EVIDENCE OF A. HAMILTON ADVOCATING THE USE OF RELIGION FOR POLITICAL GAIN
MARCH 22, 1797
Dr Sir New York,
March 22, 1797
It is now ascertained that Mr Pinckney has been refused and with
circumstances of indignity. `What is to be done? The share I have had in
the public administration added to my interest as a Citizen make me
extremely anxious that at this delicate Crisis a course of conduct exactly
proper may be adopted. I offer to your consideration without ceremony what
appears tome such a course.
First. I would appoint a day of humiliation and prayer. In such a
crisis this appears to me proper in itself and it will be politically
useful to impress our nation that there is a serious state of things--to
strengthen religious ideas in a contest which in its progress may require
that our people may consider themselves as the defenders of their Country
against Atheism conquest & anarchy. It is far from evident to me that the
progress of the war may not call on us to defend our fire sides & our
altars. And any plan which does not look forward to this as possible will
in my opinion be a superficial one.
Second. I would call Congress together at as short a day as a
majority of both houses cran assemble.
3. When assembled I would appoint a Commission extraordinary to
consist of Mr. Jefferson, or Mr. Madison, together with Mr Cabot & Mr.
Pinckney. To be useful it is important that a man agreeable to the French
should go. But neither Madison nor Jefferson ought to go alone. The three
will give security. It will flatter the French Pride. It will engage
American confidence & recommend the people to what shall be eventually
necessary. The Commission should be instructed to explain, to ask a
rescinding of the order under which we suffer & reparation for the past--to
remodify our Treaties under proper guards. On the last idea I will trouble
you hereafter.
4· The Congress should be urged to take defensive measures. These
to be 1. An Embargo unless with convoy by special license.
Additional Revenue or additional expences.
2. The Creation of a naval force--including the prompt purchase and
equipment of Sloops of War. This force to serve as Convoys to our Trade.
3. Commissions to be granted to our Merchant Vessels authorising
them to arm to defend themselves to capture when attacked but not to
cruise, The same instructions to our convoys.
4. The origination of a provisional army of Twenty five thousand
men to be ready to serve if a War breaks out--in the mean time to receive
certain compensations but not full pay. The aaual increase of our
establishment in Atillery & Cavalry.
The following considerations appear to me weighty. The Empress of
Russia is dead. Successors are too apt to contradict predecessors. The new
Emperor may join Prussia. The Emperor of Germany by this mean or by the
fortune of War may be compelled to make
peace. England may be left alone. America may be a good outlet for
trouble--some armies which the Government is at a loss to manage. The
governing passion of the Rulers of France has been
revenge. Their interest is not to be calculated upon. To punish and humble
us--to force us into a greater dependence may be the plan of France. At any
rate we shall best guarantee ourselves against calamity by preparing for
the worst. In this time of general convulsion, in a state of things which
threatens all civilization tis a great folly to wrap ourselves up in a
cloak of security.
The Executive before Congress meet ought to have a well digested
plan & to cooperate in getting it adopted.
Yrs. truly,. A Hamilton
3 March 22 1797
T Pickering Esq
(SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Letter written to Timothy Pickering by Alexander
Hamilton,
New York, March 22, 1797, ALS; Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston.
The papers of Alexander Hamilton, Vol. XX, January 1796-March 1797, Edited
by Harold C. Syrett, Columbia University Press, (1974), pp 545-46)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JANUARY 27-FEBRUARY 11, 1798
In addition to these measures Let the president recommend a day to
be observed as a day of fasting humiliation & prayer. On religious ground
this is very proper--On political, it is very expedient. The Government
will be very unwise, if it does not make the most of the religious
prepossessions of our people--opposing the honest enthusiasm of Religious
opinion to be Political fanaticism. The last step appears to me of the most
precious importance & I earnestly hope, it will by no means be neglected.
(SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Excerpt from a letter written to James McHenry by
Alexander Hamilton, sometime between January 27 and February 11, 1798, AD,
in the United States Naval Academy Museum; AD (photostat), James McHenry
Papers, Library of Congress, This undated document was written after
January 26, 1798, when McHenry wrote to H. and before February 12, the date
McHenry acknowledged to H of the receipt of this document. The Papers of
Alexander Hamilton, Vol. XXI, April 1797-July 1798, edited by Harold C.
Syrett, Columbia University press, New York and London (1974) pp 341-346)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARCH 1-15, 1798
My Dear Sir
In my opinion these things--
The President ought to make a solemn and manly communication to
Congress the language grave and firm but without invective--in which after
briefly recapituIating the progress of our controversy with France the
measures taken toward accommodation & stating their degrading result--he
ought to advert to the extremely critical posture of Europe the excessive
pretensions of France externally her treatment to the neutral powers
generally dwelling emphatically on the late violent invasion of their
Commerce as an act destructive of the Independence of Nations--to state
that eventual dangers of the most serious kind hang over us and that we
ought to consider ourselves as bound to provide with the utmost energy for
the
immediate security of our invaded rights & for the ultimate defence of our
liberty and Independence--and conclude with a recommendation on general
terms to adopt efficient measures for increasing our revenue for protecting
our commerce, for guarding our sea ports and ultimately foe repelling
Invasion-intimating also that the relations of Treaty which have subsisted
between us and France & which have been so intirely disregarded by her,
ought not to remain by our Constitution & laws binding upon us but ought to
be suspended in their Operation till an adjustment of differences shall
reestablish a basis of connection and intercourse between the the two
Countries--taking especial care however that merely defensive views be
indicated.
The measures which I should contemplate would be these--
To authorise oar Merchantmen to arm and to defend themselves
against any attempt to capture them by French Cruisers— and to capture &
bring in any vessels by which they should be
attacked.
To complete our Frigates already begun and to enable our president
to provide equip & arm immediately a number of vessels of from 16 to 20
guns to serve as Convoys. These vessels also to be authorised to capture
all those that may attack them and all French privateers found within
Twenty leagues of our Coast.
The President to be likewise authorised in case a War should break
out to provide Ten ships of the line. The terms to be broad enough to
enable him to purchase them or take them in pay of a foreign power, but
this idea to be covered under general expressions.
Our regular army to be increased to 20,000 Men horse foot &
infantry & a provisional army of 30,000 more to be added.
The fortification of our ports to be seriously prosecuted & not
less than a million of Dollars appropriated to this purpose.
All the sources of Revenue Land Tax house tax &c. &c. to be
immediately resorted to--that we may be equal to this expenditure & early
providing the most essential sinew of War may be able to carry it on with
Vigour & avoid Running in Debt. A loan commensurate with the objects to be
authorized.
The Treaties between the two Countries to be declared suspended.
These measures to a feeble mind may appear gigantic. To yours they
can only appear excessive as far as it may seem impracticable to get them
adopted. For my part I contemplate the possible overthrow of England--the
certainty of invasion in that case, without unqualified submission and the
duty and practicability even in that even of defending our honor and
rights.
Let the President also call to his aid the force of religious Ideas
by a day of fasting humiliation & prayer. This will be in my opinion no
less proper in a political than in a religious View. We must oppose to
political fanaticism religious zeal.
I do not enter into a detail of reasons for the respective
measures. They will all occur to you. I consider the Independence of
Nations as threatened and I am willing to encounter every extremity in the
preservation of ours.
In all our measures however, let it be seen that final rupture is
desired to be avoided as far as may consist with security & the UStates
still stand ready to accommodate. I write in extreme haste.
Yrs.
A H
P.S. I beseech you Exert yourself to induce the New England Representatives
if not already done to forward the Bill for providing an indifferent mode
of Trial in Cases in which States are concerned. Without it a civil war may
ensue between us & Connecticut & the Federal Interest will at any rate be
much injured.
(SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Letter to Theodore Sedgwick from Alexander
Hamilton, Albany, March 1-15, 1798, ALS, Massachusetts Historical Society,
Boston; copy, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston. The Papers of
Alexander Hamilton, Vol. XXI, April 1797-July 1798, edited by Harold C.
Syrett, Columbia University press, New York and London (1974) pp 301- 303)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARCH 5, 1798
GENERAL + A U R O R A +
ADVERTISER
MONDAY MARCH 5, 1798
__________________________________________________
Take notice! Something very like this happened on the 4th of March,
1797. The American constitution has no relation to the Christian religion:
Yet Mr. Adams, before taking his oath of office, made a long exordium to
this purpose: viz, that, although the constitution makes no distinction in
favour of the Christian religion, yet that he (Mr. Adams) in nominating to
public offices would always have a special eye to that point. This truth
was thereafter sent to the press.
In July or August last, when the author of the history of 1796 or
in plain terms. when Hamilton came to Philadelphia to vindicate his
character by a confession of adultery. this identical and most Christian
president invited him to a family dinner with Mrs. Adams. Such is his
selection of company for the entertainment of his wife! Oh, Johnny! Johnny!
(SOURCE OF INFORMATION: General Aurora Advertiser, March 5, 1798.
MFILM N.S. 12516 HF5862.A9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARCH 17, 1798
I would at the same time have the President to recommend a day of fasting
humiliation and prayer. The occasion renders it proper & religious ideas
will be useful. I have this last measure at heart.
(SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Excerpt from a letter written to Timothy Pickering
by Alexander Hamilton, March 17, 1798, ALS, Massachusetts Historical
Society, Boston, The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, Vol. XXI, April
1797-July 1798, edited by Harold C. Syrett, Columbia University press, New
York and London (1974) pp 364-366)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARCH 23, 1798
PROCLAMATIONS.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
A PROCLAMATION.
As the safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially
depend on the protection and the blessing of Almighty God, and the national
acknowledgment of this truth is not only an indispensable duty which the
people owe to Him, but a duty whose natural influence is favorable to the
promotion of that morality and piety without which social happiness can not
exist nor the blessings of a free government be enjoyed; and as this duty,
at all times incumbent, is so especially in seasons of difficulty or of
danger, when existing or threatening calamities, the just judgments of God
against prevalent iniquity, are a loud call to repentance and reformation;
and as the United States of America are at present Placed in a hazardous
and afflictive situation by the unfriendly
disposition, conduct, and demands of a foreign power, evinced by repeated
refusals to receive our messengers of reconciliation and peace, by
depredations on our commerce, and the infliction of injuries on very many
of our fellow-citizens while engaged in their lawful business on the seas--
under these considerations it has appeared to me that the duty of imploring
the mercy and benediction of Heaven on our country demands at this time a
special attention from its inhabitants.
I have therefore thought fit to recommend, and I do hereby
recommend, that Wednesday, the 9th day of May next, be observed throughout
the United States as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting, and prayer; that
the citizens of these States, abstaining on that day from their customary
worldly occupations, offer their devout addresses to the Father of Mercies
agreeably to those forms or methods which they have severally adopted as
the most suitable and becoming; that all religious congregations do, with
the deepest humility, acknowledge before God the manifold sins and
transgressions with which we are justly chargeable as individuals and as a
nation, beseeching Him at the same time, of His infinite grace, through the
Redeemer of the World, freely to remit all our offenses, and to incline us
by His Holy Spirit to that sincere repentance and reformation which may
afford us reason to hope for his inestimable favor and heavenly
benediction; that it be made the subject of particular and earnest
supplication that our country may be protected from all the dangers which
threaten it; that our civil and religious privileges may be preserved
inviolate and perpetuated to the latest generations; that our public
councils and magistrates may be especially enlightened and directed at this
critical period; that the American people may be united in those bonds of
amity and mutual confidence and inspired with that vigor and fortitude by
which they have in times past been so highly distinguished and by which
they have obtained such invaluable advantages; that the health of the
inhabitants of our land may be preserved, and their agriculture, commerce,
fisheries, arts, and manufactures be blessed and prospered; that the
principles of genuine piety and sound morality may influence the mitlds and
govern the lives of every description of our citizens, and that the
blessings of peace, freedom, and pure religion may be speedily extended to
all the nations of the earth.
And finally, I recommend that on the said day the duties of
humiliation and prayer be accompanied by fervent thanksgiving to the
Bestower of Every Good Gift, not only for His having hitherto protected and
preserved the people of these United States in the independent enjoyment of
their religious and civil freedom, but also for having prospered them in a
wonderful progress of population, and for conferring on them many and great
favors conducive to the happiness and prosperity of a nation.
Given under my hand and the seal of the United States of America,
at Philadelphia, this 23d day of March, A. D. 1798, and of the Independence
of the said States the twenty-second.
[SEAL] JOHN ADAMS.
By the President:
Timothy PICKERING,
Secretary of State.
(SOURCE OF INFORMATION: A COMPILATION OF THE MESSAGES AND PAPERS OF THE
PRESIDENTS, VOL. I, BUREAU OF NATIONAL LITERATURE, N Y, PP 258-260)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARCH 25, 1798
Prior to receipt of your letter, the President had determined to
recommend the observance of a general fast; and had desired one or both the
chaplains of Congress to prepare the draught of a proclamation. This has
since been issued.
(SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Excerpt from a letter written by Timothy Pickering
to Alexander Hamilton, March 25, 1798. ALS, Hamilton papers, Library of
Congress; ALS, letterpress copy, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston.
The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, Vol. XXI, April 1797-July 1798, edited by
Harold C. Syrett, Columbia University press, New York and London (1974) pp
370)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And finally, this would be especially juicy, fitting and ironic, since
this was a email exchange between me and Mike Newdow a couple years ago.
From: [me] [deleted]
To: FirstAmendmi[deleted] Mike Newdow
Subject: Re: (no subject)
Date: Wed, 05 Nov 2003 09:39:18 -0500
On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 11:21:32 EST, you wrote:
:|Would Jefferson, the Federalists archly asked, not imitate the
example of his:|illustrious predecessor and bid the nation to
thank God for its delivery from danger by the Treaty of Amiens?
The voice of New England Federalism, the Boston Columbian
Centinel, cynically challenged Jefferson to act. "It is highly
:|probable," said the Centinel on Nov. 28, 1801, "that on
the receipt of the news of Peace in Europe, the President will
issue a Proclamation recommending a General Thanksgiving.
The measure, it is hoped, will not be denounced by the
democrats as unconstitutional, as previous Proclamations have been."
:|
:|
:|That is from the Library of Congress's discussion of the Danbury
Baptist letter. Any chance you know what "denouncements"
that referred to? And how about this one:
In some of the things I had sent you the stuff I sent you regarding the
elections of 1800 (there were things going back to the late 1790s as well)
there were newspaper reports denouncing Adams making religious
proclamations. (In fact Adams blames at least one of those proclamations
for his loss of a second term. I am not sure where I read that, I know I
read it in a couple of places. it was the way he worded the proclamations,
very righteous, very religious in nation, almost like a sermon, etc.
Anyways it created a stir and Adams later blamed that, at last in part for
his defeat to Jefferson)
Also there is this
1800
1. An inviolable preservation of the federal Constitution, according
to the true sense in which it was adopted by the States, that in which it
was advocated by its friends, and not that which its enemies apprehended,
who, therefore, became its enemies.
8. Freedom of religion, and opposition to all maneuvers to bring about
a legal ascendancy of one sect over another.
9. Freedom of speech and the press; and opposition, therefore, to 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 public agents.
(SOURCE OF INFORMATION: FIRST AMERICAN PLATFORM ADOPTED IN CONGRESSIONAL
CAUCUS, PHILADELPHIA, IN 1800, BY THE DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICAN PARTY.
AMERICAN STATE PAPERS Bearing On Sunday Legislation, Revised and Enlarged
Edition, Compiled and Annotated by William Addison Blakely, Revised
Edition
Edited by Willard Allen Colcord, The Religious Liberty Association,
Washington D.C. 1911, pp 166)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:|
:|Federalist preachers had routinely used fast and thanksgiving days
to revile Jefferson and his followers, going so far in 1799 as to suggest
that a Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic was a divine punishment for
Republican godlessness.
Yep. Much of that was included in that long attachment I sent you that
covered the last year or two of 1790s and most of the 1800
jim
*******************************************************
You note that I told Mike that I had read the information about Adams
blaming his loss for a 2nd term but didn't recall where I had read it
(at that moment) I had actually run across at least one reference to
that as early as 1996.
Mike's reply was
From: FirstAmendmi[delete]
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 14:56:30 EST
Subject: Re: (no subject)
(In fact Adams blames at least one of those proclamations for his loss
of a second term. I am not sure where I read that, I know I read it in a
couple of places. it was the way he worded the proclamations, very
righteous, very religious in nation, almost like a sermon, etc. Anyways it
created a stir and Adams later blamed that, at last in part for his defeat
to Jefferson)
Hey - I can actually send something to you!
The National Fast, recommended by me turned me out of office. It was
connected with the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church, which I had
no concern in. That assembly has allarmed and alienated Quakers,
Anabaptists, Mennonists, Moravians, Swedenborgians, Methodists, Catholicks,
protestant Episcopalians, Arians, Socinians, Armenians, & & &, Atheists and
Deists might be added. A general Suspicon prevailed that the Presbyterian
Church was ambitious and aimed at an Establishment of a National Church. I
was represented as a Presbyterian and at the head of this political and
ecclesiastical Project. The secret whisper ran through them “Let us have
Jefferson, Madison, Burr, any body, whether they be Philosophers, Deists,
or even Atheists, rather than a Presbyterian President.” This principle is
at the bottom of the unpopularity of national Fasts and Thanksgivings.
Nothing is more dreaded than the National Government meddling with
Religion.
SOURCE: John Adams to Benjamin Rush, June 12, 1812. Old Family Letters,
392-93; as provided in "The Spur of Fame," Schutz JA and Adair D, eds.
(The Huntington Library, San Marino, CA, 1966), page 224.
In fact, Adams was quite correct in his (too late) recognition that there
was popular revulsion to such religious activities on the part of the
federal government. The editor of the Philadelphia Aurora explained why
there was objection to the President's recommendation for a fast:
Because there is nothing in the constitution giving authority to proclaim
fasts ... Because prayer, fasting, and humiliation are matters of
religion and conscience, with which government has nothing to do ...
And Because we consider a connection between state and church affairs
as dangerous to religious and political freedom and that, therefore,
every approach towards it should be discouraged ...
(Philadelphia Aurora, Wednesday, May 9, 1798 (from Rosenfeld RN.
"American Aurora" (St. Martin's Press, New York, 1997) page 113)).
**********************************************
FINALLY
* A Baptist minister and follow warrior with Jefferson, Madison and
others in the struggle for religious freedom gave this advice about
electing public officials: "...guard against those men who make a great
noise about religion..."
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/leland5.htm
***************************************************************
You are invited to check out the following:
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Hampton Roads [Virginia] SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
[Its not just Hampton Roads folks who are members, there are members from
all over the US and a couple from overseas as well]
***************************************************************
.. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
.. . .
****************************************************************
USAF LT. COL (Ret) Buffman (Glen P. Goffin) wrote
"You pilot always into an unknown future;
facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"
That philosophy 'snipit' helped to get me, and my crew, through a good
many combat missions and far too many scary, inflight, emergencies.
It has also played a significant role in helping me to expose the
plethora of radical Christian propaganda and lies that we find at
almost every media turn.
*****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
****************************************************************
.
|
