The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, 1903. Andrew A. Lipscomb,
Ed-in-chief, 20 vols. Vol. 10, page 74. THOMAS JEFFERSON
to Elbridge Gerry Philadelphia, January 26, 1799
I am for freedom of religion, and against all manoeuvres to
bring about a legal ascendancy of one sect over another: for
freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution
to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms,
just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents.
And I am for encouraging the progress of science in all its
branches; and not for raising a hue and cry against the sacred
name of philosophy; for awing the human mind by stories of
rawhead and bloody bones to a distrust of its own vision, and to
repose implicitly on that of others; to go backwards instead of
forwards to look for improvement; to believe that government,
religion, morality, and every other science were in the highest
perfection in ages of the darkest ignorance, and that nothing can
ever be devised more perfect than what was established by our
forefathers. . .
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