nterests。　　Despotism　may　govern　without　faith；　but　liberty　cannot。　　Religion　is　much　more　necessary　in　the　republic　which　they　set　forth　in　glowing　colors　than　in　the　monarchy　which　they　attack；　and　it　is　more　needed　in　democratic　republics　than　in　any　others。　　How　is　it　possible　that　society　should　escape　destruction　if　the　moral　tie　be　not　strengthened　in　proportion　as　the　political　tie　is　relaxed？　and　what　can　be　done　with　a　people　which　is　its　own　master；　if　it　be　not　submissive　to　the　Divinity？
  Chapter　XVII：　Principal　Causes　Maintaining　The　Democratic　Republic　…　Part　III
  Principal　Causes　Which　Render　Religion　Powerful　In　America　　Care　taken　by　the　Americans　to　separate　the　Church　from　the　State　…　　The　laws；　public　opinion；　and　even　the　exertions　of　the　clergy　concur　to　promote　this　end　…　Influence　of　religion　upon　the　mind　in　the　United　States　attributable　to　this　cause　…　Reason　of　this　…　What　is　the　natural　state　of　men　with　regard　to　religion　at　the　present　time　…　What　are　the　peculiar　and　incidental　causes　which　prevent　men；　in　certain　countries；　from　arriving　at　this　state。
  The　philosophers　of　the　eighteenth　century　explained　the　gradual　decay　of　religious　faith　in　a　very　simple　manner。　　Religious　zeal；　said　they；　must　necessarily　fail；　the　more　generally　liberty　is　established　and　knowledge　diffused。　　Unfortunately；　facts　are　by　no　means　in　accordance　with　their　theory。　　There　are　certain　populations　in　Europe　whose　unbelief　is　only　equalled　by　their　ignorance　and　their　debasement；　whilst　in　America　one　of　the　freest　and　most　enlightened　nations　in　the　world　fulfils　all　the　outward　duties　of　religious　fervor。
  Upon　my　arrival　in　the　United　States；　the　religious　aspect　of　the　country　was　the　first　thing　that　struck　my　attention；　and　the　longer　I　stayed　there　the　more　did　I　perceive　the　great　political　consequences　resulting　from　this　state　of　things；　to　which　I　was　unaccustomed。　　In　France　I　had　almost　always　seen　the　spirit　of　religion　and　the　spirit　of　freedom　pursuing　courses　diametrically　opposed　to　each　other；　but　in　America　I　found　that　they　were　intimately　united；　and　that　they　reigned　in　common　over　the　same　country。　My　desire　to　discover　the　causes　of　this　phenomenon　increased　from　day　to　day。　In　order　to　satisfy　it　I　questioned　the　members　of　all　the　different　sects；　and　I　more　especially　sought　the　society　of　the　clergy；　who　are　the　depositaries　of　the　different　persuasions；　and　who　are　more　especially　interested　in　their　duration。　　As　a　member　of　the　Roman　Catholic　Church　I　was　more　particularly　brought　into　contact　with　several　of　its　priests；　with　whom　I　became　intimately　acquainted。　　To　each　of　these　men　I　expressed　my　astonishment　and　I　explained　my　doubts；　I　found　that　they　differed　upon　matters　of　detail　alone；　and　that　they　mainly　attributed　the　peaceful　dominion　of　religion　in　their　country　to　the　separation　of　Church　and　State。　I　do　not　hesitate　to　affirm　that　during　my　stay　in　America　I　did　not　meet　with　a　single　individual；　of　the　clergy　or　of　the　laity；　who　was　not　of　the　same　opinion　upon　this　point。
  This　led　me　to　examine　more　attentively　than　I　had　hitherto　done；　the　station　which　the　American　clergy　occupy　in　political　society。　　I　learned　with　surprise　that　they　filled　no　public　appointments；　*f　not　one　of　them　is　to　be　met　with　in　the　administration；　and　they　are　not　even　represented　in　the　legislative　assemblies。　　In　several　States　*g　the　law　excludes　them　from　political　life；　public　opinion　in　all。　　And　when　I　came　to　inquire　into　the　prevailing　spirit　of　the　clergy　I　found　that　most　of　its　members　seemed　to　retire　of　their　own　accord　from　the　exercise　of　power；　and　that　they　made　it　the　pride　of　their　profession　to　abstain　from　politics。
  ＇Footnote　f：　Unless　this　term　be　applied　to　the　functions　which　many　of　them　fill　in　the　schools。　　Almost　all　education　is　entrusted　to　the　clergy。＇
  ＇Footnote　g：　See　the　Constitution　of　New　York；　art。　7；　Section　4：　…　　〃And　whereas　the　ministers　of　the　gospel　are；　by　their　profession；　dedicated　to　the　service　of　God　and　the　care　of　souls；　and　ought　not　to　be　diverted　from　the　great　duties　of　their　functions：　therefore　no　minister　of　the　gospel；　or　priest　of　any　denomination　whatsoever；　shall　at　any　time　hereafter；　under　any　pretence　or　description　whatever；　be　eligible　to；　or　capable　of　holding；　any　civil　or　military　office　or　place　within　this　State。〃
  See　also　the　constitutions　of　North　Carolina；　art。　31；　Virginia；　South　Carolina；　art。　I；　Section　23；　Kentucky；　art。　2；　Section　26；　Tennessee；　art。　8；　Section　I；　Louisiana；　art。　2；　Section　22。＇
  I　heard　them　inveigh　against　ambition　and　deceit；　under　whatever　political　opinions　these　vices　might　chance　to　lurk；　but　I　learned　from　their　discourses　that　men　are　not　guilty　in　the　eye　of　God　for　any　opinions　concerning　political　government　which　they　may　profess　with　sincerity；　any　more　than　they　are　for　their　mistakes　in　building　a　house　or　in　driving　a　furrow。　　I　perceived　that　these　ministers　of　the　gospel　eschewed　all　parties　with　the　anxiety　attendant　upon　personal　interest。　　These　facts　convinced　me　that　what　I　had　been　told　was　true；　and　it　then　became　my　object　to　investigate　their　causes；　and　to　inquire　how　it　happened　that　the　real　authority　of　religion　was　increased　by　a　state　of　things　which　diminished　its　apparent　force：　these　causes　did　not　long　escape　my　researches。
  The　short　space　of　threescore　years　can　never　content　the　imagination　of　man；　nor　can　the　imperfect　joys　of　this　world　satisfy　his　heart。　　Man　alone；　of　all　created　beings；　displays　a　natural　contempt　of　existence；　and　yet　a　boundless　desire　to　exist；　he　scorns　life；　but　he　dreads　annihilation。　These　different　feelings　incessantly　urge　his　soul　to　the　contemplation　of　a　future　state；　and　religion　directs　his　musings　thither。　　Religion；　then；　is　simply　another　form　of　hope；　and　it　is　no　less　natural　to　the　human　heart　than　hope　itself。　　Men　cannot　abandon　their　religious　faith　without　a　kind　of　aberration　of　intellect；　and　a　sort　of　violent　distortion　of　their　true　natures；　but　they　are　invincibly　brought　back　to　more　pious　sentiments；　for　unbelief　is　an　accident；　and　faith　is　the　only　permanent　state　of　mankind。　If　we　only　consider　religious　institutions　in　a　purely　human　point　of　view；　they　may　be　said　to　derive　an　inexhaustible　element　of　strength　from　man　himself；　since　they　belong　to　one　of　the　constituent　principles　of　human　nature。
  I　am　aware　that　at　certain　times　religion　may　strengthen　this　influence；　which　originates　in　itself；　by　the　artificial　power　of　the　laws；　and　by　the　support　of　those　temporal　institutions　which　direct　society。　　Religions；　intimately　united　to　the　governments　of　the　earth；　have　been　known　to　exercise　a　sovereign　authority　derived　from　the　twofold　source　of　terror　and　of　faith；　but　when　a　religion　contracts　an　alliance　of　this　nature；　I　do　not　hesitate　to　affirm　that　it　commits　the　same　error　as　a　man　who　should　sacrifice　his　future　to　his　present　welfare；　and　in　obtaining　a　power　to　which　it　has　no　claim；　it　risks　that　authority　which　is　rightfully　its　own。　When　a　religion　founds　its　empire　upon　the　desire　of　immortality　which　lives　in　every　human　heart；　it　may　aspire　to　universal　dominion；　but　when　it　connects　itself　with　a　government；　it　must　necessarily　adopt　maxims　which　are　only　applicable　to　certain　nations。　Thus；　in　forming　an　alliance　with　a　political　power；　religion　augments　its　authority　over　a　few；　and　forfeits　the　hope　of　reigning　over　all。
  As　long　as　a　religion　rests　upon　those　sentiments　which　are　the　consolation　of　all　affliction；　it　may　attract　the　affections　of　mankind。　　But　if　it　be　mixed　up　with　the　bitter　passions　of　the　world；　it　may　be　constrained　to　defend　allies　whom　its　interests；　and　not　the　principle　of　love；　have　given　to　it；　or　to　repel　as　antagonists　men　who　are　still　attached　to　its　own　spirit；　however　opposed　they　may　be　to　the　powers　to　which　it　is　allied。　　The　Church　cannot　share　the　temporal　power　of　the　State　without　being　the　object　of　a　portion　of　that　animosity　which　the　latter　excites。
  The　political　powers　which　seem　to　be　most　firmly　established　have　frequently　no　better　guarantee　for　their　duration　than　the　opinions　of　a　generation；　the　interests　of　the　time；　or　the　life　of　an　individual。　　A　law　may　modify　the　social　condition　which　seems　to　be　most　fixed　and　determinate；　and　with　the　social　condition　everything　else　must　change。　　The　powers　of　society　are　more　or　less　fugitive；　like　the　years　which　we　spend　upon　the　earth；　they　succeed　each　other　with　rapidity；　like　the　fleeting　cares　of　life；　and　no　government　has　ever　yet　been　founded　upon　an　invariable　disposition　of　the　human　heart；　or　upon　an　imperishable　interest。
  As　long　as　a　religion　is　sustained　by　those　feelings；　propensities；　and　passions　which　are　found　to　occur　under　the　same　forms；　at　all　the　different　periods　of　history；　it　may　defy　the　efforts　of　time；　or　at　least　it　can　only　be　destroyed　by　another　religion。　　But　when　religion　clings　to　the　interests　of　the　world；　it　becomes　almost　as　fragile　a　thing　as　the　powers　of　earth。　It　is　the　only　one　of　them　all　which　can　hope　for　immortality；　but　if　it　be　connected　with　their　ephemeral　authority；　it　shares　their　fo