The Correspondence of Thomas Jefferson
By Subject
KNOWLEDGE / INQUIRY VERSUS IGNORANCE
Your favor of the 6th instant is just received, and I shall with
equal willingness and truth, state the degree of agency you had,
respecting the copy of M. de Becourt's book, which came to my hands.
That gentleman informed me, by letter, that he was about to publish a
volume in French, "Sur la Creation du Monde, Un Systeme
d'Organisation Primitive," which, its title promised to be,
either a geological or astronomical work. I subscribed; and, when
published, he sent me a copy; and as you were my correspondent in the
book line in Philadelphia, I took the liberty of desiring him to call
on you for the price, which, he afterwards informed me, you were so
kind as to pay him for me, being, I believe, two dollars. But the sole
copy which came to me was from himself directly, and, as far as I
know, was never seen by you.
I am really mortified to be told that, in
the United States of America, a fact like this can become a
subject of inquiry, and of criminal inquiry too, as an offence against
religion; that a question about the sale of a book can be carried
before the civil magistrate. Is this then our freedom of religion? and
are we to have a censor whose imprimatur shall say what books may be
sold, and what we may buy? And who is thus to dogmatize religious
opinions for our citizens? Whose foot is to be the measure to which
ours are all to be cut or stretched? Is a priest to be our inquisitor,
or shall a layman, simple as ourselves, set up his reason as the rule
for what we are to read, and what we must believe? It is an insult to
our citizens to question whether they are rational beings or not, and
blasphemy against religion to suppose It cannot stand the test of
truth and reason. If M. de Becourt's book be false in its facts,
disprove them; if false in its reasoning, refute it. But, for God's
sake, let us freely hear both sides, if we choose. I know little of
its contents, having barely glanced over here and there a passage, and
over the table of contents. From this, the Newtonian philosophy seemed
the chief object of attack; the issue of which might be trusted to the
strength of the two combatants; Newton certainly not needing the
auxiliary arm of the government, and still less the holy Author of our
religion, as to what in it concerns Him. I thought the work would be,
very innocent, and one which might be confided to the reason of any
man; no? likely to be much read if let alone, but, if persecuted, it
will he generally read. Every man in the United States will think it a
duty to buy a copy, in vindication of his right to buy, and to read
what he pleases. I have been just reading the new constitution of
Spain. One of its fundamental bases is expressed in these words: "The
Roman Catholic religion, the only true one, is, and always
shall be, that of the Spanish nation. The government protects it by
wise and just laws, and prohibits the exercise of any other whatever."
Now I wish this presented to those who question what you may sell, or
we may buy, with a request to strike out the words, "Roman
Catholic," and to insert the denomination of their own religion.
This would ascertain the code of dogmas which each wishes should
domineer over the opinions of all others, and be taken, like the
Spanish religion, under the protection of wise and just laws." It
would show to what they wish to reduce the liberty for which one
generation has sacrificed life and happiness. It would present our
boasted freedom of religion as a thing of theory only, and not of
practice, as what would be a poor exchange for the theoretic thraldom,
but practical freedom of Europe. But it is impossible that the law of
Pennsylvania, which set us the first example of the wholesome and
happy effects of religious freedom, can permit the inquisitorial
functions to be pro posed to their courts. Under them you are surely
safe.
to N.G. Dufief, 19 April 1814
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