First Freedom: The Fight for Religious Liberty Page #11

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He was leaving

a nation that was,

as he said, "in command

of its own fortunes."

Man as Washington:

I anticipate with

pleasing expectation

that retreat

in which I promise myself

the sweet enjoyment

of good laws

under a free government.

Mitchell:
Less than

3 years after leaving office,

George Washington died

and was buried at mount Vernon.

James Madison was

the last founding father to die.

In 1817, he retired

to Montpelier,

his tobacco plantation.

For his final 19 years,

he never left Virginia again.

Among his last works

was a protest

against the appointment

of chaplains for congress.

Even at the end,

James Madison was a watchdog

for the revolutionary

American concept

of separation

between church and state.

Man as Madison:

I am far from desponding

of the great

political experiment

in the hands

of the American people.

Much has already been gained.

Much may be expected.

Mitchell:

The bitter election of 1800

had severed the friendship

between Thomas Jefferson

and John Adams.

In time, the two

great men reconciled.

Man as John Adams:

Now, my friend Jefferson,

there is now, ever will be,

and never was

but one being who can

understand the universe

and that it is not

only vain but wicked

for insects to pretend

to comprehend it.

John Adams.

Man as Jefferson:

These are things

which you and I

may perhaps know ere long.

We have so lived

as to fear near neither horn

of the dilemma.

We have, willingly,

done injury to no man

and have done

for our country the good

which has fallen in our way.

Be our last as cordial

as were our first affections.

Thomas Jefferson.

Mitchell:
John Adams died

on July 4, 1826,

exactly a half century

after the declaration

of independence.

Adams' last words were,

"Jefferson still survives."

He was wrong.

Thomas Jefferson

had died just hours before,

but what they had created

with the other founders

still survived.

The shocking and very basic

American principles

of a separate church

and state of a nation,

that guaranteed religious

liberty in these United States.

Religious freedom

has always been

a fundamental human right,

but freedom does not always

come easily.

America's first freedom

was freedom of faith.

As Thomas Jefferson wrote,

"almighty God hath created

the mind free.

"No man shall suffer on account

"of his religious opinions

or belief,

"but all men shall be free

to profess their opinions

"in matters of religion.

"Truth is great

and will prevail

if left to herself."

To learn more

about the founding

fathers

and the separation

of church and state,

visit

pbs. Org/first freedom.

"First freedom:

The fight for

religious liberty"

is available

on DVD.

The companion

book is also

available.

To order, visit

shoppbs.Org

or call

1-800-play-pbs.

Also available

on iTunes.

friends of nci

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