to the House of Delegates. He became noted as a protegee of Thomas Jefferson, and was well regarded for his impressive intellect and coalition building abilities. Along with Jefferson, Madison was an advocate of religious freedom and often in conflict with Patrick Henry's faction.
In 1780, the House of Delegates selected Madison to represent Virginia on the Continental Congress. The youngest member of that body, Madison was nevertheless an influential force in it. Most notably, Madison convinced Virginia, New York, and the Eastern States, to cede many of their land claims west of Pennsylvania and north of the Ohio River to the Continental Congress. This formed the Northwest Territory, and is seen as one of the best, though ultimately failed, attempts to prevent the fracturing of the First Republic.
Having served his 3 year term in the Continental Congress, Madison returned to Virginia in 1783. He was expected to serve once again in the House of Delegates and perhaps run for Governor in the absence of Jefferson. Unfortunately, on the trip home he contacted pneumonia, which he died from later that year. He died a great man, but one cut down too soon to reach his full potential.
***************
From: A History of Christianity in North America by Josh B. Noll
Churches, and their relationship to government, did not escape the challenges posed by the American Revolution. Theoretically, all of the colonies had churches that were under the authority of the Church of England, headed by the King. Since they were in rebellion against the King's government, that obviously caused some awkwardness.
However, the states in their colonial history had experienced a diverse range of practices regarding the relationship between religion and the government. Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire had always had strong official Congregationalist establishments which paid little heed to the Church of England. These establishments remained strong even in the face of the development of some pluralism after the First Great Awakening, (Baptists in particular increased in numbers), and the mandating of some toleration by the English crown. They could, for instance, no longer hang annoying Quakers. These three states did however tax citizens for the support of the Congregationalist churches, even those people who were not Congregationalist. Although in theory it was possible for Baptists and other dissenting groups to obtain exemption from religious taxation, in practice this exemption was virtually impossible to obtain, and even if obtained the applicant had to pay a fee for the permit that was roughly equal to the tax, making the whole exercise rather pointless.
The Congregationalist establishments were deeply entrenched in those states, and they would stay so through the Revolution and First Republic as well as afterward. The lone exception to Congregationalist establishment in the Eastern States was Rhode Island. Originally founded by Roger Williams, who had been exiled from Massachusetts for his religious views, including the view of state-church separation, Rhode Island had always had a practice of non-establishment of any denomination, or even of religion in general.
In the Middle Colonies, Pennsylvania and Delaware were founded by William Penn for the expressed purpose of the practice of religious freedom for many different groups. This was a truer type of religious freedom than the practice by the Puritans in New England, for who religious freedom meant their free practice (which at some times did not exist for them in England) and the exclusion of others. There was never any possibility of religious establishments in either the Pennsylvania and Delaware colonies, nor was there later when they became states.
Perhaps the most interesting cases are those colonies that had official Anglican establishments. Anglican establishment had always been lightly felt in the American colonies, in fact, the practice of the Anglican Church towards the American colonies could be termed a religious version of salutary neglect. The colonies lacked so much as even a single Anglican bishop, which made the establishments lightly felt indeed. Since a Bishop was needed to consecrate new priests, the lack of an American bishop meant that all new priests had to be sent over (or back) from England, which was a prospect most priest did not want, and as a result the American colonies often received the worst qualified of priests. For these reasons, even the Anglicans in the American colonies practiced religious “do it yourself-ism” than their European counterparts.
In the Middle Colonies, the Anglican establishments were often mere fiction. New York and New Jersey for example had such diversity of religion in their settlement both before and during English rule that a true Anglican establishment was impossible. The Anglican establishment in Maryland was likewise light, due to its complicated history which included its founding by Catholics and later conflict, sometime armed, between various religious groups.
Of course, during the Revolution and after, Anglican establishment, no matter how light, was unthinkable, since it was the Church of England and headed by the King of England. New Jersey quickly voted to disestablish the Anglican Church and adopted the example of no religious establishment from Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island. Maryland and New York also quickly voted to disestablish the Anglican Church, however their legislatures were unable to agree on what to do next on the issue throughout the Revolution. Maryland would eventually adopt the principal of no religious establishment. New York would eventually follow a different example, one coming from the Southern states.
The Southern Colonies, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia, also had lightly felt Anglican establishments, though they were a slightly bit more effective than the mere fictional one in New York. Nevertheless, the idea that religion needed and deserved government support seemed more prevalent in the Southern (and Eastern for that matter) Colonies than the Middle Colonies.
Since the First Great Awakening a large number of colonists had become Baptist, Methodists, or Presbyterians in the southern colonies. Although normally not that harsh, for example, never matching the hangings of Quakers by Congregationalist Massachusetts in the Seventeenth Century, these groups often faced discrimination and even persecution, such as the imprisonment of fifty Baptists by Virginia in 1774 for unlicensed preaching.
Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina all quickly disestablished the Anglican Church after the Declaration of Independence, and Georgia would do so later. What to do after disestablishment became a matter of great debate in those states.
Some Virginian legislators sought to have a non-establishment on the model of Pennsylvania and similar states. Others pushed for an establishment of the Episcopal Church. Both of these movements were defeated with much debate and vicious political maneuvering. With none less a personage than Patrick Henry describing it as “the toughest political fight of my career.”
In South Carolina, a different route was taken. Under the leadership of William Tennent, the idea of establishing Protestant Christianity was proposed and then implemented in 1778. What this meant was the the government would promote Protestant Christianity in general and would support, via taxation, all Protestant Churches, in theory, without bias between them. This example would prove to be decisive in the Southern States, and similar establishments were adopted by North Carolina in 1783 and, with Jefferson in Europe and Madison dead, by Virginia in 1785, finally ending the heated debate in that state. Of course, true impartiality does not exist, and denominations which did not rely on college educated clergy and permanent church buildings often found themselves unable to get proper registration, which lead to people having to pay tax, but not having it go to support their preferred church.
The failure of the states to find a common practice in treating churches caused problems. It strengthen the identities of states, at the expense of the Federal Republic. The Congregationalist establishments in the Eastern States became even further entrenched in fear of they would lose their exclusive position. Members of minority sects in states with establishments grew increasingly unsatisfied. This would play a role later...
