rprized the French, who generally make their religion
subservient to the purposes of policy, do not discourage convents, and
lessen the number of festivals, in the colonies, where both are so
peculiarly pernicious.

It is to this circumstance one may in great measure attribute the
superior increase of the British American settlements compared to
those of France: a religion which encourages idleness, and makes a
virtue of celibacy, is particularly unfavorable to colonization.

However religious prejudice may have been suffered to counterwork
policy under a French government, it is scarce to be doubted that this
cause of the poverty of Canada will by degrees be removed; that these
people, slaves at present to ignorance and superstition, will in time
be enlightened by a more liberal education, and gently led by reason to
a religion which is not only preferable, as being that of the country
to which they are now annexed, but which is so much more calculated to
make them happy and prosperous as a people.

Till that time, till their prejudices subside, it is equally just,
humane, and wise, to leave them the free right of worshiping the Deity
in the manner which they have been early taught to believe the best,
and to which they are consequently attached.

It would be unjust to deprive them of any of the rights of citizens
on account of religion, in America, where every other sect of
dissenters are equally capable of employ with those of the established
church; nay where, from whatever cause, the church of England is on a
footing in many colonies little better than a toleration.

It is undoubtedly, in a political light, an object of consequence
every where, that the national religion, whatever it is, should be as
universal as possible, agreement in religious worship being the
strongest tie to unity and obedience; had all prudent means been used
to lessen the number of dissenters in our colonies, I cannot avoid
believing, from what I observe and hear, that we should have found in
them a spirit of rational loyalty, and true freedom, instead of that
factious one from which so much is to be apprehended.

It seems consonant to reason, that the religion of every country
should have a relation to, and coherence with, the civil constitution:
the Romish religion is best adapted to a despotic government, the
presbyterian to a republican, and that of the church of England to a
limited monarchy like ours.

As therefore the civil go