Founders' Quote Database

Thomas Jefferson

letter to Samuel Miller — 1808
Category: Religious Liberty
I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises. This results not only from the provision that no law shall be made respecting the establishment or free exercise of religion, but from that also which reserves to the States the powers not delegated to the United States. Certainly, no power to prescribe any religious exercise or to assume authority in any religious discipline has been delegated to the General Government. It must then rest with the States.

Thomas Jefferson

Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 17 — 1782
Category: Religious Liberty
The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

George Washington

letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island — 1790
Category: Religious Liberty
It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights, for happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.
Virginia Bill of Rights, Article 16 — 1776
Category: Religious Liberty
[R]eligion, or the duty which we owe to our creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and this is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other.
Massachusetts Bill of Rights, Part the First — 1780
Category: Religious Liberty
It is the right as well as the duty of all men in society, publicly and at stated seasons, to worship the Supreme Being, the great Creator and Preserver of the universe. And no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; or for his religion profession of sentiments; provided he doth not disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in their religious worship....

John Witherspoon

The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men — 1776
Category: Religious Liberty
There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the same time deliver the conscience into bondage.

Joseph Story

Commentaries on the Constitution — 1833
Category: Religious Liberty
It yet remains a problem to be solved in human affairs, whether any free government can be permanent, where the public worship of God, and the support of religion, constitute no part of the policy or duty of the state in any assignable shape. The future experience of Christendom, and chiefly of the American states, must settle this problem, as yet new in the history of the world, abundant, as it has been, in experiments in the theory of government.

George Washington

letter to the General Committee of the United Baptist Churches in Virginia — 1789
Category: Religious Liberty
I have often expressed my sentiments, that every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience.

George Washington

letter to the Members of the New Church in Baltimore — 1793
Category: Religious Liberty
We have abundant reason to rejoice that in this Land the light of truth and reason has triumphed over the power of bigotry and superstition, and that every person may here worship God according to the dictates of his own heart. In this enlightened Age and in this Land of equal liberty it is our boast, that a man's religious tenets will not forfeit the protection of the Laws, nor deprive him of the right of attaining and holding the highest Offices that are known in the United States.

Thomas Jefferson

letter to Samuel Miller — 1809
Category: Religious Liberty
I consider the government of the U.S. as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises.

Thomas Jefferson

letter to a Committee of the Danbury Baptist Association, Connecticut — 1802
Category: Religious Liberty
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between church and State.

Thomas Paine

Common Sense — 1776
Category: Religious Liberty
The reformation was preceded by the discovery of America, as if the Almighty graciously meant to open a sanctuary to the persecuted in future years, when home should afford neither friendship nor safety.

John Adams

Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law — 1765
Category: Religious Liberty
Let the pulpit resound with the doctrine and sentiments of religious liberty. Let us hear of the dignity of man's nature, and the noble rank he holds among the works of God... Let it be known that British liberties are not the grants of princes and parliaments.

James Madison

letter to William Bradford — 1774
Category: Religious Liberty
That diabolical Hell conceived principle of persecution rages amoung some and to their eternal Infamy the Clergy can furnish their Quota of Imps for such business,

James Madison

letter to William Bradford — 1774
Category: Religious Liberty
Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprize, every expanded prospect.

James Madison

Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments — 1785
Category: Religious Liberty
It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage and such only as he believes to be acceptable to him. This duty is precedent, both in order of time and in degree of obligation, to the claims of Civil Society.

George Washington

to the Annual meeting of Quakers — 1789
Category: Religious Liberty
The liberty enjoyed by the people of these states of worshiping Almighty God agreeably to their conscience, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights.

James Madison

proposed amendment to the Constitution, given in a speech in the House of Representatives — 1789
Category: Religious Liberty
The civil rights of none, shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext infringed.

James Madison

essay on Property — 1792
Category: Religious Liberty
Conscience is the most sacred of all property.

James Madison

letter to Jacob de la Motta — 1820
Category: Religious Liberty
Among the features peculiar to the political system of the United States, is the perfect equality of rights which it secures to every religious sect.

James Madison

letter to Edward Livingston — 1822
Category: Religious Liberty
We are teaching the world the great truth that Governments do better without Kings & Nobles than with them. The merit will be doubled by the other lesson that Religion Flourishes in greater purity, without than with the aid of Government.

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