Letter · 1790

Letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport

During his August 1790 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, President Washington answered an address from Moses Seixas, warden of the town’s Jewish congregation, Yeshuat Israel. Echoing Seixas’s own words, he wrote that the government of the United States “gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance,” and that religious liberty was no longer a matter of toleration granted by one class of people to another but the exercise of inherent natural rights.

“For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.”

George Washington, August 18, 1790

Why it matters

It remains one of the founding era’s clearest affirmations that all citizens “possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship,” whatever their faith.

Read the full text at founders.archives.gov

Primary Source

The original record, reproduced or linked from the institution that holds it. Primary sources show what people said and did in their own words.

Subjects

founding religious liberty faith toleration

From the library

Related Documents

PM·DOC·1789·011Primary Source

Proclamation · October 3, 1789

Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789

At the request of both houses of Congress, President Washington recommended that Americans devote Thursday, November 26, 1789, to public thanksgiving and prayer. He gave thanks for the peaceable establishment of constitutional government, “particularly the national One now lately instituted,” and for civil and religious liberty, and asked Americans to pray that the national government would be one of “wise, just, and constitutional laws.”

Held by Library of CongressOpen archive

PM·DOC·1791·013Primary Source

Constitutional text · December 15, 1791

The Bill of Rights

Proposed by the First Congress on September 25, 1789, largely from drafts by James Madison, the first ten amendments guarantee freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition, the right to keep and bear arms, protections for the accused, trial by jury, and the reservation of undelegated powers to the states or the people. Congress sent twelve amendments to the states; ten were ratified by December 15, 1791, and another became the Twenty-seventh Amendment in 1992.

Held by National ArchivesOpen archive

PM·DOC·1786·006Primary Source

Legislation · January 16, 1786

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson in 1777 and first introduced in 1779, the bill was guided to passage by James Madison while Jefferson served as minister to France. Its preamble declared that “Almighty God hath created the mind free,” and its enacting clause provided that no one could be compelled to attend or support any religious worship or suffer for religious opinions, and that such opinions would not diminish or enlarge anyone’s civil capacities.

Held by Library of VirginiaOpen archive