s, a grander and purer code of morals,
than can be found upon pagan pages. Excel these wretches in industry,
in honesty, in reverence for parents, in cleanliness, in frugality, and
above all by advocating the absolute liberty of human thought.

Do not trample upon these people because they have different conception
of things about which even this committee knows nothing.

Give them the same privilege you enjoy of making a god after their own
fashion, and let them describe him as they will. Would you be willing
to have them remain, if one of their race, thousands of years ago, had
pretended to have seen God, and had written of Him as follows: "There
went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth; coals
were kindled by it.... and he rode upon a cherub and did fly?" Why
should you object to these people on account of their religion? Your
objection has in it the spirit of hate and intolerance. Of that spirit
the inquisition was born. That spirit lighted the fagot, made the
thumbscrew, put chains upon the limbs, and lashes upon the backs of
men. The same spirit bought and sold, captured and kidnapped human
beings; sold babes, and justified all the horrors of slavery. Congress
has nothing to do with the religion of the people. Its members are not
responsible to God for the opinions of their constituents, and it may
tend to the happiness of the constituents for me to state that they are
in no way responsible for the religion of the members. Religion is an
individual not a national matter, and where the nation interferes with
the right of conscience, the liberties of the people are devoured by
the monster, superstition.

If you wish to drive out the Chinese, do not make a pretext of
religion. Do not pretend that you are trying to do God a favor.
Injustice in His name is doubly detestable. The assassin cannot
sanctify his dagger by falling on his knees, and it does not help a
falsehood if it be uttered as a prayer. Religion, used to intensify
the hatred of men toward men, under the pretense of pleasing God, has
cursed this world.

A portion of this most remarkable report is Intensely religious. There
is in it almost the odor of sanctity; and when reading it, one is
impressed with the living piety of its authors. But on the
twenty-fifth page, there are a few passages that must pain the hearts
of true believers. Leaving their religious views, the members
immediately betake themselves to philosophy