THE CONSTRUCTIVE STATESMAN 195 



ter with wonderful clearness and cogency. He sent 

 this paper all over the state for signatures, and in the 

 course of a twelvemonth had so educated the people 

 that in the election of 1785 the question of religious 

 freedom was made a test question ; and in the ensuing 

 session the dangerous bill was defeated, and in place 

 thereof it was enacted "that no man shall be com- 

 pelled to frequent or support any religious worship, 

 place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, 

 restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or 

 goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his 

 religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be 

 free to profess, and by argument maintain, their opin- 

 ions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in 

 no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capaci- 

 ties." In thus abolishing religious tests, Virginia came 

 to the front among all the American states, as Massa- 

 chusetts had come to the front in the abolition of 

 negro slavery. Nearly all the states still imposed 

 religious tests upon civil office holders, from simply 

 declaring a general belief in the infallibleness of the 

 Bible, to accepting the doctrine of the Trinity. Madi- 

 son's " Religious Freedom Act " was translated into 

 French and Italian, and was widely read and com- 

 mented upon in Europe. In our own history it set a 

 most valuable precedent for other states to follow. 



The attitude of Mr. Madison with regard to paper 

 money was also very important. The several states 

 had then the power of issuing promissory notes and 

 making them a legal tender, and many of them shame- 

 fully abused this power. The year 1786 witnessed 

 perhaps the most virulent craze for paper money that 

 has ever attacked the American people. In Virginia 



