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Jefferson
Letter to Mr. Lincoln (January 1, 1802)
In
this letter, Jefferson requests that Mr. Lincoln read
his address to the Danbury Baptist Association and comment
on its contents. The Baptist address strongly condemns
the union of church and state under the new Constitution
and Bill of Rights. In addition, the address contains
Jefferson's long-awaited explanation of why he, unlike
Washington and Adams, saw a presidential proclamation
of fasting and thanksgiving as repugnant to the constitutional
guarantees of religious freedom. Of interest here is
Jefferson's acknowledgment of the address' potential
to offend the North, whose clergy and people favored
both a unity of church and state and the presidential
proclamations. Jefferson asked Mr. Lincoln, who was
familiar with the Northern temperament to water down
the address, which presently had been written to satisfy
Southern sentiment.
RJ&L
Religious Institutions Group
January
1, 1802
Averse
to receive addresses, yet unable to prevent them, I have
generally endeavored to turn them to some account, by making
them the occasion, by way of answer, of sowing useful truths
and principles among the people, which might germinate and
become rooted among their political tenets. The Baptist
address, now enclosed, admits of a condemnation of the alliance
between Church and State, under the authority of the Constitution.
It furnishes an occasion, too, which I have long wished
to find, of saying why I do not proclaim fastings and thanksgivings,
as my predecessors did. The address, to be sure, does not
point at this, and its introduction is awkward. But I foresee
no opportunity of doing it more pertinently. I know it will
give great offence to the New England clergy; but the advocate
of religious freedom is to expect neither peace nor forgiveness
from them. Will you be so good as to examine the answer,
and suggest any alterations which might prevent an ill effect,
or promote a good one, among the people? You understand
the temper of those in the North, and can weaken it, therefore,
to their stomachs: it is a present seasoned to the Southern
taste only. I would ask the favor of you to return it, with
the address, in the course of the day or evening. Health
and affection.
Source:
IV The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography,
Correspondence, Reports, messages, Addresses, and Other
Writings, Official and Private 427 (H. A. Washington ed.,
1984).
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