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The
Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption
of the Federal Constitution (Elliot's Debates)
Vol.
IV
Seven
states ratifying the Constitution proposed no amendments.
Four of the six states proposing amendments requested
provisions dealing with religion. Virginia and North
Carolina endorsed the same principle set forth below.
North Carolina's proposal differs from Virginia's in
the inclusion of a semicolon following "of conscience,"
and deletion of commas preceding and following "by law."
New York and New Hampshire also proposed amendments.
RJ&L
Religious Institutions Group
DEBATES
IN THE CONVENTION OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, ON THE
ADOPTION OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.
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Pg.
242
After
a warm discussion on this point by several gentlemen on
both sides of the house, it was at length intimated to Mr.
Iredell, by Mr. Spaight, across the house, that Mr. Lenoir,
mid some other gentlemen of the majority, wished he would
withdraw his motion for the present, on purpose that the
resolution of the committee might be first entered on the
Journal, which had not been done; and afterwards his motion
might be renewed. Mr. Iredell declared he would readily
agree to this, if the gentleman who had seconded him would,
desiring the house to remember that he only withdrew his
motion for that reason, and hoped he should have leave to
introduce it afterwards; which seemed to be understood.
He accordingly, with the consent of Mr. Skinner, withdrew
his motion; and the resolution of the committee of the whole
house as then read, and ordered to be entered on the Journal.
The resolution was accordingly read and entered, as follows,
viz.:--
"Resolved,
That a declaration of rights, asserting and securing from
encroachment the great principles of civil and religious
liberty, and the unalienable rights of the people, together
with amendments to the most ambiguous and exceptionable
parts of the said Constitution of government, ought to be
laid before Congress, and the convention of the states that
shall or may be called for the purpose of amending the said
Constitution, for their consideration, previous to the ratification
of the Constitution aforesaid on the part of the state of
North Carolina."
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Pg.
243
"DECLARATION
OF RIGHTS.
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Pg.
244
"15.
That the people have a right peaceably to assemble together,
to consult for the common good, or to instruct their representatives;
and that every freeman has a right to petition or apply
to the legislature for redress of grievances.
"16.
That the people have a right to freedom of speech, and of
writing and publishing their sentiments that freedom of
the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty, and
ought not to be violated.
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"19.
That any person religiously scrupulous of bearing arms ought
to be exempted, upon payment of an equivalent to employ
another to bear arms in his stead. "20. That religion, 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 have an
equal, natural, and unalienable right to the free exercise
of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and
that no particular religious sect or society ought to be
favored or established by law in preference to others."
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